Internationally renowned champion of children’s rights Christina Noble addressed a packed lecture theatre at RCSI this evening.

Speaking on her work with impoverished children in Vietnam and Mongolia, Christina said that her aim and that of the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation (CNCF) was to help and protect these children within the context of the family.

“Each child has different needs. Some need emergency care, most need nutritional care and all of them needed an education and protection. These children are at risk of exploitation and have a fundamental need to be loved and to feel secure. They need to be treated with respect and dignity and to be heard. Through them you will learn what is needed to be good doctors and nurses.”

Christina urged attendees to treat every child with dignity and respect at all times “no matter how busy you are”.

Dublin born Christina traveled to Vietnam in 1989 and thanks to the generous donations and support from several foreign companies, a Medical Centre for abandoned and malnourished children was constructed in Ho Chi Minh on 24 December 1990 and later in 1991 the Christina Noble Children's Foundation was established. Since then more than 140,000 children have received help in the wide variety of projects the Foundation is now running both in Vietnam and Mongolia.

Christina set up the Foundation in Ho Chi Minh where the number of projects has grown considerably. In 1997 she expanded CNCF's operations into Mongolia and is currently in negotiations to establish projects in Cambodia.

The RCSI is delighted to be associated with the CNCF and was particularly pleased to welcome Mai Anh Huynh Doan to the College last year. From Vietnam Mai Anh is closely associated with the Foundation and commenced part time study in the RCSI School of Physiotherapy in October 2005.