ISL’s community enrichment groups participate in a number of projects that enhance quality of life in a developing community. From cleaning up a beach or a neighborhood, constructing or refurbishing schools, clinics, community centers or residences, to planting trees, flowers and vegetable gardens, the ways in which volunteers can contribute are numerous!
ISL’s global health programs are interdisciplinary and able to provide a variety of general medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, healthcare management, and nutrition services in developing communities. From urban centers to small towns and villages in remote areas, our teams work in various settings to provide field clinics in which patient needs are assessed and acute conditions are treated.
ISL offers opportunities for high school students to travel, learn, and volunteer in a variety of amazing settings. We offer our Community Enrichment, Ecology, Sports without Borders, and Global Health programs to high school students. Teen volunteers are able to engage with another culture in a meaningful way and begin to cultivate a global awareness that will benefit them as they progress from secondary to university education. Involvement in a global service experience not only instills confidence, it can be a powerful determinant in setting educational and career goals.
Regardless of background, volunteers are able to receive an invaluable opportunity to travel, learn about another culture, and serve a developing community.
A fusion of humanitarian fervor and outdoor enthusiasm, ISL’s Hike for Humanity program offers a unique adventure, sending volunteer teams to assist those in greatest need by reaching out to villages farthest from urban advantages. H4H teams bring essential global health, education, ecology, and community enrichment services to the rural underserved, while providing hikers with an incomparable outdoor experience and the personal satisfaction of being involved in meaningful service.
ISL’s nursing programs actively participate in health clinic service in partnership with local community agencies, in an effort provide acute care and public health education to vulnerable populations. Our nursing program was developed to provide a learning experience that strengthens cultural competency in an ethnically diverse setting, while providing genuine service in developing communities.
Our goal is to allow those in our partner communities with little or no access to health systems to benefit from a nutritional assessment and treatment from a licensed nutritionist. Different institutions will also benefit from a food safety evaluation of their food services and an educational project aimed at residents or the population in charge. ISL aims to provide experiential learning opportunities and cultural expansion for entry-level nutrition students or health students interested in expanding their nutrition knowledge.
The World Health Organization has determined that lack of eye-care is one of the most crucial needs in developing countries. Because refractive needs and other eye problems don’t necessarily cause immediate pain, eye care is often under prioritized when resources are limited, – especially for children. Through ISL, thousands of the underserved have received eyewear and eye care.
In addition to providing pharmacy services, ISL’s pharmacy teams provide a variety of general medicine and public health services in under-resourced communities. From urban centers to small towns and villages in remote areas, our teams work in various settings to provide field clinics in which patient needs are assessed, acute conditions are treated, and medications are prescribed.
ISL’s physical therapy program is interactive and highly specialized. Volunteers will observe and learn manual techniques and tests for evaluating patients from communities in need, where high tech equipment, such as x-rays and MRI testing, is not available. This is accomplished under the guidance and supervision of local physical therapy professionals, who make sure all evaluations and treatments are performed accurately and appropriately.
ISL’s veterinary teams are able to provide a variety of care ranging from public health services such as administering immunizations and facilitating spay/neuter clinics, to providing urgent veterinary care. From visiting farms to setting up veterinary field clinics in urban centers, our volunteers are able to gain extensive experience in a short period of time.
Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world and is experiencing an economic and cultural transformation with its recently found civil peace and growing trade with the U.S. Urban areas have made great strides in reducing poverty and providing healthcare, but rural areas are still in great need of healthcare, education, and development support.
ISL global health volunteers have the opportunity to learn about and experience the Cuban healthcare system, including visiting neighborhood clinics (providing routine care), Poli-clinics (providing OB, Cardiology, and other specialized services), ancillary care facilities (providing geriatric care) and hospitals. Volunteers also enjoy lectures/presentations by Cuban health experts on the dynamics, history, and cultural aspects of Cuba’s medical system, including the use of indigenous medicines.
Dominican Republic and Haiti, two sovereign nations with completely diverse cultural and historical identities, share a beautiful island located right in the heart of the Caribbean known as La Hispaniola. The spirit and charm of their people is distinguishable in their lively music and delicious cuisine, but both exhibit incredible warmth and hospitality.
Guatemala spans the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea. Known as the “Land of Many Trees,” it is lushly forested, ranking among the world’s top five hot spots for biodiversity. With volcanoes, mountains, beaches, and rich Mayan history and culture, there is much to learn and experience in this amazing place.
ISL’s Baja Mexico program is an on-going humanitarian project that takes place in Puerto Peñasco, situated along the beautiful Sea of Cortez. We work with global health agencies, local health ministries, and other NGOs in our partner communities. Volunteers are able to gain valuable experience participating in community clinics and/or working in institutional and community health contexts.
Our ISL medical, dental, public health, nursing, and veterinary volunteers arrive in Managua for orientation and seminars in tropical medicine, taking vital signs, pharmacology, house clinic-community triage, clinic organization, and medical Spanish. We also present volunteers with a short overview of the history and socioeconomics of Nicaragua. Volunteers perform house to house public health surveys, and assist in fields clinics in underprivileged communities, based on local needs at the time of the trip.
Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, Panama is the southernmost country of Central America. Panama has access to two different oceans, mountains, a vast rain forest, a modern metropolis (Panama City) and the Panama Canal–a lot to see and do! Panama also has a rich array of cultures ranging from indigenous and Latino to peoples of African, Asian, and European descent.
The narrow desert belt of Peru’s Pacific coastline stretches the length of the country and harbors fishing villages, beautiful beaches, agricultural lands, and Peru’s major towns and cities. The amazing Andes Mountains separate the arid coastline from the lush Amazon Basin. The Amazon Basin is also home to millions of indigenous highland people, who speak the ancient Inca language of Quechua and live in traditional villages with steeply terraced agricultural fields and wandering herds of llamas and alpacas.
One of the most diverse countries in Africa, Tanzania is full of natural riches and cultural wealth. Located on the eastern side of the continent, Tanzania is home to Africa’s highest mountain, deepest lake, largest game preserve, most famous national park, and most abundant movement of wildlife. In addition to its many geographical gems, Tanzania is home to a cultural mosaic of more than 120 distinct ethnic groups.
Apr 15, 2014 in Costa Rica, Essay Contest, Physical Therapy, Volunteer, Volunteer Voices
Emily Jones, ISL’s Essay Contest Winner, shares how her experience in Costa Rica affected her patient approach at home in Alabama:
My ISL Experience
In my ambition to become a physical therapist, I chose to volunteer with ISL because I felt the unique experience would help me become a stronger candidate for physical therapy school. Although there is no doubt that my trip to Costa Rica has done that, it has also rekindled my passion for helping people in need,
Please activate some Widgets.