Students from River Plate Adventist University in Argentina and Loma Linda University (LLU) in the United States, together with volunteers from Galpón Solidario, spent a week serving communities in Concepción del Uruguay, Entre Ríos Province.

The campaign included health checks, workshops, and community projects designed to connect the universities with local neighborhoods while giving students hands-on training.

Teams held first aid workshops in schools, gave talks on healthy living and addiction prevention, and went door to door with snacks, brochures, and simple health screenings such as blood pressure and blood sugar tests. At the Bartolomé Giacomotti Health Center, free care was offered for three days, reaching more than 220 people. In total, more than 800 people benefited from the week’s activities.

Students also distributed food bags to families in need and renovated the community hall of the Villa Las Lomas Adventist Church.

International Support

The campaign also provided healthy food bags for vulnerable families and included the renovation of the Villa Las Lomas Adventist Church hall, which serves as a community meeting space. From Tuesday to Thursday, activities centered at the Bartolomé Giacomotti Health Center, where residents received free care.

In total, more than 800 people were reached, including students, families, and community members who received medical checkups.

Education and Mission

A delegation of 23 students from LLU, internationally recognized for its health programs, traveled to Argentina to join UAP students. They helped organize workshops, medical checkups, and recreational activities for children and young people.

For Ed Drachenberg, director of Students for International Mission Service at LLU, the experience was transformative.

“Every year, we send students to different countries, and seeing how the Argentine community welcomed us was very special. We not only serve families, but our students also return enriched personally, academically, and spiritually,” he says.

UAP nursing program instructors Ruth Erfurth, vice director, and Brigitte Marsollier, head of the Research I and Mental Health department, accompanied the students in each activity. Both emphasized that nursing is not only about hospital care, but also about education, prevention, and community work.

For Francisco Berger, LLU’s head of logistics, the campaign also strengthened ties between the universities and the local community.

“It’s not easy to mobilize 60 people for so many days, but thanks to the collaboration of UAP, the authorities, and the local church, everything was successful. In the end, seeing people’s gratitude is the greatest reward,” he said.

Vocational Training

The campaign fits within UAP’s mission to train professionals committed to service, health, and education, while also encouraging cultural exchange.

During the week, more than 220 people received free medical care at the Giacomotti Health Center, 10 schools hosted first aid and prevention workshops, and many families received food and support.

At the end of the program, both students and faculty said the experience had a significant impact on the community and their own development. They agreed it reaffirmed the idea that a university is not only a place for academic study, but also for social commitment, empathy, and service.

The original article was published on the South American Division Spanish news site. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news.