By: Monique Dennis Photos courtesy of Dr. Jonathan Proctor and SALTworld Inc
Nonprofit organization SALTworld Inc. (Serving and Learning Together) provides donations and volunteer services to developing countries. The CEO and founder, Dr. Brande Flamez, is an international activist, professor, writer, and loving mother to her son and daughter. Dr. Flamez is currently servicing five countries, providing them with supplies while building homes, schools, and medical dispensaries.
With her clinical background in psychology, she has helped to design outpatient programs for adolescents, provided more than 100 training workshops to professionals, and co-authored seven textbooks with more than 32 book chapters and articles. Dr. Flamez has sat on several boards and committee chairs, including locally where she served on the Nueces County Child Welfare Board. She also holds many accolades that include being the recipient of 19 national awards and four international awards that demonstrate her allegiance to leadership, advocacy, and research in the field of counseling. This scholarly background fused with a humble family upbringing is what led the doctor on her journey to humanitarian work and ultimately founding the nonprofit organization SALTworld Inc.
“Everyone deserves a seat at the table” is a saying that Dr. Flamez says she lives by. Told to her as a young girl by her grandfather, she says it is the driving force behind her passion for giving exponentially to people in need, locally and internationally.
As a descendent of a family that immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine, Dr. Flamez recalls growing up and seeing her grandfather and family always helping people. Whether it was giving them a seat at the table for a hot meal, helping them learn English, or to get jobs – if her family could be helpful, they made it their mission to help. With these values instilled in her, she allowed her traveling teachings to evolve into building self-sustainable projects in several underdeveloped countries.
“SALT in the Ukraine culture is a way of life. I truly believe that giving back is a necessity of life, but I also believe you have to be culturally sensitive, and we don’t just go in as experts,” Dr. Flamez says of the work she is doing with the people in Tanzania.
With the children in Tanzania lacking basic education and healthcare, she is proud to say that her organization built a kindergarten program that will graduated its sixth kindergarten class with over 80 students this coming December. Dr. Flamez did not stop there; she was also able to build a medical facility that services 15,000 Tanzanian people, who before would have not been able to seek medical care due to the strenuous lengths they would have to go to get to a hospital.
“I really believe that access to mental health, access to medical care, access to great education – that should be a right and not just a privilege because of where we grew up or where we come from,” Dr. Flamez passionately says. She is proud to use her gifts and talents to give back, to ensure that people gain more access to basic life necessities.
With all of the moving parts SALTworld Inc. has in motion, it was important to Dr. Flamez to not let the pandemic we’re all adapting to slow down her philanthropic efforts. However, the pandemic has halted their fundraising events. If you’re able, you can donate to their cause by visiting their website.
