---
title: First at Creating a Healthier Global Community
date: 2024-04-05T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/first-at-creating-a-healthier-global-community"
section: Articles
---
# First at Creating a Healthier Global Community
*April 5, 2024* — by [Karen Shih ’09](/author/karen-shih)
> UMD-Founded Public Health Beyond Borders Celebrates 10 Years of Service
*4 D7 D199 E E808 4 FFA A4 B4 F9 B8 BDCC1 EE6 1 105 c 1920x1080 — Public Health Beyond Borders students work to reduce health disparities around the world, including in Sierra Leone, where they deliver workshops on handwashing, first aid and malaria.*
It can be as simple as a high-five from a kid while prepping an anti-bullying workshop in Prince George’s County. Or seeing a family equipped with tools like mosquito nets to reduce their malaria risk in Sierra Leone.
“It’s so rewarding to volunteer in these communities,” said biological sciences major Meghna Pandey ’24, co-president of the University of Maryland’s [Public Health Beyond Borders](https://www.phbb.org/)—the first organization of its kind at an American college.
Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, PHBB was the brainchild of former [School of Public Health](https://sph.umd.edu/) Dean Jane Clark, who was inspired by the work of Engineers Without Borders (EWB). Today, about 50 undergraduate and graduate students of various majors work to reduce health disparities by educating people in communities around the world.
“Every time I travel with our students, I’m so impressed with the work they put in,” said Clinical Professor of [family science](https://sph.umd.edu/academics/departments-units/department-family-science) Elisabeth Maring. She has advised the group since its inception and led its first trip to Peru in partnership with EWB, where the engineers built a water chlorination system while the public health students surveyed the local community on health needs.
\[[Tutoring Group Wins Zipcar’s Students With Drive Challenge: Peer to Peer Will Expand Offerings to Include In-Person Teaching, Field Trips, Cultural Exchanges](https://today.umd.edu/tutoring-group-wins-zipcars-students-with-drive-challenge)\]
PHBB now works in four countries internationally—Peru, Sierra Leone, Kenya and India—as well as locally in Prince George’s County. Students conduct wide-ranging needs assessment interviews on a variety of public health issues, including mental health, stress, nutrition, physical activity, and access to hospitals and medical care. Then, based on the results, they design workshops to help address health needs within the communities.
About 15 students join each project. International teams take one trip each year, during either winter or summer break, and throughout the school year, they fundraise, prepare assessment and workshop materials, and study cultural differences.
*Two women stand on a stage and talk to an audience outdoors — In India, Public Health Beyond Borders students deliver workshops on first aid, peer relationships and stress management.*
**Sidebar note:**
The Public Health Beyond Borders team will compete at the [Do Good Challenge](https://dogood.umd.edu/news/announcing-six-trailblazing-teams-selected-2024-do-good-challenge-finalists) on April 30 as one of six finalists hoping to win a share of more than $20,000 in prizes.
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Want to join Public Health Beyond Borders? Meetings are held each Wednesday night from 7-8 p.m. in room 1312 at the School of Public Health. All majors are welcome. Contact with questions.
**Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community)
**Tags:** [Student Experience](https://today.umd.edu/topic/student-experience)
**Units:** [School of Public Health](https://today.umd.edu/topic/school-public-health)