Tag Archives: Baker Institute

Broadcasting change on college campuses

END7, NTDs, parasites, Sabin Vaccine Institute, Student Advocacy, , , , ,

Today we’ve posted an essay by Rice University sophomore Elisabeth Kalomeris, one of five winners of a student competition on raising awareness of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a group of parasitic, viral and bacterial infections that afflict mainly those living in extreme poverty.

The writing contest and related outreach competition are associated with a Sept. 29-30 Baker Institute conference on NTDs in the U.S. and Mexico. One winning essay will be featured here each week leading up the conference.

The public is invited to attend the Baker Institute NTD conference, but an RSVP is required. Please click here for more information and to register for the event.NTD-Competitions-BlogImage-1

Awareness is only as useful as the action it inspires. Key actors who are committed to change drive awareness. These committed few are like radio towers, broadcasting their cause within their radius of influence, attaining not only more listeners, but also moving others to become “broadcasters” themselves. Many people become passionate about a cause because it has affected their lives personally. Important issues that do not touch our lives directly, like neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), do not have the same network of broadcasters for that reason. Therefore, focusing on fostering a smaller, core group of broadcasters — those who will be most active and committed to spreading change — will be the most effective in raising awareness to a broader network. This strategy will be even more effective because of the personal level on which broadcasters interact. In this essay, I will use an existing organization, Camp Kesem, as a model for creating an NTD-related organization. An NTD-focused philanthropic organization that has independent clubs on college campuses would not only raise awareness to campus-wide groups of young people at a formative age, but also nurtures groups of “broadcasters” who will have a long-term investment in NTDs. These individuals will gain experience with philanthropic organization and fund-raising, learning the skills to turn passion into action.

This NTD-centered organization would be loosely modeled after organizations like Camp Kesem, a network of student-run summer camps with corresponding chapters at universities. When I arrived at Rice University, Camp Kesem had a major presence on campus. While I have never participated in the club, students go through a rigorous interview process to be selected as camp counselors and many go on to be on the executive board of their chapter. Camp Kesem was founded by students, but has since grown to have full-time staff and a board of directors at the national level. While this demonstrates the room for growth with student-run networks, the summer camps are still mainly staffed and organized by college students. An NTD-focused organization that supports college students in their efforts to start chapters at their own universities would allow for rapid horizontal expansion, with little effort or funds for initial start-up costs.

These smaller chapters could host a multitude of events to raise awareness and funding throughout the year. Members could inform their peers about the devastating effects of specific diseases under the NTD umbrella, such as onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis. Bringing awareness about a few of these NTDs in detail will foster greater understanding of the devastating effects of these treatable diseases as a whole. A campus club also has the ability to inform students about the social factors surrounding many NTDs, which are still prevalent primarily because of lack of access to medical care and information.

In addition to continuous fundraising efforts and awareness campaigns for NTDs, an important fixture for an NTD philanthropy would be an annual mission. Chapters could finance a campus-wide scholarship that would select a student to learn more about NTDs over the summer. Many philanthropic clubs are perpetually raising money, but can easily lose motivation. Campus clubs are especially vulnerable when impassioned members, usually the founders, graduate. Having steady goals would be effective while the chapter is active, but provides little structure and few opportunities for growth within the club. An annual summer scholarship fund, no matter how small, is a visible goal that requires commitment and yearlong planning. The students who organize this summer program would gain important skills, as well as deepen their investment in the club. The students who apply, whether it is for an actual program set up by the chapter or for a stipend dedicated to offset independent research or volunteerism, would gain a meaningful summer experience completing NTD-related work.

The most important function of the campus chapters in this hypothetical NTD organization would be to foster a young adult’s passion and ability for action in addressing neglected tropical diseases. Participation would lead to a deeper commitment and understanding of NTDs. This group may attract some broadcasters—students who are already outspoken and attract others to their cause — but its most important function would be to create new broadcasters and endow them with the ability to translate concern for an issue into concrete change. An organization with autonomous chapters would have a ripple effect across the country. Not only would it be one of the quickest and cheapest ways to create an extended presence of NTD-awareness campaigns, but it also would effectively target those with time, resources, and drive to make change possible. College campuses are home to huge numbers of smart, dedicated students who are at a formative age. Not everyone continues to follow the same passions they did in college, but those who do may become some of the greatest agents of change.

Creating a nationwide network of philanthropic college clubs addressing NTDs is an efficient way to raise awareness and create lifelong leaders. College chapters are started and run entirely by students, making them a feasible and sustainable option for ongoing initiatives on campuses. Fundraising events centered around informing students about specific diseases under the NTD umbrella lead to a better understanding of the crippling effect of these preventable diseases and the social issues surrounding them. These clubs will also nurture NTD activists, who will broadcast their message to even more students. Adjustments to the original concept will surely be made, but the original outline is far less important than the broadcasters who will be growing with the organization.

Elisabeth Kalomeris is a sophomore at Rice University studying psychology and public policy. She has spent several summers in Brazil, where she first learned about neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and their impact. After learning more about the role of NTDs as a barrier to global health, she became involved in the new chapter of the END7 campaign at Rice in the fall.

This essay originally appeared on the Baker Institute Blog.

Taking the “neglect” out of “neglected tropical diseases”

END Fund, END7, NTDs, Sabin Vaccine Institute, , ,

NTD-Competitions-BlogImage-1Today we’ve posted an essay by Rice University rising junior Anjali Bhatla, one of five winners of a student competition on raising awareness of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a group of parasitic, viral and bacterial infections that afflict mainly those living in extreme poverty.

The writing contest and related outreach competition are associated with a Sept. 29-30 Baker Institute conference on NTDs in the U.S. and Mexico. One winning essay will be featured here each week leading up the conference.

The public is invited to attend the Baker Institute NTD conference, but an RSVP is required. Please click here for more information and to register for the event.

Most people have never heard of diseases such as Chagas, elephantiasis, or ascariasis. However, these illnesses are some of the 17 infectious diseases the World Health Organization has categorized as “neglected tropical diseases” (NTDs). NTDs are said to affect the “bottom billion” of the world’s population, or those who are living on less than $1.25 per day. NTDs, which have a high morbidity, have been shown to perpetuate the cycle of poverty due to their ability to impair physical and cognitive development, negatively affect maternal and child health, and socially stigmatize those who are afflicted. Regardless of the disabling economic consequences of NTDs, they have been largely ignored, continuing to persist in the world’s most marginalized populations. Contrary to popular belief, NTDs do not just exist in developing countries, but rather have been shown to also exist in pockets of poverty in developed countries. Given the neglected nature of NTDs, there is plenty that we as students can do to make a difference in the lives of those living with NTDs. Ending the neglect requires three steps: 1) education, 2) awareness, and 3) advocacy.

Education is a key component in impacting the field of NTDs. Through educating ourselves, we can articulate the importance of NTDs to others. This requires understanding what aspects of NTDs contribute to the neglect they continually face. First, they have a high morbidity, rather than high mortality, rendering them “less important” than diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis. However, morbidity can have just as disastrous consequences as mortality, and NTDs render those infected chronically disabled. Second, NTDs predominately affect those living in impoverished countries, which makes it difficult to communicate the ramifications of the diseases to individuals with the social and political capital to aid endemic countries. Third, the demographics of infected individuals make it unprofitable for pharmaceutical companies to pursue therapies for NTDs. These factors are the reasons why it is of utmost importance for us as students to educate ourselves about NTDs and communicate the value of preventing these diseases to others.

Engaging the public is imperative if we are to mobilize a movement to end NTDs. This requires using our knowledge to disseminate information on the social and economic consequences of NTDs and the need for the public to address these issues through fund-raising and advocacy. A great way for students to increase awareness of NTDs on campus is to start an END7 chapter at their college. END7 aims to increase awareness of the seven most common NTDs and raise funds for mass drug administration, which can greatly reduce the incidence of NTDs in endemic countries. Through a student organization such as END7, undergraduates can exchange ideas on how to address the health disparities prevalent in endemic countries, engage in dialogue with peers on the importance of addressing NTDs, and implement creative events, programming, and social media campaigns to increase understanding of NTDs at a societal level.

The team that will be spearheading END7 at Rice University, of which I am a member, has discussed a number of creative projects, including depicting stories of patients with NTDs, creating an “NTD week” to educate students on the scientific and social aspects of a different disease each day, and sponsoring a 5K with seven water stops, each featuring information on an individual NTD. Utilizing social media can be a way of reaching a much wider audience, and college students are in a unique position to capitalize on the use of technology. A social media campaign in which a person takes a picture of themselves taking action against NTDs and uses the hashtag #nomoreneglect could be a potential way of incorporating a much larger audience into the conversation. Ultimately we want to increase awareness in order to spur action in others, and I believe a great way of doing this would be to create a service-learning grant program in which students could apply for money to implement a project that addresses NTDs in a creative way. These grants could fund projects such as a student policy competition on NTDs or the creation of curriculum to educate K-12 students on NTDs. By funding student projects around the country and world, each person can have a leadership role in taking action against NTDs.

Ultimately, I believe policy structures need to be utilized in order to address the health disparities that cause NTDs. Low socioeconomic status, inadequate health systems, and the need for proper infrastructure for clean water and sanitation are root causes of NTDs. We need to frame NTDs as a social justice issue in health: a realization that elements of society disproportionately contribute to this public health issue and policy should be drafted to aid those in need. Students can have a profound impact on policy by speaking with their local and national representatives about important issues and advocating for certain pieces of legislation. For example, most of the funding for fighting NTDs comes from developed countries, and policymakers are proposing a cut in funding in the current US budget. By calling representatives, writing letters, and signing petitions, it is possible to convince Congress of the importance of retaining funding for NTDs. As students, our voice is incredibly important, and we have a social responsibility to engage in the political process and advocate for NTDs at the governmental level.

More than one billion of the world’s population is suffering from NTDs, a staggering amount of people to be affected by a group of infections few have heard of. We cannot continue to let this injustice occur, and as the next generation we need to be civically minded students. Addressing the issue of NTDs is critical to improving the health and economic productivity of over one-seventh of the world’s population. Through education, awareness, and advocacy of NTDs, we can drive significant social change and work toward taking the neglect out of neglected tropical diseases.

Anjali Bhatla is a rising junior at Rice University majoring in health sciences and policy studies. Bhatla founded the Rice University chapter of the END7 campaign, which aims to raise awareness and funds for the seven most common neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). She plans to pursue an M.D./MBA dual degree and ultimately develop and implement policies that help make health care systems more equitable and efficient.

This essay originally appeared on the Baker Institute Blog.