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Doctors For Global Health, Inc.

Rating: 5 stars   11 reviews 1,536

Address:

355 Chelsea Circle Ne Atlanta GA 30307 USA

Mission:

To improve health and foster other human rights with those most in need by accompanying communities, while educating and inspiring others to action worldwide.

Programs:

Money was allocated to promote and support health and human rights in mexico, el salvador and uganda, serving approximately 50,000 people collectively in these areas. Volunteer staff was organized by dgh to work in peru as well.

education is an important part of promoting health and human rights. Dgh sends out newsletters detailing its work in addition to giving oral presentations, domestic and international.

the general assembly is an annual working meeting to review projects, plan ongoing and future projects and educate those in attendance about the health and human rights activities of dgh.

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(404) 377-3566
www.dghonline.org

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Reviews for Doctors For Global Health, Inc.

Rating: 5 stars  

I was first introduced to Doctors for Global Health (DGH) as one of the most transparent organizations in the realm of health and human rights. And it absolutely is.
It is entirely run by a dedicated team of volunteers committed to promoting health for all and challenging socio, political injustices. Having just begun working on the board, I am already hugely inspired by the fabulous team and their tremendous efforts.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

the stories and feedback from members of partner communities from all over the world share every year at the General Assembly

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

make it more visible, so that it can inspire many more folks to join the collective effort

Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?

Definitely

How much of an impact do you think this organization has?

Life-changing

Will you tell others about this organization?

Definitely

 
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ihmd
Role: Professional with expertise in this field
Rating: 5 stars  

I became involved when the group was forming because mutual friends/ colleages said I needed to meet Lanny Smith the founder. Over the years I have worked with the group as advisor, board member and supplier of volunteers (my students in medicine and public health) all of whom had wonderful professional and personel experiences. I also helped them evaluate one project that did not seem to be working well and which DGH decided to drop because it was not meeting expectations.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

Questions had been raised about one of the projects in a country where I had worked with other groups. I made one of two evaluation trips for the group. They decided that, in fact, the project did not, and probably would not ever, meet expectations and so dropped it from their support. Much thought and investigation was put into making the decision.

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

have greater efficiency and efficacy in fund raising; not get very much bigger until fundraising was well established

 
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Rating: 5 stars  

I have worked with this organization since 2003, including more than a year on the ground in El Salvador. It has been a great experience. Among the highlights are:
--Strong connections with local people in El Salvador - DGH takes local leadership very seriously.
--Ability to have an impact from very early on
--Ability to contribute more and more, due to a very democratic organizational structure
--Wonderful colleagues, mentors, and students through Doctors for Global Health

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

seeing its impact on many people from a poor community in rural El Salvador, including many sick people who otherwise would not have gotten medical care.

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

increase its visibility and increase its funding, so that it can do more great work.

 
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Review from Guidestar
Rating: 5 stars  

I had the opportunity to volunteer with DGH in the community of Santa Marta, El Salvador in 2008. It was a wonderful experience to be able to participate in the work of the Community Rehabilitation Center alongside the two health promotors. Over the years I have also attended several General Assemblies and got to know the people behind this organization. These people are full of humility, enthusiasm and transparency. I hope to continue working with DGH in the future.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

Observing the wonderful work of the health promotors in Santa Marta

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

Continue to give DGH more of a presence in Europe

 
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Review from Guidestar
Rating: 5 stars  

DGH is dedicated to community accompaniment and social justice through health and education. The commitment and philosophy of the organization are second to none! I'm motivated each time I come into contact with other DGH members and see the work happening on the ground in our partner communities.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

seeing community growth and development, and the perspective shifts of volunteers

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

find more donors in order to expand the work!

 
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Rating: 5 stars  

hard working bunch helping poor communities as few other not for profit does in that they work from the bottom up, work with the communiy toward achieving community defined goals and so the community can continue on their own.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

speaking to medical and public health students who are thinking about working in other countries and need both direction about where and how as well as advice on what to expect

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

look at operating systems to streamline the work since it is totally volunteers

 
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Rating: 5 stars  

Doctors for Global Health (DGH) is a unique organization. It focuses on helping to make underserved communities healthy, but DGH’s definition of health is much broader than many other "health" or "medical" non-profits. While DGH does help to bring community-oriented primary care to the communities where it works, providing basic health services, DGH believes education is essential to a community's health, as is economic wellbeing and environmental safety. DGH also promotes human rights, which lead to self-determination, as a fundamental component of health. In addition, DGH interweaves the arts into its work, believing the soul needs nourishing as much as the body. Even the way DGH goes about deciding what projects it will undertake is unique. DGH works closely with the communities which it accompanies in what it calls ‘participatory investigation.’ DGH defines participatory investigation as “being invited by the community, working with it to explore its strengths and weaknesses in health, establishing priorities toward better health, developing initiatives to address the chosen priorities and evaluating their success.” This approach means DGH is not at all paternalistic. DGH works side-by-side with community members as partners rather than clients or victims in need of help, which empowers community members to take charge of what needs to be done to make their lives and communities better rather than making them dependent on charity. That is why I donate to and volunteer with DGH. Their philosophy is closely aligned with mine in not looking at people as incapable simply because they are poor and need help. Instead, DGH sees their strengths and works with them to bring out those talents for the good of their families and communities. In addition, I know that DGH is using as much of donated money directly on the communities it accompanies as possible and not wasting it on unnecessary administrative overhead.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

The enthusiasm of volunteers coming back from projects abroad; the empowerment of community members in El Salvador who have gone on to create their own nonprofit organization to carry on the work; the great work done in Nicaragua.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2010-10-01

 
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Review from Guidestar
Rating: 5 stars  

I first contacted with DGH in 2004. At the time, I had read about DGH on the internet and immediately became drawn to their principles of action and inclusiveness as an organization. As a physiotherapist, it was extremely difficult for me to find an organization that I could adhere to (and eventually volunteer with) that valued the experience of other professionals besides Doctors and Nurses. Since 2004 I have had the chance to visit several of the Community Projects as well as get to know the organization from within (I am now on the Board of Directors). It is great to volunteer my time with a group that recognizes that health is more than the absence of illness, and who values the promotion of the arts and other human rights in all their projects.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

building long-term relations with communities, by learning from their successes and fallbacks, and by supporting south-south collaborations between health promoters in El Salvador from different regions.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2010-9-01

 
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Review from Guidestar
Rating: 5 stars  

I first learned of DGH as a medical student, when Lanny Smith gave a lecture. For the first time in my experience as a med student, I felt that I had found a group of people who, like me, have a deep commitment to justice and equity, and are driven to help communities that have suffered from poverty and injustice organize and thrive. I had the opportunity to volunteer with DGH briefly in 2004 while in medical school, and again for a short time in 2006 as a resident. Since then, I precept our volunteer medical students by phone in El Salvador, and joined the board in 2007.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

My passion for liberation medicine is strengthened when I see how the small clinic has grown, trained health promoters, and sent one of its own young people to medical school - who has now returned to serve his community.

What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...

the opportunity to connect with other health care workers, artists, and people from all walks of life in struggling toward a more just future for the communities we serve.

If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...

support more scholarships for motivated community health workers to obtain a formal education; offer greater access to medications and specialists; give its hardworking community partners a long-awaited raise!

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2010-9-01

 
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Review from Guidestar
Rating: 5 stars  

3 people found this review helpful

As a founding member of Doctors for Global Health since incorporated in 1995, DGH has continued to be the primary volunteer organization that received my time, my energy, my money and my passion. Through DGH volunteer and financial support, many communities have been able to make significant changes that have improved the daily lives of local individuals and groups. Always working WITH local community leaders through accompaniment, DGH fosters improvements in health, education, community development and empowerment of local leaders and workers. DGH volunteers are working in communities in El Salvador, Uganda, Chiapas (Mexico), Guatemala, Peru and Burundi.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

the satisfaction of knowing first hand from project partners the importance DGH holds in their work in their communities.

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

try to interest compatible foundations to invest in the organization through large grants to help DGH in its work.

What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...

meeting and working alongside an incredibly dedicated, inspiring group of individuals from many countries.

The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...

dedicated, inspiring, tireless in their efforts to make a difference in people's and communities' lives, always working toward social justice through a human rights-based approach.

If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...

work with our partner projects to develop ways to move toward sustainability, i.e. money would help to create micro-enterprises, businesses within their communities to keep the work going.

Ways to make it better...

I had more time to devote in other countries.

In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...

financial and human constraints. There's always a struggle to get enough money to keep current projects going and therefore find it difficult to expand, and our human resources are sometimes stretched thin.

One thing I'd also say is that...

DGH has no paid employees, ALL of the work is accomplished by volunteers. Nearly every donated dollar goes directly to the communities with which we partner since DGH has very low overhead costs.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2010-9-01

 
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Review from Guidestar

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