If you’re interested in public health and caregiving back home—why not promote it abroad?
Hey there, health volunteers! Here are 5 reasons why you should apply your passion to the developing world:
1. There is an overwhelming need
If you’ve always wanted to volunteer but weren’t sure how you could help, then consider the importance of health. Many of the luxuries that we take for granted in first-world countries—such as clean running water—are not standard elsewhere. There are billions of people without these daily necessities.
2. Health and hygiene are universal
Let’s say that you pull up a map of the world. You then close your eyes and point to a random part of the world map. Wherever you end up pointing to has health and hygiene as an essential need. This may seem obvious when you point to well-known countries; this may not be so obvious when you point to the ocean (sailors and seagoers have to be meticulously, even obsessively clean and also mindful about their nutrition).
3. Everyone’s affected
Nobody’s immune to sickness or disability. Infants, children, young adults, parents, and the elderly are all at risk. If you’re looking for a meaningful area to volunteer in, then choose health and hygiene since it impacts everyone.
4. Small improvements make huge impacts
It’s a cliché but one that’s certainly true. If you install a water purification system for a village, this greatly improves the health of everyone living there and especially for children yet to be born.
Your contribution will help generations.
5. YOU can help right now
Absolutely! You don’t need any specialized knowledge or experience to make an impact here. All you need is a genuine interest and a willingness to learn from others.
What have been your goals and experiences with promoting health and hygiene? We’d enjoy hearing your story!
Contributed by Nick Focthman
