Volunteer Resource Site

Country Comparisons

Learn more about each of the countries we work with to help your chapter decide where to plan your next Brigade.

Due to Covid-19, our teams are moving through phases of slowly re-opening our in-person brigade programs in a way that ensures safety for volunteers, staff, and community partners. For updated information on which programs are currently open in which countries for in-person Brigades please refer to the “Responding to COVID-19” page on our website. This will be the most up-to-date information on the brigade program options and will be updated as information changes and more countries are able to re-open their in-person operations.

What makes each country partner unique

Regions Brigade Types Program Focus Work Setting Primary Language Partner Demographic Health

(# of physicians for every 10,000 people)

 WASH

(% of rural population without access to basic or safely managed drinking water sources)

 Economic Development

($ USD per month that the average family in a GB Partner Community lives on)

 7 Day
Donation Goal in $USD (will depend on Program Type)		 Other Considerations
Ghana Along the Gulf of Guinea in the Central Region. GB works in the districts of Ekumfi and Abura Asebu Kwamankense. Medical Brigades & TeleBrigades,
Public Health Brigades		 Strengthening local institutions through public and private partnerships, in particular the Ghana Health Service. Partner communities are coastal or located on the relatively flat inland coastal plain. The climate is tropical and humid with lush vegetation. Communities are typically larger and more densely populated than in Central America. English, Fanti, and Twi Rural African 1.06 physicians 28.1% $43 Starting at $1300 Must obtain visa pre-brigade and have proof of yellow fever vaccine. Likely need to start flight booking farther in advance to secure reasonable airfare quotes.

Greece		 Athens, the capital of Greece Medical Brigades & TeleBrigades,
Business Brigades & TeleBrigades		 Unique opportunity to support diverse groups of refugees and vulnerable populations of Greece. GB works in Athens with refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and vulnerable populations from various nationalities and backgrounds. The climate of the area is the Mediterranean: most frequently sunny and dry during summer, and mild wet in winters. Greek, Arabic, Farsi, and French Urban Refugees 62.26 physicians N/A $395 Starting at $1700 Vulnerable populations and not as ideal for first time volunteers. Leaders should have a strong emphasis on pre-brigade education.
Guatemala Central Guatemala, specifically in the municipality of Tecpan in the Chimaltenango department, is within an hour of Antigua and Lake Atitlan. Medical Brigades Healthcare solutions in close collaboration with indigenous community leadership. Mayan communities, high in the mountains of central Guatemala, with unique indigenous leadership structures and traditions. While hot in certain months and times of day, it is often relatively cold at these lofty elevations. Spanish and Mayan Rural Mayan 3.55 physicians 9.8% $112 Starting at $1600
Honduras Central and southern Honduras in the departments of Comayagua, La Paz, Francisco Morazan, El Paraiso, Choluteca, and Valle. Medical Brigades & TeleBrigades, Dental Brigades, Public Health Brigades & TeleBrigades, Water Brigades, Engineering Brigades & TeleBrigades,
Legal Empowerment Brigades & TeleBrigades		 Strong reputation in the design and implementation of WASH solutions, and an innovative, self-sustaining healthcare access program. Remote communities in the coffee-producing mountains of central Honduras with generally dry and warm climates, with colder months at the end of the year. Partner communities in southern Honduras, some of which are coastal, are generally flat, quite hot, and dry. Spanish Rural Latino 3.09 physicians 10.10% $118 Starting at $1200
Panama Eastern Panama and the Darien province and in the western provinces of Cocle and Veraguas. Business Brigades & TeleBrigades, Water, Medical, and Public Health Brigades Very strong economic development programming focused on empowering indigenous women, through our top-performing community banks. Hot, humid, and tropical communities with lush vegetation in both western and eastern Panama. Relatively flat terrain in the east, while more mountainous in the west. Many partner communities are indigenous, while others are Latino. Spanish Rural Indigenous and Latino 13.32 physicians 13.66% $215 Starting at $1400
Nicaragua North and west Nicaragua in the departments of Esteli, Jinotega, Matagalpa, and Leon. Currently, no Brigade opportunities for volunteers are available. Programming is being implemented by staff year-round. Very strong economic development programming and water and sanitation solutions in partnership with municipalities and water committees. Climate varied from the dry tropics in the Leon and Esteli departments to the humid tropics in Jinotega and Matagalpa, with the presence of communities dedicated to coffee plantations in high and cool areas. Strong support from community leaders and local development committees. Spanish Rural mestizo, Latino 16.65 physicians 40.90% $120

Our Country Partners

Honduras

Established 2004 | 261 Communities | 7 Brigade Programs & 5 TeleBrigade Programs

In 2004, Global Brigades started its work in the country of Honduras as a medical relief organization. Through the collaboration of community partners and local leaders, we eventually evolved our programming to tackle the underlying issues causing and relating to the health challenges we initially observed during medical clinics. No longer focusing on short-term medical relief, Global Brigades works to empower communities through economic development, sustainable healthcare, and water and sanitation projects.

In 2021, Global Brigades Honduras opened an Urban Clinic in the capital city, Tegucigalpa, where community members get access to general medicine, dental, ophthalmology, nutrition, and pharmacy services regularly. Also, every two weeks, community members get access to specialties such as internal medicine, dermatology, pediatrics, and gynecology.

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Panama

Established 2008 | 195 Communities | 5 Brigade Programs & 1 TeleBrigade Program

Since 2008, Global Brigades has refined a holistic approach specific to the strengths and goals of Panamanian communities to grow local economies, improve access to healthcare and empower families with legal resources to resolve disputes and formalize businesses. Inspired by our many indigenous community partners, our Panama model focuses on promoting a sense of belonging within communities and always prioritizes collaboration program execution.

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Ghana

Established 2011 | 65 Communities | 2 Brigade Programs & 1 TeleBrigade Program

In 2011, Global Brigades decided to expand its Holistic Model to a country in Africa to complement its work in Central America. Through in-person visits of more than 20 countries and a thorough research report on the best fit for our model, Ghana was selected as the best partner country. Programs in Ghana focus on healthcare, economic development, and clean water.

In August 2021, Global Brigades Ghana opened their pharmacy for community members to be able to access medications.

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Nicaragua

Established 2013 | 143 Communities

In 2010, community partnerships in Nicaragua were originally established in close proximity to our partners in Honduras as a way to expand the region we were already working in. Programs initially started with healthcare clinics to better understand the needs of the Jinotega region of the country. In 2013, we officially established a separate operation in Nicaragua and have expanded our programs to include economic development, clean water and sanitation.

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Greece

Established 2019 | Central Athens | 2 Brigade Programs & 2 TeleBrigade Programs

In 2018, by invitation of the UN International Office of Migration and in partnership with the Greek Health Department, Global Brigades set off to help fill a void for health care services for refugee populations and begin applying our tenets of development work – holistic model, empowerment of community members, and increased collaboration with local government and NGOs – in this unique setting.

In 2021, Global Brigades Greece opened a Clinic in the Center of Athens where refugees, migrants, and other vulnerable populations get access to pediatrics, gynecology, and ophthalmology services regularly and for free.

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Guatemala

Established 2019 | 21 Communities | 1 Brigade Program

In 2019, Global Brigades furthered its work in Central America with expansion to the country of Guatemala.  Through collaboration with community partners and local leaders, we have begun the initial steps in implementing the Holistic Model in rural Mayan Guatemalan communities. Consistent with our programmatic methodology, we have started implementing Medical Brigades.  These brigades will provide healthcare clinics to better understand the needs of the Tecpan region of the country. As Global Brigades works to empower communities, efforts towards economic development, sustainable healthcare and water sanitation projects will advance.

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