Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Becca raising funds for five-week trip to Indonesia to work in mental health facility
A DUNDEE student is fundraising for a trip to Indonesia’s only mental health facility.
Becca Byrne, 20, a third year psychology student at Dundee University, will fly out to Bali to spend five weeks at the Indonesia Psychiatric Facility helping the mainly young patients.
She said: “As well as helping out on the psychiatric ward, myself and the rest of the group from around the world will also be teaching adults and children English.
“We will be staying with local families in their homes during the five weeks, so we will see what life is like in these types of countries.
“There were no mental health facilities at all in Indonesia until the hospital was built in 2015.
“A lot of people who live there see mental health as some sort of black magic and will carry out ‘Pasung’ to try to rid them of bad spirits.
“That includes locking people suffering from mental health issues in metal cages and even shackling them.
“People here argue and complain about how little mental health support we have in the UK but there is hardly any treatment in places such as Bali.
“When you look at it like that they have it so much worse.”
Becca has already held a number of fundraising events, including a sponsored bungee jump from Killiecrankie bridge alongside fellow traveller Abbey Taylor, who is also a Dundee University student.
However, she still has some way to go to reach her £2,500 target.
She added: “I am holding bake sales in Ninewells Hospital this month and I have also set up an online fundraising page.
“Any money donated to allow me to help those in the hospital in Indonesia will be greatly appreciated.”
Anyone wanting to make a donation to Becca’s cause should visit justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/ rebecca-byrne-1.