Ophelia Swanson

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Passionate About:

Starting off as a pre-medical student, Global Brigades offered me the opportunity to gain clinical experience in a way that I would never able to get in my local community. My first two years I was able to work alongside doctors, communicating with patients in a free clinic in rural Honduras. This experience sprouted a passion for global health and international medicine that has continued to foster since its initiation. The more I saw, however, the more I realized that treating patients is only half of the battle. To actually make improvements and have a lasting impression on the communities with which I was working, my efforts would be better spent attacking the source. This year I am leading a Public Health Brigade with Central Michigan students. Over the course of a week we will be work on home improvement projects that will improve the quality of life for an individual family and keep them from needing consistent treatments that are preventable under the right conditions.
As my involvement with GB has changed, so have my passions grown for not only global health, but preventative health through sustainable systems and education. I plan to pursue a career in public health where I will have the opportunity to make long-term impacts on local communities using the same skills and knowledge I have gained from the GB family.

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My Affiliations
Organization: Global Brigades USA
Chapter: Medical Brigades at Central Michigan University
Global Brigades USA
About Us

Global Brigades USA is the world's largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. Our mission is to empower volunteers and under-resourced communities to resolve global health and economic disparities and inspire all involved to collaboratively work towards an equal world. Since 2005, more than 30,000 volunteers from 800 university groups have traveled to implement our nine skill-based programs to benefit more than 600,000 community members in Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Ghana.




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Environmental Brigades
Environmental Brigades volunteers work with rural families and community leaders to improve environmental sustainability and livelihood. During the brigade, volunteers utilize household surveys conduc

Chapter
5,423
Activities
3,160
Campaigns
1,888
Microfinance Brigades
Microfinance Brigade volunteers work with community bank loan officers to consult potential borrowers on improving financial sustainability through a 7 day Microfinance Brigade in Honduras. Student vo

Chapter
0
Activities
0
Campaigns
0
Kambia
Kambia brings live international project-based learning directly to your students. Educators and their classes work with our on-the-ground local teams to collaborate with marginalized communities abro

Chapter
16
Activities
8
Campaigns
1
Human Rights Brigades
Global Brigades USA is the world's largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. Our mission is to empower volunteers to facilitate sustainable solutions in under resourc

Chapter
42
Activities
78
Campaigns
742
Summer Programs
Global Brigades Summer Programs make up some of the most high-impact, experiential learning programs in the world. Global Brigades offers 1-3 week summer opportunities for all sorts of volunteers, whe

Chapter
6
Activities
9
Campaigns
11
Testing Matias
Testing Matias

Chapter
1
Activities
1
Campaigns
0
Engineering Brigades
Global Brigades USA is the world's largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. Our mission is to empower volunteers to facilitate sustainable solutions in under resourc

Chapter
12
Activities
34
Campaigns
33
river brigade
cleaning of river stop construction of new dams stop polluting rivers

Chapter
1
Activities
1
Campaigns
5
Water Brigades
Water Brigade volunteers implement water systems to prevent communicable illnesses in communities through 7 day Water Brigades in Honduras or Ghana. Student volunteers can either join an existing Wate

Chapter
104
Activities
324
Campaigns
131
Global Brigades Interns/Staff
Global Brigades USA is the world\\\'s largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. Our mission is to empower volunteers to facilitate sustainable solutions in under reso

Chapter
2
Activities
2
Campaigns
6