Advocacy in Action: MEDLIFE students work to improve the lives of underprivileged communities across the globe

When approached by a student MEDLIFE recruiter on the lawn of the Pentacrest in her third year at Iowa, Jade Rivera’s only real impression of his efforts to enlist her in the group’s service trip to Ecuador was for the purpose of securing a better flight deal. Intrigued by the interaction, Jade found herself venturing to MEDLIFE’s first informational meeting a few days later.

Dedicated to developing and empowering communities around the globe through the use of medication, education, and infrastructure, the MEDLIFE organization has inspired college chapters all over the nation in recent years.

“I was really drawn to the values that MEDLIFE exemplified in their work, and the mobile clinics sounded like an affordable opportunity for me as a student,” Jade explains, smiling.

“By the second meeting, I was purchasing tickets for the flight to Ecuador, not recognizing a single person that I was going with, but knowing it was the first step to being involved with a really awesome local and global mission.”

Since then, Jade, now a senior, and a fellow MEDLIFE student volunteer, Breanna Kramer, a junior, have participated in multiple mobile clinics, and ascended into leadership roles with the organization’s executive board at Iowa; specifically, president and vice president.

Having only been established for a few years, the Iowa MEDLIFE chapter has previously struggled to recruit and retain its student members. However, with new leadership, these two women are confident this is the year for things to turn around on campus.

“We’re offering volunteering, activities, and fundraising opportunities that serve a wide variety of interests,” says vice president Breanna Kramer. “For example, we’ve been holding sessions to make pads and other reusable feminine hygiene products for women in underprivileged areas of Africa.”

In addition to such local service opportunities, MEDLIFE also helps facilitate week-long volunteer trips abroad for students during the winter and summer months. Previous destinations have included locations in areas of Ecuador, Peru, and Tanzania.

“In our last mobile clinic, we finished a two classroom building that enabled 100 kids to go to school in the region. The previous structure was made out of sticks and mud, and didn’t offer an environment conducive to learning,” says Jade. “We’ve also assisted with constructing staircases for women and children to safely travel the mountain slopes.”

“There isn’t one project we’ve been a part of that hasn’t been extremely rewarding."

When asked what their legacy with MEDLIFE at The University of Iowa will be, both Jade and Breanna hope to impart on others the potential of advocacy in the world today. “Even though you may be just a single voice, when many voices come together behind a cause, change can be brought into society that will impact generations,” Jade says.

For information on how you can give to the MEDLIFE mission, please visit their website, medlifeweb.org.