A Norwich student is set to use her skills overseas helping those in need in Nepal.

A Norwich student is set to use her skills overseas helping those in need in Nepal.

Norwich High School for Girls student, Camilla Rhead, 18, has been awarded the Sherpa-Blaiklock Nepal Bursary of �1,000.

She is set to visit Nepal for three-four weeks between late August and late September and visit a health centre set up by Catherine and Gyaljen Sherpa-Blaiklock, who started the charity, Nepal in Need and set up the bursary programme.

Camilla plans to travel to Nepal before starting medical school in 2010 and will also teach at the Japhu School high up in the Himalayas.

The health centre she will be helping out at is currently treating 400 patients a month at a cost of �1.

In September, the Evening News reported how Catherine and her husband, Gyaljen, were helping to provide basic health care to the Rai and Sherpa people.

The couple from Lingwood, Norwich have put �20,000 of their own money into creating the Khnepalung Community Health Centre in the Arun Valley of Eastern Nepal near to where Gyaljen, a professional mountaineer, grew up.

They along with Jackie Higham secretary of the charity treasurer Angela Woodhouse and trustee Paul Billing have held a range of charity events to raise money for the centre.

To be short listed for the bursary, candidates were asked to write a short essay explaining why they would like to go to Nepal and what they expected to get out of it.

Speaking about why she wanted to take part in the trip, Miss Rhead said: 'As an aspiring medical student with a great interest in international medical issues I would use the grant to visit the Khnepalung Community Health Centre to experience medicine in a developing country.

'I would also relish the chance to work at the local school in Khnepalung.

'I feel the experience I have had during various expeditions completed over the past three years will help me in the ascent to the village and has developed my resilience and endurance which will be required in the three day trek up to Khnepalung.

'From the trip, I would hope to further my understanding of the medical and educational issues in the area and I feel the experience would aid my time in medical school and lead me to develop my appreciation of how lucky we are in this country to have such amazing medical and educational facilities.

'By talking and hopefully integrating as much as possible with the people in Khnepalung, I hope to learn a great deal as well as having an exciting and enjoyable experience.'

Volunteers will be taking part in a trek with Nepal in Need to visit the centre in March. For more information on the charity or to donate towards the trek in March, visit www.nepalinneed.org