Support Mobile Health Clinics in Vietnam!

*** NEW GOAL: $4,000!!! ***

Established in 2008, Volunteers for Medical Outreach (VMO) is a student-run, nonprofit organization that aims to provide underserved communities abroad with free, sustainable healthcare. Every school year, members of Volunteers for Medical Outreach organize various events in order to raise funds for our cause. 100% of the proceeds we make go directly toward funding mobile health clinics, Hepatitis B vaccinations, medications, dental services, corrective surgeries, and community development services (building chicken coops to support long-term food security and renovating schools) in the global community. During the summer, we travel abroad to volunteer amongst doctors, dentists, and pharmacists at the mobile health and vaccination clinics that we fund, teach public health lessons to the communities we visit, visit hospitals to view the disparities of healthcare systems in different countries, and serve the community in non-medically related ways as well. So far, VMO has established a strong presence in Southern and Central Vietnam, but we are hopeful about expanding our services to other countries as our organization continues to grow. 

This year will be our 16th trip to Vietnam where we plan to host 2 full day mobile clinics to provide the local community with Hepatitis B vaccinations, dental care, and pharmaceutical drugs. Not only does VMO provide services to these communities, but our Cal students are given a valuable opportunity to have a hands-on learning experience in these mobile clinics. Our members will volunteer to renovate local schools, give dental health lessons to children in schools and orphanages, and learn more about public health in Vietnam.  

This past summer, the money we raised throughout last school year enabled us to bring 2 cohorts of students to Vietnam and provide 200 Hep B vaccinations and screenings for children. These funds also helped us host 4 mobile clinics in Hue where we saw over 1,000 patients ranging from young children receiving dental care to older patients receiving medications. Our trip members were able to assist the dentist and pharmacists as well as utilize their blood pressure training on the patients there. 

As an organization traveling abroad to volunteer for a local community, we recognize the privilege and educational value that this opportunity provides our students in their pre-health journey. To uphold our mission of providing sustainable healthcare, we believe in the importance of education and therefore prioritize teaching the children proper dental hygiene and teaching the adults about the risks and symptoms of Hepatitis B. In addition, we ensure that we return to the communities that we have developed personal connections with. All this is done via our longstanding partnership with Aid to Children without Parents (ACWP) and QTS Australia who recruit volunteer doctors, pharmacists, and dentists to travel with us to Vietnam for these mobile clinics. 100% of our funds raised will go toward subsidizing the medical supplies and other operating costs for our mission by Summer 2026.  

During this past fall semester, our members have organized and hosted numerous fundraisers including Krispy Kreme fundraisers, fundraising partnerships with local Berkeley shops, and various other social media campaigns such as online Bingo and raffles. During the Krispy Kreme fundraisers, our members wake up at 5am to sell donuts in San Francisco! For our local community work, we joined 2,000+ other volunteers this past fall in beautifying Berkeley during the Berkeley Project Day. With all of our proceeds going directly to providing medical supplies for our mobile clinics, we are hoping to garner your support so we can expand our impact's reach. Our members and organization are extremely dedicated to providing services to underserved communities and hopeful for a future with international health equity. We believe your contributions will help us fulfill our goals and expand our impact to additional communities. 

The mobile clinics take place in late May or early June. We plan to purchase medical supplies and send funds in late April or early May. To reiterate, all funding goes to support patients who would otherwise be unable to receive necessary, essential healthcare. We wish to make a tangible difference in each patient's life by providing care ranging from potentially life-changing surgeries, preventative vaccines, or basic dental equipment for them to maintain daily hygiene. Numerous previous members fondly recall the trip as an eye-opening experience for their perspective on national and global health, and helping assist doctors that utilize the supplies purchased from their fundraising goals is especially fulfilling. Any and all donations are extremely appreciated! We thank you for all your support! 

From our previous trip members:

"I had a meaningful experience with VMO cohort in Vietnam. The trip allowed me to reflect upon my childhood memories in Vietnam, share that with other members and connect the values of healthcare systems in the US and Vietnam together. Throughout the VMO trip, I felt grateful for the opportunity to serve the community I grew up in and for the great friendships with other members." - Nhi Phung, senior

"One of my most memorable experiences was spending time with the children during the Hep B Vaccine day at the mobile clinic! Despite the language barrier, I loved playing games and interacting with them." - Janaki Krishna, senior

"VMO offers a variety of volunteering activities, ranging from First Aid assistance to community building. During our trip, we assisted doctors and pharmacists in measuring patients' blood pressure, medicine allocation, and monitoring kids after their vaccination. We also got the chance to build chicken coops for a low-income family, providing them with a sustainable food source." - Chau Thai, junior

This budget provides a rough estimate for 1 trip per summer. Actual expenditures may vary.

If we are unable to raise the $2,000 necessary, we will raise more money through other fundraising efforts, such as our donut sales, bake sales, and others. Still, crowdfunding is an additional helper for reaching our overall goal of $10,000, so any amount received will be helpful toward our cause!

Check out our social media!

     Instagram: @calvmo

     Facebook: @calvmo

     X (Twitter): @cal_vmo

     Website: https://vmo.berkeley.edu

Feel Free to contact us at:

     calvmo@gmail.com

As of February 25, a generous Cal alum matched $500 in gifts to Volunteers for Medical Outreach, as a part of their spring crowdfunding campaign. Thank you for doubling your impact and supporting our aspiring healthcare providers!