March 2013 Penn State Public Health Brigade Panama

Start Date: Mar 3, 2013 12:00 AM
End Date: Mar 9, 2013 12:00 AM

Penn State volunteers spend 7 days in Panama, improving basic home infrastructure and providing health education to help reduce the incidences of life-threatening, but preventable, diseases in a rural community. With an understanding of the holistic model that focuses on education, community health sustainability and infrastructural development, volunteers first receive a comprehensive introduction to the country's public health challenges and the Public Health program's ground-up solution. They will take a tour of the community Public Health is currently working in, introduce themselves to the beneficiary families, and meet with the Health Committee. Then, working side-by-side with community members and local masons, volunteers construct infrastructure projects meant to improve the health of the home and surrounding environment. Additionally, as a key component of the program, Penn State volunteers collaborate with the local Health Committee to help provide community-wide education workshops and training, proliferating sanitation and hygiene practices and empowering families with both the knowledge and tools to live healthier lives.