In the News

Global Brigades is the largest student-funded humanitarian organization in the world. In its decade-and-a-half history, Global Brigades’ student participants have raised more than $100 million in aid, which has provided 1.5 million patients with medical and dental treatment, established 106 community banks that provided more than 12,000 loans to local businesses and communities, according to a recent press release. Global Brigades has also installed 56 water systems, bringing clean, drinkable water to more than 32,000 people.

Penn State Global Brigades dancer Lyndsay Stakem (junior-biobehavioral health) is brought to tears by Hannah Olszewski (junior-marketing) during the final four hours of THON while dancing from her apartment on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021 in State College, Pa. Olszewski expressed her thankfulness for Stakem’s friendship, writing her a heartfelt note for Stakem’s THON inspiration wall.

Penn State THON, the world’s largest student-run philanthropy, spends each year raising money to fund pediatric cancer research and care, culminating in a 46-hour-long no sitting, no sleeping dance marathon in Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this is the first year that THON was virtual, live-streaming events and performances over the 46-hour period with dancers dancing from their homes. Dancers, orgs, and clubs found ways to celebrate THON 2021, despite the virtual format.

Global Medical Brigades is a non-profit organization that aims to improve the health of underserved populations around the world. Under normal circumstances, club members are given the opportunity to spend time abroad to help local communities in countries such as Panama, Ghana and Greece. Fourth-year psychology major Kaitlin Zheng is the president of the UC Davis Global Medical Brigades. Zheng discussed how the organization has continued to partake in outreach efforts during the pandemic.

Many university students jump at the idea to study abroad, a way to travel independently and to experience an unfamiliar world. Marquette Alum, co-founder and CEO of Global Brigades, Shital Vora, had a desire for the study abroad experience. Yet, she felt she would never be able to satisfy this want due to the vigorous academic schedule she held as an undergraduate student in the Physical Therapy program.   

An interview with Global Brigades about virtual TeleBrigade programs.

We learn about Global Brigades, a non-profit created by a Marquette graduate that helps students understand poverty in other countries and help find solutions.

WUWM’s Maayan Silver speaks with Dr. Shital Vora, the co-founder and CEO of Global Brigades about how the non-profit has adjusted to the pandemic.

Many university students jump at the idea to study abroad, a way to travel independently and to experience an unfamiliar world. Marquette Alum, co-founder and CEO of Global Brigades, Shital Vora, had a desire for the study abroad experience. Yet, she felt she would never be able to satisfy this want due to the vigorous academic schedule she held as an undergraduate student in the Physical Therapy program.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic derailed any hope of such student trips, Global Brigades decided to offer a virtual “telebrigade,” while Global Brigades employees — who live in the communities where the students volunteer — kept the work going on the ground.

Through their computers, students read vitals and worked on case studies with doctors, brainstormed with technicians about how to bring drinkable water to rural villages, and proposed business strategies for entrepreneurs and small business owners from thousands of miles away.

Panama is located on the isthmus connecting North and South America, with the Panama Canal serving as a primary source of economic prosperity. In recent years, the nation has experienced an average annual GDP growth of 4.6%, and a decline in the national poverty rate of 1.6%. Healthcare access, however, is a principal issue among inhabitants, particularly among rural and Indigenous communities. The nonprofit organization Global Brigades is working to address this issue by tackling health and economic inequalities. In an interview with The Borgen Project, participant Daphne Binto of Boston College’s Global Brigades in Panama explained the dire circumstances of healthcare access in the indigenous village of Ipeti Guna. Lack of infrastructure, medical resources and wellness knowledge lead to high percentages of preventable illnesses among these communities in particular. Global Brigades in Panama partners with 108 communities and 86,000 individuals in order to employ comprehensive, community-focused strategies that provide essential medical and economic services.