We currently plan about 4 trips a year, each with approximately 10 volunteers. Volunteers are welcome from all over the country. Each team will work on projects specifically designated during ServeHAITI’s annual planning conference, while allowing flexibility to meet the immediate needs of the residents of Grand-Bois. Specialty medical delegates are welcome and encouraged. Volunteers without medical training also play a vital part in each and every delegation and are similarly encouraged to join us.
Who can volunteer?
Medical teams consist of doctors, nurses, physician's assistants, nurse practitioners,
medical residents, laboratory personnel, and pharmacists. Medical students are welcome and
encouraged but would most likely fill a role of a non-medical volunteer. Specialties that
would likely be of most use include: dentistry, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, ophthalmologists/optometrists,
internal medicine, family practice, and emergency medicine.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for people who are willing to work hard, be flexible,
have fun, and share their talents with the team and the people of Grand-Bois. In exchange,
medical volunteers often enjoy some of the most rewarding and personally fulfilling weeks
of their medical careers by serving an extremely resilient and gracious population. Volunteers
often comment that they enjoy practicing medicine without the pressures and constraints of
paperwork, quotas, and managed care policies. In addition, medical volunteers work very closely
with non-medical volunteers on certain tasks such as unpacking and distribution of supplies,
inventories, and sometimes even construction projects or organization of the clinic.
Can I volunteer in the United States?
Certainly. Medical volunteers in the U.S. work year-round
to plan and prepare for mission trips. A medical committee composed of doctors, dentists,
public health specialists, pharmacists, and laboratory specialists meets bi-monthly to discuss
pertinent developments. Examples of stateside activities include:
* Solicitation of donations
from hospitals, clinics, home health agencies, and pharmaceutical companies
* Working on
fundraising events
* Planning and implementation of medical programs at the clinic
* Writing of grants to further educational and financial resources
* Integration of programs from other committees, such as Gift of Water
* Selection and packaging of medications and supplies for mission trips
Is it safe?
Traveling in Haiti, as in any foreign country, is not without risks. Political events
in Haiti lead some to shy away from volunteerism in this beautiful yet challenged country.
Although there is some intermittent upheaval that occurs in Port-au-Prince, our Health Center
is in a remote and peaceful mountainous region that has seen no violence.
What personal preparation will I need for a trip?
Haiti is endemic for several tropical diseases,
including typhoid, hepatitis A, and malaria. All medical volunteers going on mission trips
are encouraged to visit their local travel medicine clinic for appropriate vaccination practices.
If I go on a trip, will I have to speak Creole?
No. Translators are used for medical providers,
although many longstanding volunteers have learned basic communication phrases that further
enrich their experiences. Many of the Haitians with whom we work speak English and/or French
as well.
Looking for more specific information about volunteering?
Please download the PDF located below for information on Immunizations, a Personal Packing List, What to Expect when You Arrive, Some Basic Creole, and more:
Trip Information for Volunteers (PDF 99.2kb)
Thinking about Volunteering?
Please download the form located below, fill it out, and mail it to ServeHAITI 999 Peachtree Street NE Suite 2300 Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Volunteer Information Form (PDF 53kb)
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