Help Fund Sheena's Research Trip to Africa!

Sheena Gupta Start Date: Nov 8, 2015 - End Date: Mar 6, 2016
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
  • Leadership/Training Program
  • Rusinga Islands, Kenya
  • Pandamatenga, Botswana
  • Livingstone, Zambia

My Travel Story

by: Sheena Gupta Start Date: Nov 8, 2015 - End Date: Mar 6, 2016
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
  • Leadership/Training Program
Thank you so much for visiting my fundraising website!

In March 2016, I'll be traveling to Kenya, Botswana, and Zambia for 3 weeks to teach newborn resuscitation to local birthing attendants. This trip came from a long-standing interest I have had in pursuing global health work as well as a newfound passion for maternal and newborn health.

It's estimated that 1 million babies die each year from being unable to breathe immediately after being delivered. Hospitals and birthing attendants in the US are trained to resuscitate babies who need help breathing after birth. However, birthing attendants in developing countries often lack the training and resources to be able to provide the basic care these babies need.

This past February, I became a master trainer in Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) - an initiative by the American Academy of Pediatrics that aims to train birthing attendants who work in resource-limited settings the skills of newborn resuscitation. The program has a train-the-trainer model to encourage master trainers (like myself) to teach trainees who will then go on to teach more trainees, and so on. This approach promotes sustainability in these resource-limited settings and utilizes local manpower.

I will be getting some funding assistance from my residency program but I will be funding the majority of this trip on my own. And I need your help!! Even a $10 donation will go toward saving these babies' lives.

Thank you so much for reading my campaign site and for your support! Please feel free to email me with any questions/comments: sheena.gupta06@gmail.com

Here's some more information on the non-profit NGO I'll be traveling with, Project Humanity:
Project Humanity's mission is to work with local leaders in Africa to identify and develop sustainable projects that emphasize women’s empowerment with a focus on heath care, literacy, and micro-financing through international volunteerism.
March 2016 will mark the 3rd of a 5 year committment that Project Humanity has made to the people of Rusinga Island, Kenya. The nursing and medical students of Rusinga Island have already received training in Helping Babies Breathe. This trip, we will be reviewing their techniques, addressing barriers to implementation, and enhancing their knowledge with training in Essential Care for Every Baby.
After working almost exclusively in Kenya for the past few years, this March 2016 journey will be Project Humanity's first official working trip to Botswana and Zambia. We will be working in Pandamatenga, Botswana and Livingstone, Zambia.
  • Rusinga Islands, Kenya
  • Pandamatenga, Botswana
  • Livingstone, Zambia

Updates

1

  • Thank You!

    Thank you to everyone who has come to this website! I'm so blessed to have close friends and family supporting this mission. And so happy to be meeting new friends who have found this website through word of mouth and have donated here to support my work. I appreciate each and every one of you. 

More Travel Information