Category: Volunteer
The Outreach Van at BUMC is looking for clothes Oct. 15-19!
Dear BUMC Community,
Have you any pantaloons lying around? How about any MC Hammer Parachute Pants? (We all know you definitely have at least one 80’s Christmas sweater in your closet you do not wear anymore). Want to donate them to a good cause? Now you can!! Please help the Outreach Van Project keep our clients warm this winter!
Donate in the Medical School lobby from October 15-19th!
OVP is always in need of clothing and anything can help (including those tube socks mom got you four years ago). We are especially in need of large men’s clothing. Any jackets, blankets, or new socks and underwear would also be greatly appreciated. This is great excuse for students to increase their closet space and make some room for that awesome pair of rain galoshes you just bought.
The Outreach Van is a program operated by students of the BUMC community. Every Thursday night, six students and one physician visit an especially under-served area in East Boston. Volunteers from the Outreach Van provide hot soup, groceries, clothing, and rousing conversation as a means of establishing trusting relationships and encouraging our clients to seek primary care.
Please note that if you cannot donate clothing, but wish to make a financial contribution, your tax-deductible donation will go a long way. If you are interested in donating money to our project, please make out a check to the Outreach Van Project and drop it off to Ana Bediako in the Enrichment Programs office at 72 East Concord St, A building, 2nd floor.
If you have any questions, please contact us at outreach@bu.edu
Thank you very much and have a cocoa-filled winter!
Initiative to End Childhood Malnutrition Volunteer/Intern in Uganda
Initiative to End Childhood Malnutrition Volunteer/Intern
Rukungiri, Uganda
The Initiative to End Childhood Malnutrition (IECM) is seeking one young professional to fill one of two program coordination positions for a six month to one year term at Nyakibale Hospital in southwest rural Uganda, beginning January 2012. IECM is a collaboration between the Harvard College Global Hunger Initiative, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Karoli Lwanga Nyakibale Hospital. The program was created in September 2009 to develop locally sustainable, effective, and replicable malnutrition protocols for developing, rural areas. The position is a voluntary, unpaid internship designed to foster professional growth while fulfilling essential responsibilities in support of this nonprofit program.
In order to support this mission IECM interns will maintain a malnutrition program in Rukungiri, Uganda where an estimated 30% of children under 5 suffer from malnutrition. As an intern you will gain valuable international experience by assisting in the development of a locally sustainable Inpatient Therapeutic Care program, implementation of a microfinance initiative to ensure financial sustainability, development of community gardens to provide nutritional education, and establishment of an Outpatient Therapeutic Care Program to target malnourished children who cannot be treated on an inpatient basis. In addition to working on individual projects, interns will have a unique opportunity to gain practical exposure to the administration of a non-governmental organization.
If you would like to read more about IECM’s efforts, please refer to our abstract from the 2010 Annual American Public Health Association Conference: http://apha.confex.com/apha/138am/webprogram/Paper219359.html and our program website: http://www.massgeneral.org/emergencymedicineglobalhealth/initiatives/Initiative_to_End_Child_Malnutrition.aspx
To apply for this position please send a Resume to liannatabar@gmail.com, with the Subject line of “IECM volunteer application”.
IH student, Katia Gomez, is looking for participation from faculty, staff, and students throughout BUSPH to help her NGO, Educate2Envision International, launch a campaign for the upcoming International Day of the Girl Child on October 11!
PROJECT: HER WORLD hopes to reach girls in 50 countries in 30 days and share their wish for the future. Katia is asking for help from those who have contacts abroad and would not mind sharing this message throughout their networks. At the end of the campaign, E2E will compile a collage of all the submissions from around the world and distribute them to all who participanted.
Chance to work with Malcolm Bryant on his Ethiopia project!
Malcolm Bryant is looking for a student who would be interested in volunteering for a few hours a week to assist with data entry for his Ethiopia project in September and October. Times are negotiable.
Interested? Contact Malcolm Bryant, Clinical Associate Professor at bryantm@bu.edu!
Two volunteer positions for APHA International Health section!
1. Volunteer campaign manager for American Public Health Association executive board candidate
We are looking for a student who would be prepared to volunteer a few hours a week to work with the American Public Health Association, International Health section to provide logistics support the candidacy of Maggie Huff-Rouselle for the Executive Board of the APHA. The opportunity will require approximately four hours a week between mid-August and late October, to work with Maggie and Malcolm Bryant (chair of the IH section), to prepare a campaign strategy, put together candidacy materials, liaise with the 27 sections and 50 affiliates, and work with the governing council of APHA.
This is an excellent opportunity to become familiar with the governance of the oldest and largest public health association in the world, and facilitate establishing international health as an active player in the executive decision-making of the association.
Interested students should contact Malcolm Bryant by August 13th.
2. Volunteer fund-raiser for the American Public Health Association, International Health Section.
The international health section is establishing a fund to provide scholarships to students from both the US and internationally, to attend the APHA annual meeting. We are looking for one or more volunteers (you don't have to be an APHA member), to assist in strategizing how to establish this fund, identifying potential donors, soliciting donations, and developing the bylaws that will guide allocation of resources from this fund for scholarships. Ultimately we would like to be able to offer scholarships for 20 US-based and 10 international students to enable them to present scientific papers at the annual conference.
Anyone interested in this opportunity should e-mail Malcolm Bryant (bryantm@bu.edu) - the current chair of the IH section, and we will organize a meeting of interested individuals during the week of 13th August.
Volunteer opportunity as Deputy Program Manager of Public Health Organization in Rural Uganda
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY AS DEPUTY PROGRAM MANAGER OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATION IN RURAL UGANDA
Partners for Access (“PFA”) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and growing a community-based organization in the Nakaseke District of Uganda known as African Community Center for Social Sustainability (“ACCESS”). ACCESS is a community-based organization in rural Uganda founded in 2002 to empower vulnerable groups in resource limited settings through medical care, education and income-generating projects.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities are largely up to the volunteer but will include a role in each of the following areas. The priority of the volunteer should be to gain an understanding of the needs of the organization and the community and to work with community members to find ways to meet their needs. Collaboration, communication, and patience are essential.
1. Medical Care
Volunteers will live and work at our on-site walk-in clinic (called Lifecare) and may visit the Nakaseke district hospital. Those with clinical skills will be involved in patient management, and those without will have the opportunity to observe. More importantly, you will be involved in preparing and procuring medical supplies and sundries depending on the current needs of the clinic.
2. Training Community Health Nurses
ACCESS is currently transitioning from a one year nurses’ aide training program to a fully accredited nursing school. Your role will be to research funding opportunities and support the ACCESS team during the transition.
3. OVC’s (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) and PLWAs (People Living With HIV/AIDS)
You will conduct weekly home visits via car or motor-bike to our OVCs and PLWAs to ensure that they are receiving what they need to go to school and that they are receiving proper medical attention.
4. Monitoring and Evaluation
This will be your most important and significant role. We will need a proactive individual willing to work through language barriers to gather information in order to monitor and evaluate our impact in the community. You will therefore help in designing the annual work plan and writing the annual report. Strong communication skills will be essential.
5. Facilitate Partnerships
Within the Nakaseke community are large NGOs including BRAC, Mildmay, MedNet, and World Vision. We will ask you to periodically meet with the leaders of these organizations to understand their role in the community and to work to enhance our partnerships to better meet the needs of the Nakaseke community. You will help the ACCESS staff plan for annual visits by international medical students. Their visit coincides with an annual Community Health Day in which we provide free care to 400-600 patients in two days.
6. Income Generation Activity (IGAs) Project
You will help implement and monitor a pilot IGA project with a group of women making soap.
6 month minimum required.
1. QUALIFICATIONS:
2. Willingness to work and live in a resource limited rural setting (Housing is provided on site)
3. Interest in working with people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWAs), orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs)
4. Able to work independently with minimal supervision
5. Demonstrated interest and background in public and global health
6. Willingness and flexibility to perform miscellaneous duties assigned by directors
7. Prior experience working in third world countries is preferred but not required
8. Able to work with a team despite language and cultural barriers
Start Date: September 2012
Please send cover letter and resume to Katie D’Angelo (kkdangelo@gmail.com) and Mohamed Zeidan (moe.zeidan@gmail.com).
Volunteer position available: Fundraiser and Volunteer Coordinator for ASHA (USA)
Applications: Please send (a) covering letter (b) detailed CV (c) two references to lucy.barbour@asha-india.org
Two projects needing experienced students! Contact Chris Gill with questions
Project 1: Looking for evidence of systematic bias among published meta-analyses of efficacy studies.
One of the chief threats to the validity of meta-analyses is publication bias, which is often demonstrated within a given meta-analysis by use of funnel plots or related statistical approaches. In this project, we aim to take this process one step higher and to conduct a meta-analysis of published meta-analyses to determine if there is evidence of publication bias within the meta-analysis literature at large. For this project, we are seeking ideally two highly motivated students who have strong skills in epidemiology/biostatistics in general and meta-analysis in particular. The project is expected to last at least six months, so students must be able to make an extended commitment to the project. Additionally, consideration will be given to students that are self motivated and creative. Please include a cover letter documenting your interest, skills, and relevant background and a current CV.
If interested, please contact Dr. Christopher Gill at cgill@bu.edu
Project 2: M health and EDC working group
For the past year, the electronic data capture (EDC) project has been working on setting up field robust systems for collection of clinical trials data in remote settings using wireless enabled hand held devices. Currently, we have a working system and are about to embark on our first field trial using this system. For the upcoming year, we would like to expand the working group to include one or two additional team members to help develop activities related not just to EDC but also to developing M-health interventions, including potentially a collaboration with Save the Children in Ethiopia. The group meetings for one hour each week, and we are looking for potential members who are willing to commit to this group for at least 12 months and dedicate time to project related activities. Applicants should have solid skills in epi and biostats and be familiar with mobile technologies. In addition, priority will be given to students who can program in Linux and/or XML. Please include a cover letter documenting your interest, skills, and relevant background and a current CV.
If interested, please contact Dr. Christopher Gill at cgill@bu.edu
