Over the years, AYUDA has sent volunteers to several other countries. Our volunteers have supported local diabetes camps and projects in: Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico and Peru.

In 15 years AYUDA has expanded its support to diabetes communities throughout the world by creating the AYUDA Volunteer Program that has sent over 350 volunteers abroad. Furthermore, AYUDA established the Campo Amigo Internacional (CAI) Youth Leadership Program, that has led to an international network of over 400 dedicated youth leaders from 20 countries who learn from one other and apply their experiences and knowledge to transform their local diabetes camps, associations and communities.

AYUDA is committed to supplemental funding for diabetes youth and youth-allied leaders to implement sustainable, positive change in their local diabetes communities.

The AYUDA Empowerment Awards provide support to local leaders who, through their work, are motivating young people with diabetes to lead happy and healthy lives. The awards give supplemental funding to support recipients’ participation in educational programs (diabetes, advocacy, policy change, leadership etc.), that can in turn be applied to their respective diabetes communities, helping to ensure enhanced, more balanced and healthier lives of those living with diabetes.

The core principles of the AYUDA Empowerment Awards underscore AYUDA’s commitment to (1) Best Practice Sharing, (2) Youth Leadership & Civic Engagement, (3) Inclusion of Diabetes Stakeholders, and (4) Youth Empowerment.

The awards are intended for youth leaders who have innovative approaches to youth empowerment and motivating young people with diabetes to live happier and healthier lives or adults who are dedicated to youth empowerment and have innovative approaches to supporting local diabetes communities via youth empowerment. Applicants must demonstrate they are pursuing funding from other sources and will use the Empowerment Award to leverage additional funding. All applicants must identify a diabetes stakeholder organization/group to which the applicant plans to apply their gained knowledge and skill set. Diabetes stakeholders may be formal organizations or informal programs, but the applicant must identify and justify the selection of the stakeholder.

Award recipients will be selected based on proven leadership skills and development of a community action plan. All applicants will be required to submit a completed application, pass a rigorous online interview process, and will be required to complete evaluations and follow-up surveys to measure outcomes and impact. Further details and application instructions will be made available on the AYUDA website in the coming months.