Additional Programs
Global Brigades offers volunteers the opportunity to participate in a variety of public health and development programs to relieve poverty. This multi-disciplinary approach offers our communities a holistic model for strategic development. Each Brigade can be operated independently, but it is easier logistically and more impactful in our communities when a university can align to implement together. Below is a complete list of the various Brigades:
- Medical Brigades
- Global Medical Brigades (GMB) develops sustainable health initiatives and provides relief where there is limited access to healthcare. Our current focus is in Central America where more than 3,000 student volunteers and health professionals have traveled to establish mobile medical clinics in under resourced communities. Each community that we partner with receives a brigade every 3 to 4 months where hundreds of patients are treated and volunteers deliver public health workshops. Between brigades our in-country team maintains relationships with the communities to provide follow-up and conducts community health worker trainings to empower local leaders to perpetuate a consistent level of health care.
- Dental Brigades
- Global Dental Brigades GDB provides urgent and preventive dental services in communities with limited access to healthcare. In conjunction with our sister program, Global Medical Brigades, we travel to Central America to establish mobile dental clinics. Each of our community partners receives a brigade every 3 to 4 months where hundreds of patients are treated primarily with prophylactic cleaning, fluoride treatment and extractions, with hopes of launching full-fledged restorative care. GDB also focuses on prevention with 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 and to conduct community health worker trainings to empower local leaders to perpetuate a consistent level of dental care.
- Water Brigades
- Global Water Brigades (GWB) designs and implements water systems to prevent communicable illnesses in communities with limited access to clean water. Our current focus is in Central America where hundreds of student volunteers and engineers travel annually to implement our community-based water projects with our local partners. Our in-country team members work with water experts and community leaders to design large scale water systems for the entire community. Once the water system is blueprinted, volunteers work side-by-side with community members to implement and provide the education for maintenance through the creation of “community water counsels.” Between brigades our in-country team insures that the water counsels are functioning and have the necessary funding to perpetuate the longevity of the systems created.
- Environmental Brigades
- Global Environmental Brigades (GEB) develops sustainable environmental solutions to mitigate ecological degradation in bio-rich, but economically disadvantaged communities in developing countries. In conjunction with communities and other international organizations, GEB identifies and develops environmental projects that foster sustainable development. Environmental Brigades develops strategies to address the socio-economic challenges that link to resource depletion and by providing education to community members on the importance of preservation while expanding their farms or businesses. Projects include native species reforestation, energy-efficient design, environmental curriculum implementation, eco-tourism and organic agriculture extension.
- Law Brigades
- Global Law Brigades (GLB) provides legal strategies and probono services to remote communities in developing countries to foster human rights and support sustainable development. GLB primarily works with remote indigenous communities that are under resourced and largely unaware of their legal rights. Projects include legal empowerment workshops, human rights education, environmental protection, and microenterprise/business support. Projects are identified by the Law Brigades field offices and matched to GLB club around the world. GLB volunteers then travel to implement the legal solutions by working alongside other human rights organizations and shadowing licensed Panamanian lawyers.
- Architecture Brigades
- Global Architecture Brigades (GAB) designs and constructs socially responsible and sustainable architecture solutions in developing nations. A think tank design approach that utilizes extensive community dialogue and independent research to create efficient, appropriate, and elegant structures to be embraced and utilized by those for whom they were built.
- Microfinance Brigades
- Microfinance Brigades (MFB) provides poverty-stricken communities in the developing world with the educational, financial, and organizational resources necessary to sustainably drive their own economic development. MFB volunteers help the under resourced in remote villages build their own businesses, ensure against emergencies, and fund community projects. By partnering with other international organizations in microfinance and agriculture, MFB provides the financial backing technical support to create and strengthen independent community banks. As mechanisms for social and economic change, these banks are then empowered to perpetuate other community projects facilitated by Global Brigades volunteers. This grass-roots approach advances communities away from dependence on outside aid and towards self-reliance.
- Public Health Brigades
- Public Health Brigades (PHB) 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. The four projects were chosen based on observations of medical brigade patient records, which illustrated high levels of respiratory, chagas and other preventable diseases caused by poor in-home health infrastructure. Between brigades our in-country team provides follow-up to ensure the maintenance of the structures and work to find funding that will compliment the health goals of the community to perpetuate future construction.
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