AYUDA (American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad)

AYUDA (American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been offering life-changing educational and empowerment programs abroad for over 25 years. AYUDA was established in 1997 with the vision that youth can serve as agents of change for other youth in diabetes communities around the world. AYUDA was founded in reaction to seeing children with diabetes who had access to insulin and basic medical treatment but still suffered complications and early death because they did not know how to manage their condition. To this end, AYUDA operates under the guiding principle that a lack of education is just as dangerous as a lack of insulin. AYUDA uses an innovative peer leadership model through which international volunteers serve as catalysts to empower local youth living with diabetes to manage their diabetes and be agents of change in their own communities. AYUDA’s volunteer service-delivery model includes a robust pre-program training (online and in-person), meaningful experience abroad, and post-program evaluation. AYUDA’s volunteers work in partnership with local diabetes organizations to support and enhance diabetes education and outreach programs that target underserved youth with diabetes. In the countries where AYUDA volunteers work, AYUDA’s empowerment model directly impacts young people with diabetes and their families, local health professionals, and local governments and ministries of health. Mission: AYUDA (American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad, Inc.) is a non-profit volunteer-based organization that empowers youth to serve as agents of social change in diabetes communities around the world. Vision: Become a leader and pioneer in developing culturally sensitive and sustainable diabetes volunteer programs for youth to serve as agents of change for other youth abroad.