Three students from CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development are scheduled to intern at a maternal health clinic in Africa’s Côte d’Ivoire in summer 2026.
The learning and research experience is made possible by a $150,000 grant from the UniHealth Foundation, which supports community-based health organizations in Southern California. UniHealth is a longtime supporter of CSUN, contributing to programs such as the Marilyn Magaram Center for Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics and Project Rebound.
The students selected are majors in Public Health and Health Administration from the Department of Health Sciences. They will intern at the Patricia Nau Clinic, a community-based maternal health clinic in the village of Braffoueby, about 50 miles northwest of the capital city, Yamoussoukro. The clinic was established by the Ivory Coast Mothers and Children organization.
The students’ work will include advancing quality medical care for safe births and access to disease treatment and prevention, especially for mothers, newborns and children under 5 years old. The students will gain insights into barriers to accessing healthcare and learn from local healthcare workers how they are leveraging available resources to mitigate these challenges.
CSUN faculty members from the college will accompany the students to collaborate on research to improve healthcare access and outcomes for women in rural Côte d’Ivoire communities.
The American Women for International Understanding (AWIU), an organization that connects women in the United States to other countries to build bridges of understanding and collaboration, will provide support in preparing the group for this global experience.
For information about supporting CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development or to create a fund of your own, contact the CSUN Office of Development: (818) 677-5863 or development@csun.edu.
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