GlobeMed at Cornell
- At risk youth
- Health education
- HIV/AIDS
- Reproductive health
- Girls' development
- Sexuality
- Women's issues
Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.
Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?
Founding Story
Christopher
Chang
GlobeMed at Cornell
, NY, Ithaca, Tompkins County
, XX, La Libertad
1‐5 years
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Operating for 1‐5 years
The goal of GlobeMed is to improve the living conditions of underdeveloped communities and strive for global health equity in an efficient and sustainable matter. Furthermore, we are attempting to mobilize the network of colleges and universities to create a global force that can make a positive and permanent impact. Our chapter, specifically, is attempting to educate and empower the youth for future impact, as well as provide funding for a health clinic to address issues immediately.
To date, GlobeMed at Cornell has successfully implemented a variety of programs designed to further our goal of long term solutions and short term mitigation. In the long term, we have funded lab equipment and machines for the CEPAIPA's clinic. Also, we have trained Peer Health Advisers to teach and perpetuate, their knowledge of sexual health. We also engage in campaigns designed to empower teenage women of the community. To do this, we created an income generation project, where young girls were taught to make bracelets that were sold in the United States as a form of supplemental income. By lessening the girls' dependence on men, we were able to decrease their risk of HIV/AIDS and other STDs. Short term, we provided funding for rapid HIV tests for mothers in the community, as well as the transportation to a city Hospital where counseling and symptomatic treatment would be offered. Furthermore, we provide funds to be used on lab equipment and machines to be used in CEPAIPA's clinic.
In five years, we hope to have created a self-sustainable, social organization with CEPAIPA. Furthermore, we hope to have CEPAIPA improve its presence within the community, to be able to extend its services to all members of the community. Also, we hope to allow CEPAIPA to extend its area of influence, to be able to affect not only its community in La Libertad, but also the surrounding cities and states. Finally we would hope that in five years, CEPAIPA will have a great enough impact that it will draw the attention of school funding officials, state officials, and similar organizations.
Identify issues in the CEPAIPA community, and generate awareness of those issues within our community
Organize a small group of staff members to visit the community in La Libertad, Ecuador.
Develop a continuous relationship not only with the staff at CEPAIPA, but also with individuals within the community
Advertise and become a wide presence on campus, as well as with the community. Work more closely with community organizations
Fund a fully functional, self-sustaining rapid HIV-awareness clinic, as well as advertise their services to La Libertad.
Raise approximately $10000 for capital, such as machines, test tubes, etc., as well as training of employees
Create a Health Forum that allows for their services as well as health information to be distributed throughout the community.
Lobby for recognition by community and state leaders, push for sexual education for youth in La Libertad, Ecuador.
Our most important and close partnership is with CEPAIPA, the grass-roots organization for which we do most of our fundraising. This relationship is truly a partnership, we do not consider ourselves to be in higher esteem, nor does CEPAIPA consider themselves to have a more valuable opinion. We value each other's advice and opinions equally, and work together towards a better future. We also emphasize partnerships within our community; especially with other health organizations with similar ideals. In this way, we can draw more attention to CEPAIPA and the issues at hand.
The emphasis of our organization, as well as CEPAIPA, is youth. CEPAIPA is attached, physically and metaphorically to a High School; we both believe that due to lack of proper sexual education, Ecuadorian youth is an extremely at risk demographic. Through education and empowerment, we hope to lessen the cultural dependency of teenage girls to men,and therefore ameliorate much of the sexual subservience of young women in the community. Furthermore, we believe by educating certain youth, and training them to reach out to others, we can create a sustained, permanent change in their lifestyles.
The staff size is a huge factor to our success: by limiting our staff size to under thirty people, each member of our staff feels a certain responsibility and motivation to truly change Global Health. Furthermore, a smaller staff size builds a sense of family within the organization. This leads to a more conducive environment for the sharing of ideas. Furthermore, the organization of the Entire GlobeMed Network contributes to our success. Since each chapter is connected to each other through the National Network, a successful innovation is not confined to a single chapter. Furthermore, the National Organization provides us with a nationally recognized body that gives us access to the leaders in the Global Health field as well as a channel with which we can gain widespread recognition.