Founded in 2011, GlobeMed at Rutgers University is part of a network of students in universities across the country who endeavor to create change in global health equity and social justice through partnership with grassroots organizations.
Our Partner: Reach a Hand Uganda
GlobeMed at Rutgers is happily partnered with Reach a Hand Uganda. They are an NGO located in Kampala, Uganda and their impact can be felt throughout the nation.
They promote sexual reproductive health rights by informing and educating their community about how to have safe sex.
Specifically, we support their Youth Corner initiative. Youth Corners are located in local health centers and they are supposed to provide a safe space for the youth of the community. Youth Corners offer information by a trained Peer Educator and contraceptives for safe sex. Their goals are to reduce the HIV/AIDS rate and the teen pregnancy rate in Uganda.
Values
We envision a world in which health – the ability to not only survive but thrive –
is possible for all people, regardless of where they call home.
We believe every human life has equal worth and every person deserves the chance to thrive. This belief has drawn together our network of students,
communities, and supporters from all walks of life and from every corner of the world.
Health for all is within our grasp, but we can only achieve it by working together.
Our Guiding Principles
Every human life has equal worth. Health is a human right and a matter of social justice.
Together, poverty and disease form a vicious cycle: People become sick because they are poor and poor because they are sick.
The more power and privilege a person has, the more likely they are to be healthy. Across the world, power and privilege are distributed by systems created by people, which elevate certain groups of people while oppressing others.
Because these systems are created by people, they can be changed by the actions of people. Humanity can choose how we share the resources of our finite planet.
Poverty of means is not poverty of ability. Intelligence, talent, and leadership capacity are equally distributed around the world. Opportunities and resources are not.
There are local changemakers in every corner of the world who see the potential of their own communities and are already working to unleash it.
The best way to achieve lasting change is to shift power and resources to local changemakers so that they can lead the transformation of their own communities.
There are young people everywhere who refuse to accept the world’s massive disparities in health and feel a powerful responsibility to act.
Throughout history, transformational change has happened when people from all walks of life have united in partnership and solidarity to fight for equity and justice.
Fundraising Goals
We have several events throughout the academic year to fundraise for Reach A Hand Uganda.
Our yearly goal is to raise $5,000 through awareness campaigns, social activites, and other campus related affairs.
If you wish to support our cause and help build a new youth corner in Kampala, Uganda please click here to donate to our classy page!
The prominence of our presence on campus is attributed to our fundraising efforts and
awareness campaigns which we host throughout the school year.
We can be found on all five campuses in our effort to inform the student body on the importance of promoting health equity and how it aligns with the mission of our partner organizations.
Bringing a successful event into fruition requires immense collaboration, passion, and creativity. Below are some examples of the campaigns we host!
This is the kick-off campaign of the fall semester where we hand out candy
and invite students to participate in games to inform people about responsible drinking.
Games include Twister with drunk goggles and spin-the-wheel questionnaires!
Around the holidays, we can be found throughout the student centers selling hand-made holiday cards created by yours truly!
Every year, we sell hundreds of cards to spread holiday cheer and raise money for our partner!
The Swap-n-shop is easily one of our most popular events!
The GlobeMed team transforms the cafe space in the Livi student center into a pop-up thrift store which provides students access to affordable and sustainable second-hand clothing,
decor, and more! All of the pieces we sell are curated, crafted, or donated by our members.
Not only can students purchase the items but swapping is highly encouraged!
In partnership with our local partner, Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey,
we collect and distribute purple baby hats to hospitals throughout the state to help with their Shaken Baby Syndrome prevention programs.
Global Health University (GHU)
The GlobeMed community is a group of highly
passionate individuals who love learning and talking about pressing global health issues.
During our weekly meetings, we host GhU sessions which serve as the perfect means for our chapter
to engage in educational discourse about a wide variety of topics.
These sessions vary in format, ranging from discussion-based presentations to guest speaker sessions.
Through these sessions run by our GhU committee, our chapter is able to learn from one another and voice their thoughts
and passions on a wide range of topics, ranging from police reform in America to women's health in Uganda.
GROW Internship
Every year 3-4 passionate and motivated students are chosen to attend the GROW (Grass Roots On Site)
Trip at Reach a Hand Uganda’s Headquarters based in Kampala, Uganda.
The trip is primarily intended to promote sustainability within our partnership by reflecting on our previous accomplishments
together and ensuring that our team is causing a meaningful and tangible impact on our partner organization.
Over the course of four weeks, the GROW team members assist the RAHU team in a variety of ways by developing awareness campaigns,
writing grant proposals, and working directly with RAHU peer educators in schools in Kampala.
Rutgers GlobeMed Members
Layiba Choudhry
External Co-President
Class of 2023
Mia Bersalona
Internal Co-President
Class of 2023
Eman Shamshad
GROW Coordinator
Class of 2023
Dr. Francis Barchi
Rutgers Advisor
Assistant Professor, E.J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
