Not long ago, two AVSC staff members-Dr. Abdoulaye Diagne, a program
associate in Senegal, and Dr. Abu Jamil Faisel, the program director
for Bangladesh-came into a little extra income.
In the same situation, some people might start planning a vacation
or a shopping trip. But Diagne and Faisel had bigger plans for their
money-they invested it where they work.
A clinic in need
Dr. Diagne gave his prize money from an essay contest to a Senegalese
health center where he and his staff have been effecting changes for
the past year.
The center serves the Fatick district, where hepatitis B and HIV pose
serious health risks. Diagne and his staff have steadily been making
improvements-like ridding the grounds of biting insects and cleaning
up hazardous medical waste-so that the center's physical environment
would not discourage potential clients from seeking the vaccine.
As a result of their efforts, greater numbers of clients now pass through
the clinic door.
Knowing that the health center needs ongoing care, Diagne gave his
prize money to the clinic "as an encouragement to the staff to keep
up their good work."
Charity at home
When Dr. Faisel received some consultancy fees, he handed the whole
amount over to AVSC, with directions that it be used where most needed.
AVSC devoted the money to the Bangladesh program, where Faisel, a Dhaka
native, is the program director and has worked for a decade to improve
the quality of family planning services in Bangladesh.
Asked why he donated the money, Faisel explains that "helping each
other" is characteristic of the Bangladeshi people. When he was a boy,
his parents and elders taught him that sharing resources brings happiness
to everyone.
"Usually [resources] are shared first with the beloved ones," Faisel
says. "I have shared my money with somebody whom I love, and this is
my organization, my AVSC."
Like Diagne and Faisel, a number of AVSC staff contribute to the organization-not
just with their time, ideas, and efforts-but also with their wallets.
We honor the actions of these two generous doctors and all their like-minded
peers at AVSC.
Jane Smith is an editor and writer for AVSC.
