RESULTS
This university’s newly founded branch of RESULTS, an international grassroots advocacy organization, will be working with other branches to encourage Congress to pledge $1 billion over four years to improving vaccine availability.
The group hopes to raise awareness on campus about Gavi, a vaccine alliance that reduces the cost of vaccines for developing countries and allows them to receive vaccines for preventable diseases sooner than they normally would.
“By vaccinating 300 million children, we can save millions of lives,” said Nyana Quashie, the president of this university’s RESULTS branch.
On a broader scale, the group will work on promoting policies to eliminate the root causes of poverty, with its main focus on global poverty issues relating to public health, education and microfinance.
Quashie said she was inspired by two Alternative Breaks she attended through this university — one on human trafficking and one on urban education.
“In both cases I was able to see that these issues are all interconnected, and poverty was a main cause in human trafficking and urban education,” the senior geographical sciences major said. “I want to see how I can do something to see these issues improve.”
For senior family science major Evelyn Xu, the vice president of the group, poverty is personal. Xu said she grew up in a “very poor” household and added that her aunt in China is currently living in poverty.
“I think the issue of poverty is suppressed,” Xu said. “Not enough people know about the issue and how much it actually impacts everyone, even the rich. It’s a huge public health issue.”
Quashie said there is a need for more advocates to amplify the voices of the poor. Just giving people the choice to get vaccinated is important, she said.
Leslie Dow, a University Career Center student services and outreach graduate assistant who will be serving as the advisor for this university’s RESULTS branch, was interested the moment Quashie approached her about the opportunity and told her about Gavi.
As someone who had traveled to countries such as Honduras, Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica, Dow said she has observed the lack of access to vaccination outside the U.S.
“I’ve seen in person the kind of access that impoverished communities have to health care, and a lot of times they don’t really have much access to even vaccines,” Dow said.
Dow said she observed that in the United States, vaccinations have “become an issue lately.” People who are against vaccines add complications for advocacy on a global scale, she said.
“You’re always fighting that message of ‘Are vaccines good?’ as well as ‘Do people have access to vaccines?’” Dow said.
Many students seem interested in the cause so far, especially those involved in public health, Quashie said. She added that RESULTS hopes to partner with other student organizations and hold a Gavi-related event soon.
And although getting Congress to commit $1 billion for Gavi is a big goal, Quashie, Xu and Dow are optimistic that they can reach their goal.
