Global Health

Awareness & Understanding

Global health is about making sure people everywhere — no matter where they live — have the chance to be healthy. Right now, millions of people around the world die each year from diseases that can be prevented or treated. Some of the biggest challenges include malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and lack of clean water. Visit the World Health Organization's website (who.int) and explore their health topics section. Also check out the UN Sustainable Development Goal #3 (Good Health and Well-Being) at sdgs.un.org to see where progress is happening and where gaps remain. Think about how health challenges overseas might connect to communities here in Utah, like refugee families or recent immigrants. You're ready for the next step when you can name three major global health challenges and explain why they matter.

Research & Investigation

Time to go deeper with your research. Pick one global health issue that interests you most — for example, vaccine access, maternal health, or clean water. Use the WHO's free data portal (who.int/data) or the Our World in Data website (ourworldindata.org) to find statistics about your chosen issue. How many people are affected? Which regions of the world are hardest hit? Has the problem gotten better or worse over the past 20 years? Also look for organizations working on it — groups like Partners in Health (pih.org) or Doctors Without Borders (msf.org) are good examples. Create a one-page fact sheet summarizing what you found. You're ready for the next step when you can present a fact sheet on one global health issue with at least four key statistics.

Planning & Preparation

Knowledge is powerful — but action changes things. Plan a local event or project that connects Salt Lake City to your global health issue. Ideas include: hosting a "Global Health 101" presentation at your school or library, organizing a fundraiser for a global health nonprofit, or writing letters to your state legislators asking them to support foreign aid for health programs. Research Utah-based organizations with global health ties, such as the University of Utah Global Health program or LDS Charities international health initiatives. Draft a one-page event or project plan: What will you do, when, who will be involved, and what outcome do you hope for? You're ready for the next step when you have a written project plan with a clear goal and timeline.

Taking Action

Execute your plan this week. Run your presentation, launch your fundraiser, or send your letters. If you're hosting an event, practice what you'll say ahead of time and prepare a few discussion questions to get your audience thinking. If you're fundraising, set up a page on a platform like GoFundMe and share it widely. Keep a log of what you do each day: Who did you talk to? What did they say? How much did you raise or how many people showed up? Document at least one challenge you hit and how you handled it. Your real-world effort connects your community in Utah to people facing health crises thousands of miles away. You're ready for the next step when your action is complete and you have a written log of what happened.

Leadership & Expansion

You've taken action — now expand your reach. Share your global health project with a wider audience. Write a short op-ed for your school newspaper or blog about what you learned and did. Contact the University of Utah's Global Health Certificate program or the Utah Global Health Network to ask about youth involvement opportunities. Challenge classmates or friends to take one small action — even signing a petition for vaccine equity or donating $5 to an organization like UNICEF. Great civic leaders don't stop at one project; they build movements. You're ready for the next step when you've shared your experience publicly and invited at least three other people to get involved.

Impact & Reflection

Take stock of your global health journey. You explored a worldwide challenge, did real research, made a plan, took action, and rallied others to care. That's meaningful civic work. Write a two-paragraph reflection: What specific impact did your project have, however small? What did you learn about yourself as a leader? What global health issue will you keep watching as you grow up? Share your reflection with a teacher, mentor, or family member who supported you. Consider following WHO or Partners in Health on social media to stay informed. The problems are big — but so are the people working on them, and now you're one of them. You're ready for the next step when you've written your reflection and named one global health cause you'll continue to follow.