GlobeMed at Cornell University partners with CEPAIPA to provide health care and peer health education to the community of La Libertad, Ecuador.
GlobeMed at Cornell University + CEPAIPA
Chapter
GlobeMed at Cornell University | Ithaca, New York
Partner
CEPAIPA | La Libertad, Ecuador
Key Fact
One in five females in Ecuador are pregnant or have children – the highest rate in South America.
“GlobeMed has given us the opportunity to become active advocates for social change and to inspire others to do the same. We have joined others who, half a world away, also believe in the power of human relationships and urgency for a different world.”
-Sanjana Patel ’13 and Rachel Leopold ’13, Cornell University
“The formation of solidarity is very important, as it supports the development of the human being.”
-Dr. Alexandra Tamayo of CEPAIPA
About the Partnership
El Centro de Promoción de Atención Integral para Adolescentes (CEPAIPA) is community center and health clinic located in a high school in La Libertad, Ecuador. The Center was built in 2004 as an initiative to provide health services and resources to the youth of the community.
CEPAIPA empowers students themselves to become agents of change by training them to act as youth health promoters – young leaders who serve as role models and educate other students about health issues affecting their community. The students take part in developing the health education curriculum, help staff the Center, and educate their peers through innovative and creative programs. The organization’s ultimate mission is to provide adolescents with high quality care and a strong community of support. Since 2010, GlobeMed at Cornell has raised over $10,600 to support CEPAIPA’s programs – including the health, educational, and financial empowerment of over 60 young girls at CEPAIPA.
Project
GlobeMed at Cornell University aims to fund a rapid HIV testing laboratory at CEPAIPA located in La Libertad, Ecuador. The clinic will allow affordable HIV/AIDS testing to the students, and further funding will pay for transport to the hospital for treatment if found HIV positive.
Impact
The construction of this laboratory will give affordable basic laboratory testing to students and associated community members. With such a clinic in place, the focus of health care in the community will be able to shift from treatment based to prevention based. Furthermore, students are to eventually run the administrative aspects of the clinic, allowing for it to be sustainable.
Get Involved
Read GlobeMed at Cornell’s annual report and donate to their cause. Interested in joining the chapter? Contact cornell@globemed.org.
Email | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | SmugMug
