Mon, 22-June-2026 Site: 1 (Ellys site) Today we went to our worksite for a full day where we passed buckets of sand and stone along in a chain, which was sort of physically tiring, but gave us an emotional and moral boost as we were working with the local Fundis to help the family. The way we kept our moral high was by playing music, dancing and singing along, which kept people and the kids in the worksite smiling and laughing. Another way we lifted our moods was by naming the rocks and buckets; even though it was silly, it…

Sat,13-Jun-26 Safari Day!       Fri, 12-Jun-26 Today we went to say goodbye to the sites that we have been working on for the past few days which was very emotional. The best part of the day was getting to see how much progress has been made on the houses since Wednesday. It was also emotional when everyone started to give their speeches too. We also got the chance to go to a market and learn traditional Tanzanian bartering techniques for buying things. -Ellie   Thurs, 11-Jun-26 We went to the love and hope centre which is a local orphanage…

I was hauled up onto the bustling jetty from the small wooden fishing boat which brought us from Jubilee Hope to the island. As we were lead through the dense crowd, I turned to Eilidh and we shared a look - was this definitely a good idea? I certainly knew I wasn't in Edinburgh anymore. However, despite this initial assault on the senses, in 11 days time we'd be wishing we could do it all again. Eilidh and I have been friends since our first day of FY1, and, when we both became locum GPs at the end of our…

I’m a final year medical student who completed their elective last summer on the Vine Trust ship in Peru. I’ve had a few months to reflect on my trip and the experiences I had, and it’s safe to say that deciding to do my elective with the Vine Trust was one of the best decisions I could have made.  I did my elective with two of my best friends who are also medical students. We arrived on the ship and were welcomed by the crew and introduced to Frank. Frank was amazing – he taught us Spanish, took us into…

I write to you from the Loreto part of the River Amazon in NorthEastern Peru.  I have just completed an incredible 11 days on a large medical boat with a local Peruvian team. We have been running clinics on ship for free to provide primary health and dental care. Hopping from village to village each day to offer everything from parasitic gut infection treatments to children’s growth checks, dental extractions and fillings to simple analgesia. I was given a translator named Frank, Peruvian and super enthusiastic and my bridge to understanding the consultation as my Spanish is extremely minimal.  Typical…

For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt a deep desire to volunteer in some of the world’s most underprivileged communities. Life, however, had other plans - career, study, and personal commitments took priority. Yet, at the core of my being, I’ve always longed for something greater than myself: a sense of purpose and a way to be truly useful. As a qualified nurse and midwife, I knew that improving lives through healthcare was the most natural way for me to help. So, when a professional colleague shared her experience with Vine Trust, something stirred within me. I visited…