Work experience program through South Wagga Rotary brings Nepalese students to Wagga

The program is in conjunction with South Wagga Rotary Club, Riverina Water County Council and Wagga City Council as a follow through to a college established by Rotary.

Engineering Director at RWCC Bede Spannagle said there was a lack of support for young minds in the Nepalese community of Sindhuli.

"After trying to get a water project up and running in Sindhuli, one of the things we noticed was that these young people couldn't get work experience, so we thought why not bring them here," he said.

Sujita Khadka is one of two students who arrived in Wagga on June 20.

"This is my first time in Australia, or out of my country at all which is very exciting," she said.

"The first two weeks I will be working with the people of plumbing, then the next two weeks will be with water quality testing, then moving to the design sector."

Miss Khadka said she hoped to learn more about civil engineering and council, and to observe the way organisations work together to achieve 'great things'.

"If possible I'm hoping to do a slightly smaller project to manage back in Nepal in Sindhuli to solve the system of water there and share the knowledge I learn here with people back home," she said.

Manoj Ale Magar is also participating in the program alongside Miss Khadka.

"I'm with the design sector for the council at the moment, but I will get the chance to work with all the instruments and tools, then looking at things like bicycle intersection plans and water treatment," he said.

South Wagga Rotary Club president Bruce Duffy said it was great to see the plan come together after many months of hard work.

"This is hopefully the first of a few rounds of work experience students now," he said.

"They have settled in to their jobs and host families really well."

Mr Duffy said the work experience program was one step toward improving education in Sindhuli.

"We helped establish the college they came from where civil engineering was the first school, but now we have a veterinary school with the help of the Australian Government who have organised to get a teacher sent over in November, as well as a grant to get a nursing educator there where a school is currently being developed," he said.

Mr Spannagle said every step in these students' education counted toward the bigger picture.

"We can't fix everything, but if we plant the seed to help these young people go home and help their own communities, that's a start," he said.

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