Analie Fernandes

Analie Fernandes (Class of 2022) was a GROW intern during the summer of 2019, an experience that was “foundational to [her] personal and professional development” and one for which she is “so deeply grateful.” While in Laos, Analie accumulated knowledge concerning PEDA’s malaria, STI, tuberculosis, HIV, and human trafficking projects and worked on grant proposals. She also had a role in developing PEDA’s first annual report, “a tool used by CSO’s, NGO’s, and other nonprofits to communicate with potential partners, donors, and investors.” She especially enjoyed this project, as it was an opportunity “to dive deep into PEDA’s institutional culture, mission, and vision,” which, ultimately, is to “provide access to a better life [and] better health” for those who have been marginalized and relegated to “the edges of society.” Furthermore, this project nurtured her analytical writing, independent research, and synthesis skills, aiding her in subsequent endeavors.

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On a typical day in Laos, Analie would wake up in a guesthouse walking distance from the PEDA office and prepare for the morning, dressing in floor-length skirts. She took malarone, a medication for malaria prevention, identifying access to this preventative measure as a “privilege [she] had to confront.” Another instance where she “came face-to-face with [her] privilege” was in the PEDA office, where poor internet connection stalled work, resembling a “direct example of the ways in which decades of systemic oppression still continue to inhibit the Lao people.” Despite the obstacles that PEDA faces, it is an organization capable of creating effective change in communities, largely through the efforts of its community health workers (CHWs). Analie described these workers as “members of individual communities and villagers who receive specific training and take on an ambassadorial role.” Since CHWs are members of the “village ‘in-group,’” they are more likely to “shift” their village’s culture towards better health practices without need for external intervention. Given the great diversity in rural Lao villages, ranging from differences in dialect to differences in religion, CHWs proved to play an essential role in PEDA’s operation. Even so, Analie learned that community health work requires more administrative groundwork than she imagined, and she observed that the Lao government is more impactful in the CSO realm than she had previously believed. Such realizations were made possible by working directly with PEDA in Laos as a GROW intern.

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When not working, Analie enjoyed exploring all that Laos had to offer, from attending church with coworkers, to eating at the Night Market, to visiting PHA THAT LUANG, a famous Buddhist temple. She felt “so lucky to be so welcomed into Lao culture” and has maintained her friendships with the individuals she met. Before going to bed each night, Analie would shower with a bucket, hand-wash her clothes, and journal about her experiences before falling asleep under a mosquito net. She detected some “common threads of reflection” like the following: “a developing awareness of the importance of community-centered health initiatives, a growing conviction of the importance of sustainable long-term advocacy, and the realization that [she], as a result of [her] privilege, was complicit in systems that allowed for inequality to occur and therefore was also responsible for working for change.” Above all, to Analie, the GROW experience “was an opportunity to build partnership...and learn and grow as a health advocate,” rather than a service trip or vacation. She learned the value of accompaniment, offering her skill set while being a “recipient of significant wisdom and knowledge” from the PEDA staff. She will never forget the generosity and welcoming spirit of those she met in Laos, and she continues to celebrate the GlobeMed community’s drive to make a difference. We thank Analie for sharing her story with us!