GEI homestay review (Kigali, Rwanda) Since many students ask us what a homestay experience is really like, we've asked a recent Rwanda intern from Georgetown University, Siddharth Muchhal, to share his thoughts. Here is what he says: Sidd, tell us more about why you came to Rwanda this summer? This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Akazi Kanoze Access, a youth development NGO in Kigali, Rwanda. Initially, I was considering finding an apartment with my colleague, so ... Read More
Southeast Asia
The global impact of Trainings of Trainers
Lessons from the field in Vietnam Our Newborn Care and Emergency Cardiac Care programs that took place in Vietnam this Spring were a success on many levels. With participants from three continents, the ToT (Training of Trainers) teaching method has now equipped nurses and professionals from across the globe to teach and spread the lessons learned in these courses. Participants gained valuable skills that are often scarce or nonexistent in many regions with minimal resources. Like with ... Read More
Emergency Cardiac Care in Vietnam
Teaching Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support The first of GEI's spring delegations have arrived in Vietnam. For four weeks, master trainers Patty Kelly (newborn care) and Linda Bell (emergency cardiac care) and their colleagues are teaching at hospitals and universities in Binh Phuoc, Vinh, Anh Son, Tra Vinh and Ho Chi Minh City. Emergency Cardiac Care trainings are the newest addition to our portfolio in Vietnam. The rational is simple: Cardiovascular diseases ... Read More
Global Engagement in Vietnam
The story of the Asian Dragon Today’s Vietnam is undergoing some of the fastest socio-economic changes any country in the world has seen. The Asian Dragon, as it is frequently called, is a major development success story that has experienced remarkable rates of economic growth since the start of massive political and economic reforms called doi moi in 1986. It is now a middle-income country with a poverty rate of less than 10%, massive influx of foreign investment, and booming modern ... Read More
Faculty-Led and Custom Programs
Upcoming Programs in Africa and Asia Developing countries in Africa and Asia are becoming increasingly popular for faculty-led and custom experiential learning, service-learning and cultural immersion programs. At the same time, program developers and program leaders continue to face enormous and frequently unexpected challenges. As a result, a partnership with a regionally specialized third-party provider not only offers peace of mind and meets liability requirements but can also add ... Read More
Developing Capacity in Health in Vietnam
GEI spring delegations in Vietnam (March/April 2016) In less than two months, our GEI Training Center in Ho Chi Minh City will host the next delegations to help Vietnamese partner institutions develop crucial workforce capacity in Newborn Care and Emergency Cardiac Care. The training hosts will include, among others, Dong Nai General Hospital, Red Cross Ho Chi Minh City, Tra Vinh Women's and Children's Hospital, Nguyen Tat Thanh University and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy. A ... Read More
Diary – Women & Leadership in Vietnam (part IV)
Reflections about the Women & Leadership program in Vietnam by Mary Stebbins, Registered Nurse and Public Health Professional, USA We had an early morning departure from the Grand Hotel Saigon (HCMC) for the short flight to Hue City. Our tour bus was waiting and soon after arrival, we set off to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hue, considered by many to be the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual heart of Vietnam. This small city is home to 300,000 people, most of ... Read More
Only the Beginning, Vietnam!
Inaugural Helping Babies Breathe trainings a big success by Patty Kelly (Helping Babies Breathe International Master Trainer) It is often said, “teach a man how to fish and he has fish for life”. This can also be true when teaching new yet proven skills to medical personnel. While they have learned one technique or another, there will be new evidence to support changing and updating their bodies of knowledge. This is true of the program, only a little over four years old, ... Read More
Diary – Women & Leadership in Vietnam (part III)
Reflections about the Women & Leadership program in Vietnam by Kelly Guzman (Nurse Consultant - Transition and Activation Planning LA, USA) Mr Minh, a lecturer of Financial Management at the University of Transport in Ho Chi Minh City, toured us through his facility. Mr Minh is applying for a master’s degree in logistics and material and supply chain. The campus has an open design and layout with classrooms surrounding a quad where the students can connect in the open air. ... Read More
Diary – Women & Leadership in Vietnam (part II)
Reflections about the Women & Leadership program in Vietnam by Carole Snyder (Emergency Preparedness Program Manager in LA, USA) Today, we had the opportunity to visit the Vietnam Women’s Union, where senior representatives from the Union and the Intellectual Union met with us to discuss the promotion of women’s roles in society as well as sharing their mission and frustrations. Ms Tran This Phuong Hoa, Vice president of the Women’s Union discussed the mission to protect ... Read More
Diary – Women & Leadership in Vietnam (part I)
Reflections about the Women & Leadership program in Vietnam by Nicola Mountain (Active Zonta Member & Accommodation Business Tutor) The Global Engagement Institute (GEI) Executive Director, Michael Grosspietsch started the day by introducing the team and gave an overview of the week's program. Then we set off on a very interesting tour of the city. Hui, GEI Associate, one of the Vietnamese Boat people who had left Vietnam as a child and returned as an adult, led this ... Read More
Launching GEI’s newest destination: Vietnam
Two inaugural GEI delegations in Vietnam by Waleed Fatth (Global Programs Manager) One day I'll touch your soil One day I'll finally know my soul One day I'll come to you To say hello .. Vietnam I found myself humming with this song which was sung by Vietnamese–Belgian singer Quynh Anh while waiting for my plane to get back to Europe after spending 4 unforgettable weeks of my life in Vietnam. I was thinking of the great experience getting to know Vietnam as a country and as ... Read More
NICU nurse from Maryland wins EHN Christmas raffle
GEI raffle: Engage for Healthy Newborns Danette Wolford (BSRT, RRT-NPS, ECMO specialist) was the lucky winner of our Engage for Healthy Newborns (EHN) Christmas raffle. She now decided to join our inaugural EHN delegation to Vietnam which will be led by our experienced program leader and master trainer Patty Kelly on April 19-29. Her prize was a free tourism extension, which means that she will enjoy three fascinating days of visiting the famous Angkor Wat temple complex and other nearby ... Read More
