TAKE GOOD CARE: A Medical Fund for TGC
Hi everyone! My name is Amanda
Greenberg and I am currently a volunteer at The Global Child School (TGC) in Siem
Reap, Cambodia through the Minerva Fellowship from Union College in
Schenectady, NY. Each day, the students at TGC take another step away from
their past, continue to defy the odds and strive for the best possible
education and quality of life. I am so proud of them "“ they have given me so
much (including countless life lessons and days full of learning & hope).
Now, it is my turn
to give back.
In the interest of
continuing to provide the best possible quality of life: it is my goal to give
TGC students the opportunity to receive higher-quality medical care, even after
the monthly medical budget has run out.
It is my goal to
start an Emergency Medical Fund.
If you look on The Global Child
website, you will see the following mission statement: "The Global Child (TGC), founded in 2003, is a
non-profit, non-political, non-partisan organization founded to save the lives
of Cambodian street children. TGC, a 501(c )(3) organization, has its
headquarters in Newport, Vermont, and has built and operates a small-scale
school and safe-house in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in order to nurture, educate and
mentor gifted but impoverished and/or orphaned street-children in Cambodia. The
Global Child provides these children not only with an education but also with
life skills, a cultural understanding of their country and its traditions, and
training for employment and citizenship." (http://www.theglobalchild.org/mission.html).
In my months of volunteering at TGC, I
have seen these words come to life. TGC is an incredible organization comprised
of hard-working staff members and students who are passionate about learning. Something
that really makes TGC stand out in my mind is the level of dedication to
providing overall care for the
students. There is a budget set aside for each month to cover routine medical
and dental visits, etc. This is a tribute to TGC's desire to help its students
both inside and outside of the classroom.
For example: outside of the school
environment, it is no secret that students must struggle to obtain purified
water. It is also no secret that drinking non-potable water is the cause of
illness on a regular basis. On numerous occasions, I have seen the children
bringing purified water from school home with them, because they know they may
not have access to clean water once they arrive in their villages.
With the water issue as a prime example,
it is even more evident that the students' medical visits are not always
"˜routine'. No one can plan months ahead for an ugly case of dysentery, an
extended struggle with dengue fever, or a painful cavity (and I don't think any
of us would want to!). TGC also cannot plan for these unexpected, expensive
medical bills. In order to provide the necessary care for its students, TGC has
consistently spent more than its monthly medical budget on emergency clinic
visits and the like.
But, what happens when
there is no additional money to pull from other areas of the budget?
I am fundraising to start an emergency medical fund for
The Global Child.
Using a little spin on the organization's name, I
have decided to call this fundraiser the "˜Take Good Care' initiative.
The Global Child
a o a
k o r
e d e
This fund will ONLY be devoted to medical costs and
would be providing TGC students with the continued level of care that they
deserve.
Please consider making a donation today to help us
Take Good Care of these amazing students. Every little bit will make a huge
difference "“ thank you!