Fatima-Ezzahra Salmi, who also has a bachelor’s from UNCG, focused on infographics and distributing food and PPE to families in need. She earned her MPH from UNCG in 2021 and now works for UNICEF.
Saif Al Amin’s focus was social media and digital assets to increase awareness of COVID-19. He earned his MPH from UNCG in 2021 and is now entering the epidemiology PhD program at UNC Chapel Hill.
When Al-Amin came to the US from Bangladesh in 2018. He was drawn to UNCG’s reputation for community-engaged research: “Working for the community has always been the preference for me.”
The team has also documented the Montagnard nonprofit’s response to the pandemic, with a resulting publication in the North Carolina Medical Journal.
Publications, they say, will help others see how community-based participatory research can work to directly help underserved communities.
“When we talk about community engagement, we take our lead from the community and that’s how work gets done,” says Morrison. “Whatever we find, we then give back to the community.”
And their efforts are working. Community members are accessing the information they need more readily now, Siu says, because of social media efforts, and community leaders are more aware of how to engage.
The Montagnard nonprofit is growing, and new generations of community leaders are feeling empowered to create positive change, tapping into resources like the Kate B. Reynolds grant that’s supporting Siu’s work, and funding from the NC DHHS and NC Counts Coalition Healthier Together Initiative and Partners in Health.
Now, Morrison’s research group is assisting as the Montagnard Dega Association trains Cambodian and Bhutanese community leaders in emergency preparedness and responses.
And while Siu may not admit it himself, he too, has emerged as a leader within his community.
“I see a lot of smiles,” he says. “They’re working together. We have more resources, more networks. What I see is really successful.”
The Montagnard Dega Association and Gates Pharmacy are working together to offer vaccines to local refugee populations. The clinic pictured here took place at the Creative Aging Network, a nonprofit that regularly partners with MDA.
1. Y Siu Hlong, DMin receives his vaccine from Hayley Wood, PharmD, MBA. Hlong is the former executive director of the MDA and one of Siu's mentors. "When I came to this country, he supported me and pushed me. He always says, 'Education first. If I can get my degree, so can you.'"
2. Sudanese refugee community leader Siddiga Ahmed and community health worker Satta Sedi, who is originally from Liberia, put together and distribute PPE bags at the clinic, with the help of Sedi's daughter.
3. Liana H’Yua Adrong, the current executive director of the MDA, manages intake at the clinic event. Adrong holds a bachelor's degree from UNCG and a master's from the Joint NCAT-UNCG Social Work Program.
