With the momentum we have gained in Honduras and Panama, we are constantly challenged to balance such growth while maintaining the integrity of our basic values; those of sustainability, positive cultural exchange, and holistic development. Like any growing organization, there comes a point where it must decide whether to take a strategic leap forward or redirect resources internally to optimize functionability. While we are constantly improving program efficacy, the conditions are optimal for taking that strategic leap, or one might call it a hop, over the border into Nicaragua and to begin working with communities less than a few hours of some of our current Honduran partner villages.Lauryn Linsell, who participated in her first Medical Brigade in 2008 as a student, will be leading the expansion initiative. After completing her undergraduate degree, Lauryn worked as the Public Health Brigades Program Lead in Honduras from 2010 to 2011. She has recently completed a Fulbright research grant in Public Health in Nicaragua and is currently pursuing a masters degree in the same field there. Lauryn is excited to be a part of our team yet again, leading this initiative for sustainable growth into what is for her, a more than familiar country.
Establishing a site in a new country is no simple endeavor, and many logistical and administrative steps must be completed before the infrastructure and community ties can be effectively developed and utilized to our standards. Every process from determining the region of focus to the logistical details of a brigade will be considered and carefully documented, with the hope that our volunteers and staff will be able to contribute in every step along the way.
To find out more about our expansion to Nicaragua, details about methodologies being used, as well as bios of the team members, follow our blog at www.gbnicaragua.wordpress.com or contact your school’s advisor.
