Colleagues,
Networking is much more than connecting the dots to a job or a deal. “Empowered Networking” enables the muscle of a network to create opportunities for those who are unable to tap a network of their own. Through our team of Networking Angels today you have an opportunity to reciprocate in a small way. Chelsea Havelock daughter of my good friend and Networking Angel Diane Havelock is coordinating a powerful health mission through Villanova University’s College of Nursing in partnership with the Campus Ministry Office coordinates a pediatric clinical enrichment service trip during the University’s break to Quisqueya, Dominican Republic for a select number of nursing students. This service trip provides an opportunity for these nursing students to collaborate with nursing faculty to provide healthcare along with a mobile clinic team to the families of sugar cane cutters living in destitute bateyes communities.
The Dominican Republic relies mostly on their natural resources of coffee beans and sugar cane as well as tourism in sustaining their economy. With the Dominican Republic’s population consisting of both Haitians and Dominicans and the majority of these people harvesting sugar cane to survive off of less than $2 US per day, both populations are in competition for work. Much of the school-aged children do not attend school if their parents are unable to work that day due to the pain from malnutrition. The Dominican Republic is one of the poorest countries in the Caribbean region with 42% of the population living in poverty. HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and other non-communicable diseases are the leading causes of death in this country. The basic needs of education and health care are severely lacking in these bateyes communities and it is the aim of our nursing students along with the mobile clinic team to provide them the basic needs every human life is entitled to.
Through service and reflections, volunteers are transformed by identifying their connection with our global community as they experience another culture, spirituality, and socio-economic situation. The volunteers are challenged to become global citizens – not just citizens of the United States – as they use their education to change the lives of the poor. We hope this experience helps our future nurses to develop a personal commitment to making the world a better place by calling attention to the injustices of racism, poverty, sexism, etc. We are entering an era where the community is global, and as global citizens, we must do our part to contribute what we can in helping those in need.
The students are responsible for covering the cost of their service experience. To aid in successfully providing healthcare to the people of the Dominican Republic, we ask for your prayers and financial support to cover the cost of medical supplies needed for this service trip. Anything you can give financially to subsidize the cost of this experience will be greatly appreciated, regardless of the amount.
Thank you for your consideration in supporting this program. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Chelsea Havelock at Chavel01@villanova.edu. Chelsea is the President of the Pi Beta Phi I – College of Nursing 2012 Graduate.
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
