Arielle Gray isn’t just an “average” University of Michigan student. She also isn’t “just a girl” that happens to enjoy volunteering or helping others. Arielle (class of 2013) makes an impact by volunteering her summer to provide medical attention and supplies to under-resourced countries. Through Global Brigades, a non-profit organization, Arielle travelled this past summer to Honduras to not only educate the native people about health and hygiene, but to also provide world class medical care and medicine to those who need it most – not to mention having a lot of fun and learning about new cultures at the same time.
HC: Tell us about yourself!
AG: I am originally from Evanston, IL and am a Neuroscience major here at the University of Michigan. I LOVE to travel. When I travel, I like to see things from a local’s perspective. I try to make my experiences about learning the culture and meeting the people in the town, rather than focusing on just seeing the sights.
I also love any type of adventure sport you can come up with: snowboarding, SCUBA diving, hiking, rafting, rock climbing, etc. Most importantly, I love helping others! This is where my interested in the health and medical field stemmed from. However, I was not exactly sure what I wanted to go in to. Global Brigades was a great way to explore and gain exposure to many different medically related jobs.
HC: You did something extraordinary this summer overseas. Please describe your trip, what you did, and why you wanted to do it.
AG: Global Brigades, a non-profit organization, is the world’s largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. Our vision is to improve equality of life, by igniting the largest student-led social responsibility movement on the planet. Their mission is to empower volunteers to facilitate sustainable solutions in under resourced communities while fostering local cultures.
Last summer, I participated in a medical and public health brigade in Honduras. About 40 Michigan students and medical professional travelled to Honduras to provide free health care and education to rural areas in need. The first week of our trip, we set up a medical clinic in a town called Hoya Grande. We had both Honduran and American doctors working with us. After seeing the doctors, the patients went to the “chalar”, which was an educational “chat” about easy ways to keep themselves and their families healthy. Lastly, the patients would pick up their prescriptions at the pharmacy. Each patient was told exactly how and when to take their medicines and what it was for.
The second week consisted of a public health brigade. Our goal was to empower rural Honduran communities to prevent common illnesses through in-home infrastructural development, community leader training, and health education. Working side-by-side with community members, 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. We also spent a day at the local school teaching the kids about good hygiene.
HC: What are your plans for the school year and next summer?
AG: I am currently Vice President of Fundraising for next year’s brigade to Honduras so I’m really looking forward to getting started! I help to organize events at bars, restaurants, football tailgates, etc. throughout the school year. We are planning a 5K run in the Arb for this spring. We have also expanded University of Michigan’s involvement with Global Brigades by planning a medical and public health brigade to Ghana as well as Honduras.
HC: What have you learned from your time in Honduras?
AG: Honduras Medical and Public Health Brigade taught me more than I could put in words. It is a completely different way of living there. My favorite part was being able to work hand-in-hand with the families to improve their homes. They were so grateful for things that many of us take for granted like having clean, healthy environments to live in. I became very close with the family I worked with and sent Global Brigades a photo book that they delivered to them with pictures of the whole project. I had the opportunity to change a family’s life for the better while gaining exposure to the medical field, practicing my Spanish, experiencing another culture, and learning how to dance merengue! What more could you ask for?
HC: How can other Her Campus Collegiettes (TM) help contribute or learn more about participating in your organization and program?
AG: It very easy to get involved! If you’re interested in going on a brigade, check out www.hondurasmedical.com or www.globalbrigades.org. If you would like to support the cause you can donate online at www.hondurasmedical.org or participate in many of our fundraising events! I also sell Michigan scarves and headbands (writer’s note: they’re REALLY cute) with all of the proceeds going directly to Honduras Medical and Public Health Brigade. Support your school and a great cause at the same time!