AAO Member Finds Innovative Approach to International Humanitarian Work

• Source: American Association of Orthodontists

September 4, 2024

As a second-generation orthodontist, Dr. Drew Lombardi had an orthodontic practice in Fort Lee and Jersey City, New Jersey for 40 years until his transition to retirement in October 2023. Considering how to spend his time in retirement, Dr. Lombardi was eager to use his professional knowledge to give back to people in need.

“When I was in practice, as a way to serve the community I performed dental screenings in local schools and participated in the AAO Donated Orthodontic Services program (now Gifted Smiles),” says Dr. Lombardi. “As a retiree, I liked the idea of doing humanitarian work in other countries – but the issue you encounter is that organizations with overseas programs want general dentistry services and long-term commitments, because that is what people in very poor regions need.

“It was difficult to find something fitting my skill set, or welcoming to an orthodontist,” adds Dr. Lombardi. “I didn’t wish to personally do the restorative work myself on these young children, not having done it in 40 years.”

After contacting a few non-profit service organizations, he connected with Globe Aware, which focuses on international volunteerism for individuals and groups such as health professionals, construction workers, educators and business experts.

Globe Aware volunteers bring a variety of skills to places where they are needed. The organization arranges volunteer experiences, for one week or longer, in countries such as Peru, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Romania. Working with Globe Aware, Dr. Lombardi developed a plan to help children using his knowledge of dentistry.

“I went to Cuzco, a large city in Peru, and the starting point to reach Machu Picchu, which gave us access to rural areas of Peru where many residents lack awareness and resources for oral health,” he says. “Globe Aware’s local coordinator served as my interpreter with knowledge of both Spanish and the native Incan (indigenous) language spoken in the rural communities. Globe Aware hired a driver and we traveled to villages located up to two hours away.”

As Dr. Lombardi had expected, in conducting dental screenings at schools he found many children with severe dental problems, including rampant caries, abscesses and need for extractions. Living conditions usually included a lack of running water in homes and a cultural preference for beverages such as sweetened tea and soda, in the students’ water bottles that they brought to school. Many adults were unaware how these choices impacted children’s dental health.

Starting the Process of Improved Oral Health in Rural Villages
“Through Globe Aware, I networked with dentists in nearby towns and arranged to pay for the needed services for those I identified as having the most severe dental needs,” says Dr. Lombardi. “It does take time to gain trust from everyone you meet in these communities. When we would ask to have children brought to school on a Saturday morning for transportation to a dentist, not all of the kids showed up. When we followed up to ask why, responses included that some of the parents could not take off work, or that the kids had to take the sheep to the mountains.”

Oral health presentations that Dr. Lombardi offered at schools with the help of his interpreter included distribution of toothbrushes and toothpastes. He found the students enthusiastic and receptive to his information and the dental care products. Many students did not own toothbrushes.

“Before the school presentations, Globe Aware’s coordinator, Rocio, took me to a Walmart-like store where I purchased cases of toothbrushes and toothpaste to give away,” says Dr. Lombardi. “It turned out that these gifts were helpful in convincing many boy students to be examined.

“It will require regular effort over a long period to get the rural communities committed to both oral hygiene and visiting dentists,” adds Dr. Lombardi. “I found it very rewarding to start the process of educating people in the villages and educating the school principals and teachers. For the teachers, I brought thank-you gifts of popular U.S. magazines, which they enjoyed.”

Following his introduction to international humanitarian work in Peru, Dr. Lombardi spent two weeks in the Galapagos Islands. That portion of his trip included volunteer work in sea turtle conservation, also through Globe Aware.

Dr. Lombardi suggests that the approach he used for humanitarian work could work well for retired orthodontists as well as those in practice who are interested in spending a vacation doing humanitarian work.

“It was very exciting to me to find a way to use my knowledge of dentistry to help young people in a very poor region,” says Dr. Lombardi. “I really appreciated Globe Aware’s help, organization and flexibility that made this possible.

“The main reason I wish to share this, in addition to helping Globe Aware gain exposure, is to inform other AAO members that we DO have skills to share internationally,” adds Dr. Lombardi. “Our years of experience in dentistry, and ability to screen and examine patients quickly, permits us an opportunity to take that on the road internationally – and without doing dental procedures that we haven’t done in 40 years!”

Dr. Lombardi points out that the need for help is massive. Many young children in numerous countries have great need, no access to dental care, and no knowledge of the impact of lack of oral hygiene, especially when combined with heavy sugar intake.

“For AAO members, there are enormous rewards from doing this work,” he says. “Just going and teaching dental hygiene, warning of the negative effects of all those sugars, and their direct cause of dental pain leading to a lifetime of future trouble, is a wonderful and rewarding experience. By helping me partner with local dentists, Globe Aware helped me bring much needed assistance to this problem. By paying for the local dentists to do the work, I helped start a ‘dental home’ for the children with the greatest needs. And while I did this work alone, some might consider including staff or family desiring international service experience.”

Leading Ethical Voluntourism for Decades, Kimberly Haley-Coleman Paves the Way for Meaningful Global Service

• Source: CEO Weekly

Nelly Chavez
March 9, 2023
CEO Weekly

Once upon a time, if you wanted to lend a hand abroad, options were limited. Lengthy commitments like the Peace Corps asked for more than a casual stint overseas, and shorter programs usually targeted the summer schedules of students or missions aligned with church activities. But what about the rest of us, the everyday folks itching to make a difference in a brief but substantial way? Enter Kimberly Haley-Coleman, the visionary behind Globe Aware, who has been transforming voluntourism with week-long service trips that beckon to those hungry for purposeful travel without the need for any special skills.

Now, what’s the secret sauce behind these expeditions that have expanded to 26 countries and feature in major media organizations? It’s about inclusivity and impact. Imagine being part of a group that installs concrete floors for single mothers in Guatemala or assembles wheelchairs for landmine victims in Cambodia. Corporations are catching on, recognizing not only the positive PR but also the boost in employee morale as they help build classrooms or homes—acts of service that double as a non-taxable benefit.

These journeys aren’t just about hammering nails or mixing cement; they’re gateways to a profound change in perspective. Kimberly Haley-Coleman sums it up best. “These experiences are absolutely transformative and make you see humanity in a new light.”

Picture yourself stepping into a new culture not just as a visitor, but as a participant. Globe Aware cradles this vision, offering organized yet flexible itineraries. A volunteer vacation here means about 35 hours of collaborative work, coupled with 3-4 optional cultural or leisure activities to deepen your connection to the locale you’re serving in. And they’ve thought of everything—safe drinking water, medical insurance, a bilingual coordinator, and all the necessary project materials and supervision. Hey presto, you’re ready to dive in without fret or fuss.

This isn’t your average travel gig. It’s an adventure with a soul, sanctioned by Globe Aware’s status as a nonprofit with no religious or political affiliations. It welcomes solo travelers, families, corporate groups—anyone with a pulse and a passion for global camaraderie.

Photo Courtesy: Monica Stevens
The transformative nature of these trips percolates through each participant. Busy professionals find a respite filled with gratitude, gaining a deeper reverence not only for what they have at home but also for the real wealth that pulsates within a foreign culture—the human connections formed and the shared smiles that need no translation.

Ready to be a globe trotter with a cause? You can connect with Kimberly and Globe Aware on platforms like LinkedIn or float in a sea of inspirations by tapping into their social media presences on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. For the auditory learner, Kimberly’s insights come alive on podcasts, readily streaming on Spotify.

Photo Courtesy: Monica Stevens
Voluntourism under Globe Aware’s wing is more than a mere feel-good phenomenon—it’s a tightly knit fabric of service and cultural exchange that tugs at the core of what it means to be human. It’s an opportunity to embrace a world where your vacation leaves a footprint, not of carbon, but of compassion and constructive change.

So, as the sun sets on the traditional ways of lending a hand abroad, and with Kimberly Haley-Coleman’s Globe Aware as your beacon, the door is wide open to redefine what it means to travel with intent. Your next holiday could be one where joy isn’t just discovered but delivered by your own hands. Isn’t it time to pack your bags with purpose?

Emma’s Song of Gratitude

• Source: Globe Aware

This song of joy and gratitude for Globe Aware volunteers was written and sung by Emma Peraulta, one of our community program recipients, in December of 2023 in the Philippines. 

Globe Aware featured on BBC Travel Show - Passengers with a Purpose

• Source: BBC

BBC Travel Show - Passengers with a Purpose

Jul 14, 2022
BBC

Emeline Nsingi Nkosi finds out what life’s like as an international volunteer onboard the world’s biggest civilian hospital ship. The Green Guide’s back - asking how to travel sustainably on a budget, and the team’s in India taking a look at a new record breaking railway bridge in the Himalayas.

Globe Aware Makes Volunteering Easy, Safe and Fun

• Source: The University Network

Globe Aware Makes Volunteering Easy, Safe and Fun

By Hyeyeun Jeon
The University Network

For students in high school and college, volunteering is beneficial in many ways.

Through volunteering, not only can you make meaningful impacts and learn to live as a part of a wider community, but also network with people from various career paths and improve your school applications.

Of course there are numerous local volunteering opportunities available. However, as air travel normalizes again, students can look into opportunities in international communities as well.

With Globe Aware, you can reap the same benefits of volunteering while traveling to various wonders of our beautiful world.

Founded in 2000, Globe Aware is a nonprofit that develops short-term service abroad programs for those interested in volunteer travel.

Volunteering with Globe Aware

Volunteer travel aims to combine the best intentions of the non-profit sector with the excitement of the tourism sector to create stimulating, service-oriented vacations.

With a special consultative status with the United Nations, Globe Aware develops a safe, fun and culturally interesting experience for volunteers interested in service across the world.

The organization’s service projects focus on working side-by-side with locals as equals on community projects that are important to them. Previous projects include installing concrete floors in the homes of single mothers in Guatemala and assembling and distributing wheelchairs for landmine victims in Cambodia.

Simultaneously, Globe Aware provides several cultural excursions throughout every program, such as swimming in deep, water-filled sinkholes formed in limestone known as cenotes in Mexico, and spectacular nature hikes into the Carara Rainforest Reserve of Costa Rica.

None of Globe Aware trips require special skills or the ability to speak a specific foreign language because Globe Aware employees lay the groundwork prior to your arrival and accompany you during the entire volunteer vacation.

How Students Can Volunteer with Globe Aware

Globe Aware has volunteer programs for high school and college students. These programs typically run for about a week, but programs can be extended up to three weeks upon request.

Destinations vary widely, ranging from a quaint village in Romania to a Rainforest village in Costa Rica. You can look through all programs operating in Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean here.

Note that India, Thailand and Nepal programs are set to reopen this summer after being temporarily closed during the pandemic.

Service Hours

On top of a life-changing experience, Globe Aware trips provide service hours. High school students can use the hours worked during a program (usually 40 hours per week) for their required number of service hours to graduate or to qualify for the distinguished President’s Volunteer Service Award.

And all volunteers can request to receive a Community Service Certificate upon completion of their programs.

Also, there are discounts available for students. For example, participants under 17 years of age or groups of 10 or more can receive a 10 percent discount.

To register for a volunteer travel trip, you can sign up here.

Internship opportunities

For students looking for internship opportunities, Globe Aware provides internships that can be as short as one week and as long as four weeks, which are held virtually from India.

Depending on your interests, you will be directed to one of various organizations, ranging from local schools to elephant welfare nonprofits.

For example, as an intern at a local community center for children from low-income families, you will be working on weekly tasks such as creating educational videos that will be used in virtual lessons.

Though volunteering can be done anywhere, a Globe Aware program is truly one of few opportunities in life that offer the ability to experience another culture while also serving in a deeply meaningful way.

Rising Stars: Meet Kimberly Haley-Coleman

• Source: VoyageDallas

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021
VoyageDallas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Haley-Coleman.

Hi Kimberly, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

My career has been circuitous, to say the least! From training on-air CNBC staff in financial tools, putting dead people into space with Space Services, working at museums and start-ups! But I found my true calling when I founded Globe Aware a couple of decades ago, organizing experiences that allowed people to have fun helping people. These short-term experiences in 26 countries are designed to give back, show participants a side of the culture they are visiting in a way they never would, but also to make a huge social impact in a short amount of time. Prior to Globe Aware, such experiences were primarily the domain of high school and college students or of churches or meant a 2.5 years Peace Corps commitment. Since then, the organization has grown in ways we could never have anticipated. For example, now corporations send their staff through us, using contribution matching, paid Volunteer Days Off, allowing tax deductions for portions the staff member pays for, etc. BUT THEN the pandemic. Borders closed, travel safety called into question, the world stopped, and I decided to temporarily pivot. And THAT is what led to my creating The Tickle Bar, America’s newest and most unique affordable luxury.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

As conditions around covid 19 have rolled up and down, so too have both my businesses. We have instituted new protocols and have had to keep up with changing requirements. We are doing things we never anticipated. The border situation and pandemic safety conditions change frequently, and we have been lucky to flourish in an uncertain market. Having rapid covid tests administered at our program locations prior to participants returning to the US or transferring program locations from one country to the next, it has NOT been a smooth road, but it has been enormously interesting and gratifying. It is such a privilege that I get to run businesses that provide joy to people at a time when people especially need it.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

As the mother of two teenagers going to the same high school, I did back when I lived in Lakewood, I feel lucky that my daughters get to bear witness to a business person learning how to adapt quickly to changing conditions. This generation, despite the setbacks and struggles, will be stronger than previous generations because of this. When the President declared the Travel Emergency in March of 2020, we did not wait to react. We had closed our Asia programs in January, then immediately started finding creative ways to cut costs. I went unpaid for quite a while, we applied for and received PPP rounds of funding, we created virtual programing to bring services to folks the world over as an alternative to our core businesses, and then we figured out how to fill a niche that people suddenly urgently needed. After months of severely limited human interaction, we created an affordable business to get safe, human, healing, nurturing touch. As a parent, as strange as it sounds, I am glad this all happened while they were still under my wing.

What makes you happy?

Like most people, my greatest source of joy is service. That can be providing the specialty homemade vegan dinners my eldest likes or planning and building a school in Laos. How could anything else compare to that? I think it’s a given, universal thing for which we all yearn.

Pricing:

• Globe Aware programs run from $1000 t0 $1600 per week
• Tickle Bar sessions (think of light back tracing your mom did on your back when you were growing up) from $25 and up

Contact Info:

• Email: info@globeaware.com kimberly@ticklebar.com
• Website: www.globeaware.org and www.ticklebar.com
• Instagram: @globeaware and @tickle.bar
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/globeaware and https://www.facebook.com/Tickle.bar
• Twitter: @GlobeAware and @TheTickleBar
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/lylejenish and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwgF2Oy0Nf94OayQJeHj8RA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-tickle-bar-dallas