About PHWB 

Public Health Without Borders is a student-run organization supported by the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland. We are committed to fostering long-lasting partnerships with communities and academic institutions abroad to assess and combat public health disparities, while providing hands-on experience to future leaders in the field of global health. (phw.borders@gmail.com)

Meet PHWB Ethiopia 

PHWB Ethiopia is focused on providing public health assistance to developing communities in Ethiopia. In January 2015, we traveled to Debre Berhan and created a partnership with the rapidly developing community and local university. Debre Berhan is located in the rural highlands, northeast of Addis Ababa.

In conjunction with Debre Berhan University (DBU), we are creating a nutritional needs assessment to understand the dietary behaviors and self-efficacy of the community. Together, PHWB and DBU students will conduct the needs assessment and then use this information to adapt an existing nutrition curriculum and develop interactive training modules. To ensure the sustainability and efficacy of our project, we will end our trip with behavioral evaluations, and provide materials for evaluations to continue between PHWB trips. (phwb.ethiopia@gmail.com)

More About the Ethiopia Project

PHWB has collaborated with Debre Berhan University to develop this project, bringing together students and faculty from both institutions to work towards our common goal of improving nutritional health in the community. The project seeks to improve nutrient intake throughout the community by targeting local elementary schools as sites for educational workshops and demonstrations. The project is based on a train-the-trainer structure, utilizing the elementary school teachers to disseminate the information and materials to the students and parents, and integrate nutrition education into the use of existing school and community gardens.

The education modules, developed by PHWB members, focus on the benefits of eating a balanced diet rich in nutrients. To teach these lessons Maryland and DBU students will use foods from school gardens to provide examples of balanced meals. The demonstrations will also indicate how to prepare and obtain the most nutrients from newly introduced crops, such as turnips.

This project marks a unique opportunity for students of both schools to connect under the umbrella of their common public health skills, while integrating different perspectives and cultural backgrounds into a shared project. The team plans to depart for Ethiopia this summer, with the hope of developing the community’s understanding of nutrition and its ability to produce nutritious meals from farm-to-table.

What Does Your Donation Do?

With your donation, we will have the opportunity to travel to Debre Berhan once again this summer. As a student-run organization, we want to ensure that cost does not deter qualified students from travelling. As such, the money you donate today will help pay for the travel team's airfare. In addition, donations will help support the in-country costs for demonstration and curriculum materials as we help bring a healthier lifestyle to the community of Debre Berhan.

In addition, to show our appreciation for your donation, you will receive the gift listed under your donation level, plus the gifts of the levels less than yours!

Meet the Other Teams of PHWB:

• PHWB Peru : The Peru team works in the farming community of Compone, Peru where they have previously addressed issues with water sanitation and healthy hygienic practices., The team is now preparing for its 5th trip to Compone, with a focus on road safety and first-aid care. (phwbperu@gmail.com)
• PHWB Bangladesh : The Bangladesh team is PHWB's newest project and is in the process of planning for their first trip abroad! (phwb.bangladesh@gmail.com)
• PHWB Sierra Leone : The Sierra Leone team was able to complete an assessment trip to Calaba Town, Sierra Leone before the Ebola outbreak last year. Looking towards the future, the team has created a personalized intervention for the community, focused on malaria, first aid and Ebola that they hope to implement when the outbreak quells. This project is currently on hold for travel due to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. (phwbsierraleone@gmail.com)
• PHWB Local : The Local team works around Prince George’s County and the DC metropolitan area to encourage public health and well-being here at home. The local team also volunteers with the Madieu Williams Foundation’s after school program—Dieu's Crew—at Hyattsville Elementary and Middle Schools on a weekly basis.  (phwblocal@gmail.com)
• Special Events: The Special Events Coordinator and team members help plan events that promote public health and spread awareness of critical global health problems within the University of Maryland campus. This year, PHWB, in conjunction with the UMD Half The Sky Movement, has sponsored two successful documentary viewings: Girl Rising and A Path Appears.

Gifts in support of the University of Maryland are accepted and managed by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, Inc., an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization authorized by the Board of Regents.  Contributions to the University of Maryland are tax deductible as allowed by law.  Please see your tax advisor for details.