GlobeMed at UT-Austin

Who We Are // GlobeMed at UT-Austin

Founded in 2010, GlobeMed at The University of Texas at Austin is one of 46 GlobeMed university-based chapters working to improve the health of the impoverished around the globe. Our specific chapter is partnered with Clinica Ana Manganaro (CAM) in Guarjila, El Salvador. Last year, we surpassed our goal and were able to raise over $9,600. Our specific project focused on the improvement of sanitation through the construction and restoration of 47 latrines in the community. This school year, our project focuses on nutrition, female empowerment and education as we work to raise a net of $7,960 for the expansion of CAM’s El Chalet, a food cooperative that will play a multifaceted role in the community.

Our partner // Clinica Ana Manganaro

Health is a fundamental human right. Clinica Ana Manganaro (CAM) is a champion of this cause, working daily to provide holistic health care to its community and surrounding area. While the current climate of health policy in El Salvador is shifting for the better, Clinica Ana Manganaro has always functioned for the cause even in the midst of the violent twelve year civil war that gripped the country. Such strong resolve to provide health, even in the most difficult situations, is a mission that Clinica Ana Manganaro hopes to spread by providing a wide range of services including: primary health care, physical therapy, educational outreach, and water sanitation projects. By implementing many different health initiatives in the community of Guarjila, the clinic works to ensure healthy living practices, promote environmental health, and help provide clean water.

Our project // $7,960 for the Expansion of the Current Chalet, or Food Cooperative

GlobeMed at UT-Austin is collaborating with Clinica Ana Manganaro to support the expansion of the clinic’s El Chalet, or a food cooperative, which engages in a novel program to provide for the unique needs of the clinic's patients. As expected, El Chalet offers daily, low-cost breakfast and lunch for its staff and patients who travel from hours around to seek medical care at CAM. However, a unique mother-infant nutrition program has been established by CAM that offers meals and nutrition education free of charge to pregnant women, infants, and undernourished children. All the food that is prepared is made from locally grown produce/livestock and supports the community’s agricultural economy. The only exception is powdered soy milk, which must be imported and introduced into the diets of many of the infants and small children to bolster their health. In addition, pregnant women, small children, and their guardians receive consultation from an on-site nutritionist and gynecologist concerning proper nutrition during pregnancy and the formative years, instilling a commitment to a healthy lifestyle from an early age. Lastly, El Chalet itself is run by a cooperative of women, mostly single mothers; the profits are divided among these workers and often serve as the only source of steady income for many families.

Specifically, the $7,960 will be used for the raw materials and one-time labor costs to construct the Chalet expansion so that these initiatives may be strengthened.