COLLINGWOOD defender Harry O'Brien will return to Africa at the end of the season to continue his work with the disadvantaged after agreeing to become the Burnet Institute's youth ambassador.

O'Brien, 21, who's mother is Brazilian and father Congolese, will travel to Mozambique and the Congo after realising the challenge of combating the HIV epidemic currently spreading across the country during the Magpies' pre-season trip to South Africa.

"[The Burnet Institute] has a program there about AIDS prevention and also AIDS awareness, because it's a very severe problem over in Africa, especially in the areas we're travelling to," O'Brien told collingwoodfc.com.au.

"This is more of an introductory trip to open my eyes up to the extent of the problem, and so I can see the work that's being done to help it.

"When I got back from South Africa, I got a letter from the Institute asking if I was interesting in coming in and checking it out."

The Burnet Institute is one of the leading medical research and public health Institutes in Australia, and has over 100 health care professionals located in 11 offices in seven countries across Asia, the Pacific and Africa.

It aims to link laboratory research with the aim of reducing the impact of serious infectious diseases. It is currently working on several youth-orientated programs in urban and rural Australia, and diverse locations like Myanmar, Indonesia, Lao PDR and Papua New Guinea.

O'Brien is set to visit the Institute's HIV prevention and care programs in Mozambique, where the locals speak Portuguese – a language he is fluent in. He will also visit his father's homeland in DRC.

The young defender, who believes "the best quality to have in a person is empathy", said he enjoys working with the disadvantaged and is hoping his profile as a footballer helps him make a bigger impact.

"I get great enjoyment from trying to help other people," he said.

"Everyone has their story and mine is unique, but I'm definitely trying to use that to help as many people as I can."