As if studying to be a doctor isn't tough enough, imagine doing it without up to date textbooks or access to medical equipment.

That's what students in Laos struggle with, but despite those challenges, the country's only medical school is graduating more and more young physicians every year.

Aye Sitthikaheaeuang is a temple boy. He lives with a group of monks, where he cooks and cleans in exchange for food and a roof over his head.

But Aye isn't just a temple boy he's also a medical student and after his temple duties each morning, he walks across town to campus, for a full day of classes.

The fact he's even here is in itself an achievement.

Aye grew up in an isolated village near the Vietnam border, one of twelve children, nine of whom died.

Aye was the only one of them to go to school, at his father's insistence.

One day, when Aye was a teenager, his father began to cough.

Nobody knew why and there were no doctors anywhere near the village who could treat him.

Three years later, his father died of what Aye is now sure was tuberculosis.

That's when Aye decided to become a doctor.

He finished high school and was accepted at the country's only medical school.

The government pays some of his costs and the rest of his tuition is covered by scholarships from other countries, similar to the ones paid for by donors from Calgary.

Aye says "many doctors from Canada, Calgary, every people, one is like my parents, my family, my friends, they help me everything all the time".

Aye plans to return to the countryside when he's finished his training and he's hoping more villagers can follow his footsteps and go to medical school.

Funding for the Faculty of Medicine Lao project comes from the U of C, the World Health Organization, and the Governments of Canada and Luxembourg.

The project also accepts private donations by cheque, which can be sent to:

Ms Ruth Malus

Administrative Coordinator, UME

Room G 701, Health Sciences Centre

3330 Hospital Drive NW

Calgary AB Canada

T2N 4N1

A charitable donation receipt will be issued by the U of C.