ADEH Executive Director Hassan Bashir meets with AWH Executive Director Ryan Kania

Advocates for World Health has expanded our medical supply donation program to Africa, thanks to a partnership with Hassan Bashir, the Executive Director of African Development for Education & Health. After a short, but lively meeting, Mr. Bashir’s enthusiasm convinced us to help his organization to improve the lives of Africans through better access to healthcare and education. Thus, we have promised to ship a container of medical supplies to Somalia as part of our medical donation program, to help furnish clinics in underserved areas.

After Asia, Africa is the world’s second most populous continent. Although it has abundant natural resources, Africa remains the world’s poorest and most underdeveloped continent due to a number of causes including the spread of deadly diseases and viruses (notably HIV/AIDS and malaria), corrupt governments that have often committed serious human rights violations, failed central planning, and high levels of illiteracy. Poverty, malnutrition, and poor health negatively affect a large proportion of the people who live on the continent, but African Development for Education & Health seeks to improve these statistics by opening clinics where none existed before, sending local villagers to medical school, and training staff to assist the doctors when they return home.

Since ADEH began, they have renovated 15 classrooms around Somalia to provide students with the education they will need to become self-reliant. They have also funded medical relief and medical donation programs in 2011 and 2012 to alleviate some of the devastation caused by the catastrophic drought.

Over the course of this year, ADEH will be fundraising in order to sponsor a full container of donated medical equipment to be shipped to a recently-erected clinic in Somalia. As a partner, they have our full support. Moreover, we encourage the partners of our medical donation program and our readers to support them in their mission to save lives and build a better future for those who have been disenfranchised.

We at Advocates for World Health want to help African Development for Education & Health achieve their goals in any way we can. To this end, we feel that the medical devices and supplies we send to Somalia as part of our medical donation program will positively impact many lives and allow ADEH to increase their impact.

Advocates for World Health, Inc.

Guillermo Rodriguez enthusiasm is contagious as he represents Advocates for World Health at Clinton Global Initiative University

Many congratulations to Guillermo Rodriguez, who was invited by the prestigious Clinton Global Initiative University to represent Advocates for World Health at the annual conference for global progress! Guillermo has worked with us for the past two years as an intern and volunteer and we are very happy to have him at Washington University in St. Louis to network with fellow attendees and to learn about the many exciting developments happening within the global community of humanitarian organizations.

Guillermo reports that he had an amazing time at the Clinton Global Initiative University. He made many personal connections through the CGIU networking event, which included representatives from many different backgrounds such as poverty reduction, education, fostering positive social movements, and, of course, access to healthcare. At the many workshops he attended, Guillermo learned about the commitments of his peers and received advice on networking, managing many responsibilities at once, and what it takes to succeed as a non-profit. He discussed Advocates for World Health’s operations and was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and interest of his audience.

While in St. Louis, the participants of Clinton Global Initiative University were encouraged to take part in a local service project. Guillermo appreciated the bonding experience and further networked as he and his teammates picked up litter and planted trees in the forest behind Gateway STEM High School.

Guillermo left the Clinton Global Initiative University motivated by the many illustrious speakers including Bill and Chelsea Clinton, Kenneth Cole, Jack Dorsey, William Kamkwamba, and Zainab Salbi. Each presenter spoke about their inspiration and how it helped them to overcome the many seemingly-insurmountable obstacles they faced on their paths to success. They emphasized the power of collaboration and creativity, as well as the strength needed to enact positive changes in the world. Guillermo was especially delighted that Stephen Colbert delivered the closing speech and is thankful for the reminder that humor exists everywhere and should be incorporated into every initiative.

We commend Guillermo for his unwavering commitment to Advocates for World Health and improving global access to healthcare. Based on his determination and many personal and professional successes, we know that he will accomplish much in the future.

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Project Haiti volunteers performing a check-up on an infant.

As many of you know, Haiti has faced a number of serious catastrophes in the recent past. Although the remnants of a violent dictatorship and the utter destruction imposed by the earthquake in 2010 are ever-present, several members of University of Florida’s Project Haiti have recently returned from a medical relief mission to Haiti and are excited to report to Advocates for World Health that the spirit of the Haitian people still holds strong. Project Haiti, a team of students, faculty, and staff of the University of Florida College of Medicine and Shands Hospital in Gainesville, spent their time working with American and Haitian volunteers, who are eager to assist the numerous aid organizations to rebuild their once-strong nation.

Although, medical access is a growing problem in the country and the need for care far outnumbers the doctors who able to supply it, the Project Haiti team and 28 medical professionals brought supplies donated by Advocates for World Health to Fonds Parisien and performed health exams and procedures on those who would be unable to receive proper care otherwise. Working in tandem with Haitian Christian Missions, an organization which sends teams of doctors on medical relief missions to Haiti several times per year, the UF group did everything in their power to improve the livelihoods of the people who live in an area plagued by a severe lack of medical care.

The team consisted of doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and student volunteers and, boy, were they kept busy; over the course of their five-day mission to Haiti, they saw and treated more than 1,000 patients! The doctors performed exams and treated patients suffering from ailments like malnutrition, vaginal infections, fungal infections, abscesses, GERD, and asthma. The pharmacists administered medication to ensure the patients would receive the maximum benefit possible. A group of three dentists focused on extracting teeth that were infected, decaying, or otherwise causing undue pain. Over 100 patients received professional dental care, some of them for the first time in their lives. Michael, a volunteer with Project Haiti, reported that the donated medical supplies they were unable to use were left in the capable hands of Haitian Christian Missions and will certainly be used in the upcoming weeks in their clinical and pharmacy sites.

All of the participants found their mission to Haiti to be rewarding, immediately recognizing the benefit their efforts made in the lives of people at Fonds Parisien. Advocates for World Health is proud of the UF volunteers’ accomplishments and looks forward to donating more medical supplies for Project Haiti’s future medical relief trips.

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We first came in contact with Dr. Vyapari about 15 months ago. Our Executive Director called to request exhibition space at the Beyond Sustainability Conference that Hillsborough Community College holds to promote education and training in sustainability. He granted our wish and, after hearing the story of Advocates for World Health at our presentation, offered AWH’s founders the opportunity to create a 16-hour module “train-the-trainer” course at Hillsborough Community College. Honored, Ryan Kania and Jordan Markel designed the course to empower college students and community members who seek economic opportunities or careers in the health care industry. The course has since resulted in the formation of 10 AWH student chapters that are replicating AWH models around the country.

We have also partnered with Dr. Vyapari and Hillsborough Community College to present the work of AWH at national conferences, including the National Association of Community Colleges Entrepreneurship. We were over the moon when our presentation was ranked the most valuable of the entire conference! Shortly thereafter, Dr. Vyapari gave us the floor at the 2013 Beyond Sustainability Conference, where he allowed us to hold a 2-hour training session for professionals, volunteers, and entrepreneurs attending the conference.

Pleased with the progression of our mutually-beneficial partnership, Dr. Vyapari continues to assist AWH in seeking, researching, and applying for funding opportunities in partnership with Hillsborough Community College for grants and private-funding opportunities. All of the financial support we receive is directly funneled back into AWH’s operations, allowing for us to expand our business across Central Florida and collect more equipment to send to clinics in Latin America.
Dr. Vyapari also encourages Hillsborough Community College students and staff to participate in “Saturday sorting parties” at the AWH storage facility, enabling students to earn their volunteer hours for Service Learning Project courses and greatly reducing the burden of keeping inventory on the thousands of pounds of medical donations.

For all of this and much more, we say thank you.

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If we win, Advocates for World Health will receive funding (to the tune of $90,000) to bolster the impact of our organization; access to Echoing Green’s robust network of entrepreneurs and mentors; leadership development opportunities; and one-to-one support and counseling. We will also join the prestigious ranks of the Echoing Green Fellowship Alumni Program, a community of like-minded social entrepreneurs and public service leaders working all over the world. Those that have received the fellowship in the past have gone on to not only grow their organizations in size and value, but also substantially increase their impact on a variety of global issues. According to Growing Green’s website, “By year two, the majority of our Fellows raise three times their Echoing Green support. By year five… Echoing Green-funded organizations raise, on average, thirty-seven times their Echoing Green seed investment.”

The application process has been difficult, but well worth the effort since the Echoing Green Fellowship has very high standards for those who receive their backing. The application review committee is concerned with both the personal integrity of the applicants as well as the organizational structure of their business models. The committee will be reviewing the passion and commitment of our team, as well as our proven ability to attract collaborators and outside support. Along with assessing our business model, Echoing Green requires that their Fellows have an innovative idea that will have a major impact on serious global problems. With these criteria in mind, we believe that Advocates for World Health surpasses these standards and exemplifies their motto “ you are more important than your business plan”.

Hopes are high, but there is still much work to be done. With thousands of applicants and only 15-25 Fellowship recipients, Advocates for World Health remains focused on increasing the impact of our live-saving and sustainability efforts. We are proud to receive such prestigious recognition, but our goal is, first and foremost, to improve the lives of those who are overlooked in the global healthcare system.

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From reception to shipping, the donated syringes made quite a journey. They arrived at our warehouse back in November as part of a much larger donation of surplus medical supplies given to us by a local organization. We gladly accepted the donated syringes in hopes of redistributing them before their rapidly approaching expiration dates, although most of the other goods would have expired before we could have placed them. Given the sensitive nature of the donated syringes, time was of the essence; and, because we had little space to store them and no planned shipments of medical supplies, we needed to find a solution – and quickly!

That’s where Karen Hubbard comes in. Ms. Hubbard is the founder and director of Bless the Children, Inc., a charitable organization that specializes in gathering medical supplies, educational equipment, furniture, and clothing in order to benefit orphaned and impoverished children throughout the developing world. Together, Advocates for World Health and Bless the Children, Inc. improve the international health care delivery system by delivering critical medical equipment to underserved clinics as well as coordinating volunteer medical programs in Honduras and Haiti. After hearing our predicament, Ms. Hubbard was more than happy to accept the donated syringes. Even better, she was able to include the pallets in an upcoming shipment of goods to Guatemala, guaranteeing they would arrive on time to administer inoculations and medicine to those who need it most.

Another day, another success. Outcomes like this are made possible by generous donations from the public and private sector as well as our tireless team of volunteers. If you’d like to help Advocates for World Health increase access to quality healthcare in developing countries while reducing medical waste, get involved. Donating your time or surplus medical supplies can make a world of difference to someone in need of vital medical care.

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“The good work continues. And so does the recognition.

For a second year, a not-for-profit business started by two USF students and a UF student is being honored by the Kairos Society, which once again included the company in its Kairos 50 list, an annual list recognizing the world’s 50 most innovative ventures started by university students.” Continue Reading…

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These donations include office furniture for reception and office areas as well as pediatric wheelchairs, from Shriners Hospital. Clinics and hospitals in developing nations don’t just need medical equipment! From Lakeland Regional, Winter Haven, and the Florida Urology Group, we received two exam tables, a defibrillator, and a large amount of surplus medical supplies that are still being checked and sorted. And finally, from our most recent pick up from the Florida Hospital, four more exam tables, and four oto/ophthalmoscope sets, first aid kits, and other surplus medical equipment. ← Whew! Thats a whole lot of medical supplies/equipment from our donation network in just three weeks! This is where we try to persuade any interested individuals to come on in and help us sort through all of these supplies so we can make sure we get to them to people who need them, by asking you to click here.

Each of these donors has come to us in a unique way. For example, our Development Director, Jordan Markel, was participating in a research project at Shriners, where he was able to connect with the materials director to secure donations. The Lakeland Regional Medical Center was referred to us by a long time partner of AWH, the Luz Fund. We reached out to Winter Haven Hospital and the Florida Urology Group by making cold calls. These are calls where we simply call up clinics and hospitals to introduce ourselves and our mission to the materials directors. We don’t just call up hospitals either, sometimes we just walk right in to introduce ourselves in person. As you can see, there is no scientific method to securing regular donations at the moment, other than just simply going out there and promoting our cause.

We are quite thankful to all of these medical providers for their donations and hope that they mark the first of many in our medical supplies and equipment donation network this year!

Advocates for World Health, Inc.

AWH’s goal through this expansion reaches beyond the construction of new networks and programs. Our full vision lies within three stages: strengthening existing relationships with hospitals, increasing referrals and connections for AWH, and promoting our cause on a much wider scale. We want new and existing partnerships to know about the growth and success of our sustainability model. We want to make sure that hospitals know about our increasing warehouse space, redistribution efficiency, and new resource and partnership connections, all of which have aided our expansion. We hope this will translate in to a higher number of medical supplies and equipment donated to AWH, and will increase awareness regarding our cause through the networks of professionals spanning US hospitals and their partners.

AWH will also be implementing a new medical buyback program with these new and existing health care connections. This medical buyback program aims to provide a monetary incentive for health care providers with old or used equipment, much of which has historically been thrown out. Often these medical providers want to dispose of such medical equipment to make room for newer equipment, but aren’t financially able to make equipment donations. This is particularly true for larger medical equipment, leading to the reliance of the manufacturer’s medical buyback program (often at rates heavily favoring the manufacturer.)

Medical buyback programs are programs in which manufacturers buy back their own used medical equipment from hospitals. Sometimes hospitals are paid for their medical equipment, though they receive much less than the equipment’s worth; however manufacturer’s discounts are far more common. The way these discounts work is not by paying hospitals for their medical equipment, rather manufacturers will give a particular hospital a discount on newer models of the same equipment. This causes hospitals to have a forced loyalty to certain manufacturers. More importantly, manufacturers then store or otherwise dispose of the used medical equipment, whether it is still usable or not.

Through our new program, AWH is able to buy this equipment directly from the hospital, matching or beating the price of other medical buyback programs. Rather than disposing of equipment that could still be used, however, AWH donates or sells the medical equipment specifically to underprivileged clincs or other non-profit organizations. This ensures both the reduction of medical waste and the proper use of equipment that would otherwise become obsolete. Through the implementation of this growth model and medical buyback incentive, we will foster mutually beneficial relationships to keep products out of landfills and in to life saving.

Advocates for World Health, Inc.

Early this January, AWH donated oxygen concentrators to an elderly man in Tampa. Unfortunately, we aren’t allowed to disclose his name, so for the sake of easy reading, let’s just call him Jack.

Jack’s caregiver called us looking for an oxygen concentrator for the elderly man she takes care of, who suffers from asthma and could not afford the price of the oxygen concentrator. For those who aren’t aware, oxygen concentrators provide oxygen therapy to patients with respiratory problems and are safer alternatives to oxygen tanks. Sadly, they also cost about $800 on average (oh my!) and for those with respiratory complications such as asthma and COPD, they are necessary. So of course, it was our pleasure to find donated oxygen concentrators and provide these life sustaining machines to Jack.

When Jack’s caregiver first called, we didn’t have any donated oxygen concentrators, but we knew just where we could find them! A volunteer’s dad had mentioned having two of them in previous weeks so with a simple phone call we were able to recover these machines from the garage, where they were sitting unused. Not only were Jack and his care taker happy to receive the donated oxygen concentrators, but the original owner was pleased to gain the extra storage space.

This is just another example of how we recover and redistribute locally and abroad through the help of volunteers, as well as clinics, hospitals, and private donators across the nation. AWH donates concentrators and other equipment on a regular basis – please click here for more about donating medical supplies or equipment or volunteering with AWH.

Advocates for World Health, Inc.