Send 2026 GROW Interns to Uganda!
With your support, GROW interns can support Uganda village communities!
The GrassRoots On-site Work (GROW) Internship allows UCLA GlobeMed interns to travel directly to our partner non-profit, Mpoma Community HIV/AIDS Initiative (MCHI) in Uganda. Interns work closely on sustainable partner-initiated projects—increasing accessibility to clean water, providing hygiene education, empowering local communities, and more. This year, we are excited to send our largest cohort of interns, and your support is needed more than ever!
MCHI is based in the rural Nama Sub-county of Uganda where access to water is severely limited. In this community, many individuals need to travel far distances to access water and water filtration is limited, leading to the prevalence of many waterborne diseases. Furthermore, In Uganda, many girls leave school around menstruation age due to a lack of access to period products and social stigma. Additionally, MCHI and Globemed have recently identified a need for social-emotional support for young students to develop both inside and outside the classroom.
The GROW team works with MCHI on these issues through projects that focus on the sustainability and longevity of communities in the Nama Sub-county. We aim to give communities the resources to strengthen and GROW! These are some of the projects that we and our partners have worked on!
The Water Access, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Project finances the construction of boreholes as clean water sources for village communities and provides educational material on proper sanitation and hygiene practices. This year, the GROW team will observe the repairs of three major boreholes in the Nama-sub county and will host an educational meeting for over 20 different communities to promote borehole maintenance and water sanitation. We also have the Project for Income Generation (PIG), which allows village communities the ability to self-generate income that supports borehole maintenance.
The Sanitary Pad Project (SPP) aims to educate students on menstruation and to provide them with skills to make reusable sanitary pads. This project takes place at MCHI-affiliated schools - Johnson Nkosi Memorial Primary School (JNMPS) and St. Mary's Kirwanyi Primary School.
We also promote student empowerment and retention in schools through a pen pal program between UCLA and Ugandan students, as well as our new project, GROW Corner. GROW Corner provides a physical space for students to express their emotions, connect with their peers, and build skills that support their career aspirations. Interns will be expanding this project by improving the counseling space at JNMPS and increasing students' access to technology.
By donating to our campaign, you directly support the building of global communities. Not only will donations help with trip expenses, but they will also go towards our partner community, helping build long-term healthy practices in the Mpoma region of Uganda. By supporting our GROW interns travel to Uganda, you help MCHI and GlobeMed at UCLA strengthen existing projects and start new developments focused on global health equity. Anything helps! Donate what you can as you will be contributing to something not only valuable but vital: the building of our world! Your help will uplift communities to have access to clean drinking water and safe sanitation infrastructure while empowering individuals to become strong, healthy global citizens. Grow Bruins!!!
Amazzi bwebulamu; water is life
If you'd like more information about our mission and projects, check out https://globemedatucla.wordpress.com/
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$5
Menstrual Health Surveys
Each year, we survey students on their menstrual health knowledge to continuously improve our Sanitary Pad Project year after year. With this donation, you help us survey students at Johnson Nkosi Primary School regarding their menstrual health and wellbeing.
$10
Art Supplies
In the GROW corner, students have a space to foster their emotional and mental health. This amount is the equivalent of art supplies (colored pencils, crayons, paper) for one student to enhance their creativity through a wellness space called GROW corner!
$15
Hand Washing Station
With this donation, you will help fund 1 hand washing station for a village in the Nama-Sub County of Uganda.
$30
Computer Education
With the evolving world, technological literacy is becoming more important than ever. This amount is equivalent to the cost of teaching a week of computer literacy curriculum for primary school children at two schools in Mpoma!
$50
Water Quality Check
This amount will help us survey and gauge the water quality and sanitation of each borehole across 8 villages in the Mpoma region!
$100
Plan New Water Sanitation
This amount will fund the transportation costs for the interns to travel across the Mpoma region to survey residents and plan new water sanitation infrastructure for 8 villages!
$200
Development of Projects
This amount will fund the planning and performing of necessary logistical tasks needed to develop our projects such as running Mpoma office, transport to workshops, moving to the sub county, supplement biannual meeting funds.
$500
Flights
This amount will greatly support the flight and housing costs for all 5 interns to travel and stay in Uganda for over 3 weeks!