Parasites Without Borders (PWB) will be raising and matching funds for the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC), beginning in May through July, with a minimum pledged donation of $10,000 and a total gift of up to $20,000 for FIMRC. The funds will be used to support FIMRC’s project sites around the world, including Project Bududa, Uganda; Project Cavite, Philippines; Project Alajuelita, Costa Rica; Project Anconcito, Ecuador; Project Las Delicias, El Salvador; Project Huancayo and Project Merced, Peru; Project Restauracion, Dominican Republic; Project Limon, Nicaragua; and Project Kodaikanal, India.
“We can make all the medical advancements in the world,” says Dr. Daniel Griffin, co-founder and president of Parasites Without Borders. “We can find cures, discover new medicines, create new procedures, but none of it matters if we can’t get the care to the people who need it. FIMRC works tirelessly to make healthcare accessible for populations across the world that are underserved or lack resources. When you see it with your own eyes, as I have at their Project Bududa site in Uganda, you understand how critical this mission is.”
Traditionally, the organization raised 90% of their funding through the Global Health Volunteer Program. Each year, more than 900 volunteers travel to FIMRC sites around the world, contributing time and resources in exchange for a comprehensive, hands-on global health experience. With restrictions during the pandemic making travel impossible, FIMRC pivoted to virtual global health experiences, including online fellowships, volunteer experiences, clinical shadowing, and more. As international travel reopens, FIMRC is working to reopen their project sites for volunteers while continuing its virtual experiences.
“Project Alajuelita in Costa Rica is finally reopened for volunteers,” says Madeleine Randolet, FIMRC’s Vice President of Global Operations. “It’s amazing to finally be sending program participants overseas again! We have three project sites reopened and we’re working around the clock to open more. FIMRC is so fortunate to have the support of organizations like PWB, who have continued to make it possible for us to keep our project sites staffed and running.”