GLOBAL BRIGADES INFORMATION SESSION MONTH DAY YEAR GLOBAL

GLOBAL BRIGADES INFORMATION SESSION MONTH DAY, YEAR

GLOBAL BRIGADES INFO SESSION GLOBAL BRIGADES MISSION To empower volunteers to facilitate sustainable solutions in under resourced communities GLOBAL BRIGADES VISION To improve equality of life, by igniting the largest student-led social responsibility movement on the planet.

ABOUT GLOBAL BRIGADES To empower volunteers, Global Brigades offers 10 skilled-based programs

ABOUT GLOBAL BRIGADES THE HOLISTIC PROCESS

THE HOLISTIC PROCESS CONTINUED

WHERE WE WORK Programs are offered in Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana COUNTRIES SELECTED BASED ON: • • Large need in rural areas Strong community partnerships Logistically feasible Safe for volunteers NEEDS THAT GLOBAL BRIGADES ADDRESSES: • Basic services • Healthcare • Economic

PROGRAMS AND COUNTRIES Programs offered in each country Ghana Honduras Dental Medical Microfinance Water Architecture Business Dental Engineering Medical Microfinance Public Health Water Panama Nicaragua Business Dental Environmental Human Rights Medical Microfinance Medical Public Health

WHY CENTRAL AMERICA?

80% OF CHILDREN ARE IN ONE OF THREE STAGES OF MALNUTRUTION

MEDICAL BRIGADES Every 10, 000 Honduras only have access to the following healthcare resources: 4 DOCTORS 1 DENTIST 10 NURSES

MEDICAL BRIGADES – WHAT IS MEDICAL BRIGADES? MEDICAL BRIGADES • Provides communities with access to doctors and medicine at least twice a year • Through 7 day brigades, community members receive doctor consultations, gynecology clinics, medicine, and health education workshops • Community Health Workers are trained in selected communities to help provide followup care and refer medical emergencies between brigades • Patient referrals

DENTAL CARIES IS THE MOST COMMON DISEASE IN THE WORLD AND CAN BE EASILY PREVENTED

DENTAL BRIGADES 4 in 5 people in rural Panama do not have access to dental care

DENTAL BRIGADES– IMPACT OF DENTAL BRIGADES ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE • Reduces need to walk hours or sometimes days away for common dental check-ups and emergency procedures • Allows the practice of preventative health care • Allows healthier, more productive lives ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE AFFECTS • • Understanding importance of dental care Preventative dental care Healthier eating habits Dental habits passed to future generations

45 -65% OF ALL ILLNESS IN RURAL HONDURAS IS WATER RELATED

WATER BRIGADES 9 in 12 people in rural Honduras do not have continual access to clean water

WATER BRIGADES – IMPACT OF WATER BRIGADES SUFFICIENT CLEAN WATER • Stops the vicious cycle of chronic sickness caused by contaminated water • Facilitates good hygiene and sanitation practices • Encourages healthier, more productive lives WATER AFFECTS • • Health Sanitation and hygiene Economic potential Education

ENGINEERING BRIGADES INFO SESSION – IMPACT OF ENGINEERING BRIGADES PROVIDING ACCESS • Communities not only lack funding for infrastructure, but also the technical expertise to create appropriate, sustainable designs • Visit new communities to assess water system feasibility and best designs with local materials • Construct water systems in communities • Provide technical follow-up and recommendations to communities SUFFICIENT CLEAN WATER • Stops the vicious cycle of chronic sickness caused by contaminated water • Facilitates good hygiene and sanitation practices

ENGINEERING BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHAT IS ENGINEERING BRIGADES? ENGINEERING BRIGDAES • Empowers communities by working handin-hand to create project feasibility studies, water system designs, and follow-up recommendations for already existing systems • To implement the program, volunteers travel to Honduras for 7 days to work with community members and local engineers to plan and design water systems and support local involvement to sustain the projects • Volunteers participate in the mapping, surveying, and project design of new systems as well as learn about low-tech, local, cost-effective engineering solutions and techniques

87% OF PEOPLE IN HONDURAS ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO INTERMEDIARIES WHO CHARGE HIGH INTEREST RATES ON LOANS

MICROFINANCE BRIGADES FOR EVERY ONE FARMER MICROFINANCE CAN DOUBLE VOLUNTEER PRODUCTION =

MICROFINANCE BRIGADES– HOW DOES MICROFINANCE HELP? MICROFINANCE: • Provides access to financial support within the community - Allows healthier, more productive lives - Leads to increase in crop production MICROFINANCE IS CONNECTED TO: • • • Education Health and hygiene Agriculture Self-sustainability Female empowerment Long-term mindset (hope)

WITHOUT ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND EDUCATION, ON AVERAGE WOMEN WOULD MAKE LESS THAN $1 PER DAY

BUSINESS BRIGADES 15 in 20 people in Torti, Panama do not have access to credit and savings opportunities

BUSINESS BRIGADES– HOW BUSINESS HELPS BUSINESS IS CONNECTED TO • Education • Sanitation and hygiene • Economic potential ACCESS TO CAPITAL & CONSULTING • Increases financial literacy to strategic business development • Encourages family financial planning • Decreases risk of loan sharks WHAT ARE THE BUSINESS ISSUES? • Communities lack access to banking system with fair interest rates and loan acceptance • Families lack basic financial understanding

IN PARTS OF SOUTHERN HONDURAS, 80% OF HOMES LACK SOLID WALLS MADE OF ADOBE OR CEMENT

ARCHITECTURE BRIGADES The average rural Honduran home contains one room and houses six people

ARCHITECTURE BRIGADES– HOW ARCHITECTURE HELPS ARCHITECTURE ENHANCES LIVING ENVIRONMENTS AND GENERATES ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY VIA: • Construction designs by architecture students • Funding and labor to improve home infrastructure or create economic opportunities • Workshops in primary schools teach advanced mathematical and geometrical concepts ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS IMPROVE: • • Health and hygiene Quality of life Safety and security Economic opportunity

OVER 50% DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC SANITARY SERVICES

PUBLIC HEALTH BRIGADES- NICARAGUA STATISTICS Less than 1 in 2 people in rural Nicaragua lack access to improved sanitation infrastructure

PUBLIC HEALTH BRIGADES - IMPACT OF PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AFFECTS • Health • Sanitation and hygiene • Time and ease IN-HOME HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE • Reduces time spent walking to water sources • Reduces skin diseases • Increases sanitation

PANAMA LOSES OVER 1% OF PRIMARY FOREST COVER ANNUALLY DUE TO LOGGING, RANCHING, AND UNSUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL METHODS

ENVIRONMENTAL BRIGADES– ENVIRONMENTAL BRIGADES THIRTY TREES FOR EVER ONE ENVIRONMENTAL ARE PLANTED FOR A VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY =

ENVIRONMENTAL BRIGADES– ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS THE ENVIRONMENT IS CONNECTED TO • • Natural resources and conservation Sanitation and public health Nutrition Water and food sources WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES? • Lack of education regarding resource depletion, climate change, and deforestation • No existing system of waste management - Current methods affect public and environmental health • Current agricultural practices result in soil erosion and degradation, loss of biodiversity, and limited harvest yields

HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADE

HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES FOR EVERY FIVE HUMAN RIGHTS VOLUNTEERS ONE FAMILY CAN RECEIVE LEGAL ASSISTANCE =

HUMAN RIGHTS BRIGADES– HUMAN RIGHTS NEEDS LAW IS CONNECTED TO • Education • Human rights • Economic potential LEGAL AID • Empowers community members with legal knowledge • Helps bridge the gap between cultural practices and legal procedure WHAT ARE THE LEGAL ISSUES? • Family law - Child support, formalizing civil unions, divorce, domestic violence • Business rights • Women’s rights • Criminal cases

HOW DO I SIGN UP?

RESOURCES FOR YOU FUNDRAISING TOOL www. empowered. org • Send links of brigade project information to donors • Create personalized profile to share with your donors • Track donation progress on individual and group level STUDENT RESOURCE SITE https: //www. globalbrigades. org/volunteer-tools-home • Brigade planning materials • Collection of reports from past brigades • Community profiles • Frequently asked questions IN-COUNTRY ADVISING TEAM • Team of trained staff in Honduras • Share best practices for all aspects of brigade preparation • Answer questions about brigade and community