Loreto College Marryatville Students Embark on Life-Changing Social Justice Tour to Vietnam and Cambodia This Summer
Loreto College Marryatville students will travel to South-East Asia during the summer holidays for a transformative social justice tour, engaging in meaningful service, visiting Loreto-sponsored charities, and exploring key cultural and historical sites.
As school year ends in December, Year 11 and 12 students from Loreto College Marryatville will be gearing up to spend part their summer holidays on a 15-day service-learning expedition to Vietnam and Cambodia, embracing the Loreto mission of justice and compassion.
During this immersive summer holiday experience, students will live out Loreto’s mission of educating young women to be “seekers of truth and doers of justice,” a guiding principle of Mary Ward, who founded the Loreto Sisters over 400 years ago. Designed to deepen students' understanding of social justice, Asian cultures, and global compassion, the tour offers a blend of meaningful service work, charity visits, and cultural exploration across Vietnam and Cambodia.
The tour will include impactful service components, beginning with the Vinh Loc Learning Program in Vietnam, where students will engage with both rural and urban communities, gaining insights into development challenges and understanding the resilience of those they meet.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the group will volunteer at an orphanage that cares for children and adults with severe disabilities, many impacted by Agent Orange - a legacy of the Vietnam War that still affects lives today. Here, students will provide meaningful support, deepening their understanding of social justice and the impact of service.
Year 11 student Phoebe Smith, expressed her excitement:
“I am really looking forward to this experience, especially the chance to make a difference in communities and provide extra support to those in need. I’m excited to get to know the students better, the Loreto Sisters, and to learn about the Vietnamese and Cambodian culture and history.”
Paul Foley, Leader of Humanities at Loreto and Social Justice Trip Coordinator, describes the tour as transformative:
“The experiences these students will have in Vietnam and Cambodia are profound. Each moment will allow these young women to gain invaluable insights into diverse cultures and human conditions. The learning that will occur, in so many ways, transcends normal paradigms and will instigate life-changing moments.”
By stepping into the less-travelled paths of Southeast Asia, students will broaden their perspectives, enhance their Asian literacy, and bring Loreto’s core values of justice and compassion to life, fostering empathy, purpose, and a lasting commitment to positive impact.
About Loreto College Marryatville
Loreto College Marryatville is South Australia’s leading independent Catholic all-girls day and boarding school, catering for students from Early Learning to Year 12.
Established in 1905, a Loreto education is built on a 400-year-old tradition first inspired by the founder of Loreto schools worldwide, Mary Ward, and encapsulates her beliefs in delivering an education which inspires strong, passionate, and confident girls and young women.
In delivering this view, Loreto College Marryatville provides girls with a well-rounded education where students are presented with a broad range of opportunities and given the support and encouragement to become confident and engaged learners with the knowledge and skills to make a difference to their world.
Loreto College Marryatville is led by principal, Ms Kylie McCullah.
Shannon Muscolino
Sarah Finn