Global Brigades Information Session

Global Brigades
Information Session
September 16th, 2010

PUBLIC HEALTH.BUSINESS.DENTAL.ENVIRONMENT.LAW.MEDICAL.ARCHITECTURE.WATER
www.globalbrigades.org

Global Brigades, Inc. Copyright 2009

Global Brigades is the world’s largest student-led global
health and sustainable development organization. As a
secular, international nonprofit organization, we mobilize
student volunteers and professionals to empower
communities in developing countries with programs that
improve quality of life while respecting local culture and
improving the environment.
Between 2008 and 2009, more than 4,000 volunteers from
80 GB university chapters in the U.S., Canada, and U.K.
traveled to provide health and economic development
solutions to more than 50,000 beneficiaries through our
teams in Panama and Honduras.
Global Brigades programs began at Mount Allison
University in 2008. The 2010-2011 brigade will mark

ABOUT.LOCATION.VIDEO.BRIGADES.FOLLOW-UP.SCHEDULE.LODGING.PROGRAM FEE.JOIN


Communities are selected by an extensive study
based on need, access to medicine, and health
system infrastructure.
Most communities are within only a few hours
of student accommodations, so that daily travel
for brigades is feasible and safe.
Global Brigades only works in communities
where we have been invited and have strong
relationships with community leaders.



Serving Immediate Needs

Develops sustainable health initiatives
and provides relief where this is limited
access to healthcare. Each community
receives a brigade every 3-4 months
and between brigades our in-country
team maintains relationships with the
communities to provide follow-up and
conducts community health worker
training to empower local leaders to
perpetuate a consistent level of
healthcare.



Serving Immediate Needs

Provides urgent and preventive dental
services in communities with limited
access to healthcare. Each of our
community partners receives a brigade
every 3 to 4 months where hundreds of
patients are treated with fillings,
cleanings and extractions, and are given
dental hygiene workshops. Between
brigades, our in-country team maintains
relationships with the communities to
provide follow-up to insure any dental
procedures were successful.



80 % of population have no access to
a dentist

90% of population have cavities

One dentist for every 45,000 people

Typical families have less than 3
gallons of water per day to use



Each brigade visits 4 communities to operate primary care clinics and provide
Health education workshops in conjunction with the dental clinics



Global Medical Brigades is incorporating the use
of OpenMRS into its practices. Each medical
brigade station will be equipped with a laptop
and the OpenMRS software to enter patient
information. The medical record is electronically
transferred with the patient through the brigade
stations. The records are ultimately stored for
future patient visits and to monitor community
health trends.



To perpetuate a system for sustainable health in our
communities, Global Brigades has created a new
community health worker program. Through this
program, Honduran citizens are provided with basic
training that allows them to have a presence in each
community when brigades are not.



Empowers under resourced communities
in the developing world to decrease life
threatening diseases by improving home
infrastructure and providing public
health education. Working side-by-side
with community members, PHB
volunteers improve the overall
infrastructure within the home through
the construction of four projects: eco-
stoves, latrines, water storage units and
concrete floors.



70% do not have access to public
sanitary services

Average family income is less than
$1 per day

Typically no doctors within a 20
mile radius

Typical families have less than 3
gallons of water per day to use



Most brigades include construction of each of the following four public health
projects: concrete floors, water pilas, latrines, and ecostoves.

Eco-stoves with chimneys are
Many homes in rural villages do not
Often preventive diseases limit the
carbon by unsanitary and
caused and smoke that place to
have a clean and securefills the
home with Water smoke and
unorganized waste “pilas” allow for
store water.harmfuldisposal.
pollutants that cause many of the
Latrines provide convenient and
a convenient andasanitary storage
family’s respiratory illnesses.
inexpensive solution near the of
unit saving families hundredsThe
eco-stoves also burn much
home.
hours per year walking longmore
efficiently, limiting deforestation.
distances to a water source.



Along with the construction of public health projects, brigades also include
education workshops.

Adult and family health a dynamic
Kid's health education iseducation
first focuses on the importance,
mix of songs, games, and
care, and maintenance of the
interactive activities designed to
construction but highly effective
teach simple projects and then
secondly uses this as a jumping-off
health promotion and disease
point to share other such as
prevention methods,critical health
concepts, such as dental care.
handwashing and treatment of
potable drinking water.



To perpetuate the infrastructure projects, the Public
Health (PH)Brigades directors in Honduras train identified
community members to continue construction and
maintenance between brigades. PH Brigades’ policy is
to only do half of the homes in the community, with a
predetermined agreement that the other community
members will pay for and implement the construction of
the other half.



Preventative Measures

Designs and implements water systems
to prevent communicable illnesses in
communities with limited access to
clean water. Student volunteers and
engineers travel annually to implement
community-based water projects with
our local partners.


HEALTH

Urban (48%) versus rural (52%)

Total expenditure on health as a
percentage of GDP is 7.4%

Communicable diseases account
for 47% of causes of death (it is
6% in Canada)
– Entirely preventable

HEALTH
Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water
related disease, making it the leading cause of
death of children under 5.

Washing your hands can reduce diarrheal
diseases by more than 40%

Entirely preventable with access to safe drinking
water, improved sanitation and health education
on how infections spread

HONDURAN WATER SYSTEMS
4% groundwater, 96% surface water

Water source  dam  pipes  central
storage tank  distribution network 
individual homes

Where will be involved?

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Building alongside water councils

Help from the community

Empowering the entire community

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Sanitation education

Water council education

Sustainable solutions

+ + + =

Holistic approach!


Although specific projects vary for each club, a brigade incorporates the
following phases: introduction, community organizing, construction, and
workshops.

The first day also involves an
brigade is spent with the
Volunteers then meet withfinish
either begin or
introduction tomobilize leaders
community to the underlyingan
volunteer conducted educational
construction on a segment of
political, economic and students
workshopsfor water counsel.
on-going water project.
and identify a Honduran
geographical issues that hinder
about conservation of water
the communities from obtaining
usage, consumption in the
clean water. the importance of
homes, and
water in terms of health and
sanitation.



Between brigades our in-country team
ensures that the water counsels are
functioning and have the necessary
funding to perpetuate the longevity of
the systems created.



February 18th- February 26th
$785 + Airfare
Included in program fee:
 7 days and 6 nights program
 Accommodations and meals
 In-country transportation
 Spanish translators and coordinators
 Program sustainability


Questions?

ARCHITECTURE.BUSINESS.DENTAL.ENVIRONMENT.LAW.MEDICAL.PUBLIC HEALTH.WATER
www.globalbrigades.org

Global Brigades Information Session

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Editor's Notes