 | | SEED Cohort II Group Photo |
Californians enjoy an envious lifestyle in many regards. As far as vector control is concerned, residents are privileged to have five vector control districts within Greater Los Angeles County and over 65 throughout the state protecting their health. With ecologists, vector control specialists, and public education staff under its helm, GLACVCD is effective in defending residents from mosquitoes and the diseases they carry year-round. In other parts of the world, there are scarce resources and limited staff to fight mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, leishmaniasis, and chikungunya (just to name a few). Public health officials are charged with a seemingly insurmountable task but rise to the challenge anyway, devoting their lives to serving their communities to the best of their abilities.
Georgetown University administers a program entitled Scholarships for Education and Economic Development (SEED). The program is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). SEED scholarships "provide training to youth and community leaders from economically disadvantaged and historically underserved populations, including women and ethnic/indigenous groups, to become key protagonists in their countries' development." (http://cied.georgetown.edu/seed/) Faculty from the College of Extended & International Education at California State University, Dominguez Hills submitted a grant proposal to Georgetown in 2010 to host Latin American scholars from the aforementioned types of communities. The proposal was approved for three cohorts, or groups, of scholars. The first cohort arrived in January 2011, the second in June 2011, and the third will arrive in January 2012. Each cohort lives in California for six months, learning about transmissible diseases, vector control, and other public health concerns.
Cal State Dominguez Hills partnered with a number of public health agencies, including GLACVCD, to provide a comprehensive curriculum for the SEED scholars. GLACVCD welcomed the opportunity to participate in such a distinctive program with far-reaching implications. GLACVCD prepped for months before the first cohort of 20 participants arrived in January 2011. The District's intent was to create a lecture series where the SEED students would learn strategies for vector control that they could implement in their home countries. Staff members had to create the lecture material from scratch and decide what would be most beneficial for the group of international students. After the first group left, the District evaluated the program and refined the course in anticipation of the upcoming cohort.
The second cohort visited the District this month. GLACVCD staff members have developed an incredibly thorough program to educate the scholars. The first day of lecture began with an introductory presentation and video orienting the SEED students to the District. Trustee Hazel Wallace, PhD, from the City of Signal Hill, delivered an impressive speech detailing her years in vector control. She shared slides from Malaysia and other parts of the world and offered her expertise to the group. For the other lecture days, bilingual staff members explained in detail how each of their departments operates. This in-depth account of the inner workings of the District provided the SEED scholars with a blueprint for vector control. The classroom portion of GLACVCD's program also offered a forum for discussion amongst the scholars from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.
GLACVCD's portion of the program included a job-shadowing component as well. Scholars helped vector ecologists bleed birds and count mosquitoes. Operations staff took SEED students to breeding sites and demonstrated how they abate mosquitoes using physical, biological, and chemical control methods. The Maintenance Department fabricates many of GLACVCD's tools on-site. Staff members shared design plans for tools and traps with the students, providing them with a copy of the design instructions. The Community Affairs Department brought participants to community events and fairs, demonstrating GLACVCD's approach to educating the community. Directly following one of the fairs, SEED scholar Alexandra Cruz from the Dominican Republic mentioned that she will be able to implement ideas such as a mosquito quiz immediately upon return to her country. Other SEED scholars echoed this sentiment throughout the program, sharing that they learned an immense amount of applicable, practical knowledge from the District.
With this cohort, GLACVCD not only instructed but learned. The San Gabriel Valley Vector Control District and GLACVCD discovered the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) in El Monte and then South El Monte this September. The Asian tiger mosquito is established in many countries in Central America. The SEED scholars were able to share their expertise in controlling the Asian tiger mosquito with District staff. Scholars participated in two door-to-door campaigns, assisting in identifying larval and adult samples on residents' properties. What's more, these scholars took the lead with Spanish-speaking residents, educating them on the Asian tiger mosquito and the importance of eliminating breeding sources around their homes. These scholars rolled up their proverbial sleeves and dumped and drained alongside the employees. During the door-to-door campaign on Tuesday, November 8, the Latin Americans bravely agreed to be partnered with one other staff member who only spoke English! The District sincerely appreciates the expertise and can-do attitude of the SEED scholars. The participants were eager to learn, to help, and to make a difference. It's obvious to the District why the selected individuals were chosen for the SEED program.
The District looks forward to welcoming the next cohort in January 2012 and hopes that this important program will continue to receive funding for years to come. In this time of international travel and global economy, it is essential that people infuse an attitude of mutual aid and look to share resources and expertise with international "neighbors." The SEED scholars will be able to take what they've learned in the United States and change their communities for the better. Hopefully those in their communities will then carry the torch and continue to implement change for the greater good in their lifetimes. This type of ripple effect is immeasurable and completely necessary for future generations.
To learn more about the SEED program, visit http://cied.georgetown.edu/seed.
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