Who We Are // GlobeMed at University of Wisconsin-Madison

GlobeMed is a student-led, non-profit organization consisting of 50 university chapters nationwide. We strive to make a lasting impact in global health through partnering with grassroots health organizations around the world. Each chapter is paired with a partner organization, and supported by our national office in Evanston, IL. The chapter then develops a deep relationship with their partner, collaborates with them to design a project, fundraises for that project through a yearlong campaign, and advocates on campus for their partner. Furthermore, GlobeMed chapters hold weekly sessions to educate their members on global health issues, as well as public events to educate the wider community.

GlobeMed at the University of Wisconsin – Madison partners with the Cambodian Organization for Women’s Support, and this year we are supporting a vocational training program. We recruit highly skilled and motivated members of our university community in order to maintain a small, but effective work force. We are a tight-knit family with high expectations of ourselves and the world. Currently at about 52 members, we are working hard to meet our yearly goal and educate our campus community. Thank you for your interest in us and our work!

Our Partner // Cambodian Organization for Women's Support (COWS) in Kampong Thom, Cambodia

Our partner is the Cambodian Organization for Women’s Support, or COWS It was started by a few Cambodian women who found themselves fed up with inequalities in their community. Recognizing that women were unable to voice their needs within the restraining social structure, these founding mothers felt a great need for support and advocacy on behalf of Cambodian women and other disadvantaged populations. Thus, COWS was born. They now employ a staff of 11 people, and have the capacity of an additional 9 staff with sufficient funds. COWS is based in Kampong Thom and serves many villages in the surrounding areas through the following projects:

Good Governance – COWS works with village women to educate them about human rights, their rights as citizens, and marital rights and policies. They also provide a service for women and girls who have been sexually abused. Victims can approach COWS, who will act as an advocate for that victim and a liaison with law enforcement to ensure that she gets justice for the crimes against her. This is truly an inspiring and extremely empowering program!

Food Security – A range of programs in this category includes small business training for village members who would like to make money through handcrafted goods, conservation education on how to sustainably care for their environment, and education on the running of fisheries and refining palm juice into palm oil and sugar.

Family Planning and Reproductive Health – One of their biggest projects, COWS travels to villages and meets with women to consult them on birth spacing (helping mothers be economically successful even with a family), condom usage, and the usage of IUD’s. This program also includes education on STD’s, particularly HIV/AIDS.

Check out our Facebook page or our photo gallery (link on homepage) to see pictures of the staff of COWS!

Our Project // $13,000 for Youth Vocational Training and Entrepreneurship

Our project this year focuses on the economic empowerment of local young people to live healthier, more stable lives. Through COWS, youth in the Kampong Thom area will be matched with a local tradesman and perform an apprenticeship in motorbike repair, tailoring, or fashion design. Participants will learn a trade and vital business skills, and receive a small grant from COWS. Using that seed money, each participant will be given the opportunity to start up their own small business, be economically independent, and provide their families with an improved quality of life. This project was formed out of the need to provide local jobs and allow young people to stay in the area instead of emigrating to find work, and will greatly improve participants' ability to have control over their own lives.