My Nonprofit Reviews
Lyndsey B.
Review for Child Family Health International, Oakland, CA, USA
This past March, I traveled to the southwest coast of India (Trivandrum, Kerala, India) for four eventful weeks to take part in CFHI’s new and unique program, “Palliative Care in Southern India”. As someone experiencing India for the first time, I was pleasantly overwhelmed with a flurry of new things: new sights, smells and sounds. Magic and wonder are paramount in India, but equally so it is laden with misfortune and sorrow. This program provided the right amount of exposure to help me develop a broad understanding of Indian culture and its place within the healthcare system.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I learned something new everyday! Even though India is incredibly diverse and full of paradoxes, I came to know a small amount about life in the south. In addition to learning about palliative care within the Indian healthcare system, I learned new ways to practice simple, quality medicine, means of coping during difficult and emotionally heavy situations, how to maneuver in a heavily populated society and how to conduct myself appropriately in a culture very different to my own.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
As with anything, the smart approach is to say that there is always room for improvement. However, knowing CFHI well enough, I can say with confidence that nothing monumental comes to mind as needing to be changed. I think CFHI programs are well designed, giving students a happy balance between autonomy, structure and support. I also feel that they are well rounded, offering a wide array of opportunities for students to further their medical and public health goals.
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
Did your volunteer experience have an effect on you? (teaching you a new skill, or introducing new friends, etc.)
I am proud to say that this program is my second with CFHI in two years, and I can happily say that yet again, I have been fulfilled in more ways than I could have imagined. Personally and professionally. It never ceases to amaze me that what often tends to happen with global health immersion programs is that almost always you gain much more than what was originally expected and the learning experience is by no means confined to healthcare.
How did this volunteer experience make you feel?
A great mix of emotions! Challenged. Adventurous. Humble. Peaceful. Excited. Grateful. Just to name a few.
Review for Child Family Health International, Oakland, CA, USA
Child Family Health International (CFHI) is a small, nonprofit organization that invites students to explore healthcare systems of differing countries at the grassroots level. You can find yourself in India, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico and South Africa! I traveled to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico with CFHI and was so moved by my experience that I am soon returning for the third time this year!
CFHI provided me with the tools to gain a thorough understanding of the culture and the healthcare needs of the people of Oaxaca. This was achieved by staying with a local family, attending Spanish class with a local teacher each day, and traveling to various medical clinics to better understand rural and urban medical practices and the structure of Mexico's healthcare system. Throughout my stay in Puerto Escondido, I felt culturally tested and challenged, in a way that could only benefit an individual being offered new perspectives on healthcare, culture and life and opening up their mind to the world at large. I witnessed cases where a lack of access to better medical care was continuously the underlying problem, visited families living in scarce, unsanitary conditions in the smaller, rural communities and was exposed to differing norms and practices in healthcare and within Mexican culture that shared similarities with my own, while simultaneously posing great differences. I learned a great deal from local doctors and nurses, by spending time in the clinics with them on a daily basis and seeing firsthand how culture and economic factors play into the healthcare system and effect their experience as medical providers as well as the patients' experience. With the right attitude you can accomplish so much through CFHI's programs. I was able to maximize my time in the clinics by being proactive and asking to observe additional surgeries and taking the time to build relationships with the doctors and nurses. My schedule offered the perfect balance between work, study and having time to explore the community.
Without question my experience with CFHI has become a stepping-stone for my future goals in global health and has motivated me to begin playing an active role in the field. My time spent in Oaxaca has become a part of who I am and what I continue to pursue today. I am extremely grateful for initiating my global health experience with a knowledgeable, culturally aware, hard working, and kind-hearted organization such as CFHI.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
My initial experience in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico with CFHI has motivated me to learn more in depth about the healthcare system in Mexico and how the structure of the system affects the medical professionals working there and the patients they treat. I'm driven not only to be a student of medicine, but to also be a student of public health seeking to work abroad in a variety of different healthcare settings. Overall, it was an extremely beneficial and transformational experience for me!
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
I think the organization is doing a great job and will continue to support them.
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Some
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
