FIMRC Volunteers Make The World Go Round

At FIMRC, our operations are kept going by our incredible team and amazing volunteers that contribute to our project sites worldwide. While our project sites are usually funded by volunteers traveling to project sites in-person, FIMRC has adjusted to offering virtual volunteer programs, allowing for volunteers to continue supporting FIMRC and our healthcare initiatives from the safety of their own home. 

Our mission at FIMRC is to provide adequate healthcare to communities in need throughout the globe, and our volunteers make that mission possible. 

Meet FIMRC Volunteer: Keara Williams 

Recently, FIMRC had the chance to welcome healthcare student Keara Williams to participate in our Virtual Global Health Fellowship Program. 

From Toronto, Canada, Keara Graduated from Carleton University with a BA in Psychology and a Minor in Neuroscience and Mental Health. During her undergrad, Keara learned about social determinants' role in both physical and mental health. These studies influenced Keara to explore her volunteer opportunities, which ultimately led her to find FIMRC! “What I love about global health is that it is interdisciplinary. Professionals with various backgrounds come together with the common goal of making the world a better place for people living in vulnerable settings,” Keara told us. Keara is currently preparing to apply to graduate school programs throughout the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. Once there, she plans to study global health, public health, and health policy and equity.

When asked why she chose FIMRC, Keara said, “I was eager to understand what a small-scale, nonprofit organization like FIMRC could provide to help make healthcare services more accessible and equitable in the underserved communities they operate in.” She continued, “I chose to participate in FIMRC's virtual volunteer fellowship to gain more knowledge about the global health field in general, and more specifically, to gain insight on what I could potentially be working on one day.” 

During her Virtual Fellowship, Keara facilitated in creating programs for our Project Site in Bududa, Uganda. “I was tasked to help create Female Empowerment Health Education Materials for the women and girls in the community,” she explained. “I worked with two other lovely women, and together we created an infographic, which promoted the importance of women and girls to pursue education to better their health, financial situation, and to help promote women's rights in various forms. FIMRC's Virtual Volunteer Fellowship provided me a great education about the global health field and gave me practical experience as a volunteer.”

Virtual Volunteer Opportunities: 

Due to the halt on international travel, FIMRC offers Virtual Volunteer Programs to continue providing healthcare to those in need. These programs include Virtual Global Health Volunteer Experience, Virtual Global Health Fellowship, and Virtual Global Health Leadership Training, and Virtual Global Health Training. These virtual programs provide volunteers with the chance to contribute to FIMRC's ten project sites from the safety of their homes. “I always looked forward to the beginning of each week because volunteers were led through ‘Project Site Overviews,’” Keara said. “Even though volunteers can't physically be there to immerse themselves in the culture, FIMRC staff shared photos, videos, ‘fast facts,’ and fun personal stories throughout the presentations, which made me feel like I traveled to the locations myself, but from the comfort of my home!” 

To learn more about FIMRC's volunteer opportunities, visit here.