Working to Reduce Malnutrition and Mail Campaign Updates

A group of volunteer community health workers committed to reducing malnutrition in Orocuina

One of the primary projects I am involved in here in Orocuina is a nutrition program that works with 15 volunteers monitoring height and weight to prevent and reduce malnourishment and improve health. It was only recently that I found out that our work is really part of a much larger, national initiative, initially supported by World Health Organization, USAID, Save the Children, and other large international health organizations. After some investigation, I learned that Atencion Integral al Niño Comunitario is actually a well known strategy for malnutrition reduction that, due to its ¨cost effectiveness¨ in Honduras, has been translated to various other countries in Central America and Africa. Unfortunately, I am learning, cost effectiveness does not always translate to good health nor sustainability.

In the case of Orocuina, our county´s program has roughly 45 volunteers to cover 17,000 residents! These volunteers represent the county´s health center´s primary preventive approach to maternal and child health, receive no pay, and very little support. As a result, the volunteers end up coordinating with up to 6 or 7 different Nonprofits that work on and off in the area to receive basic resources like scales, health education materials, and medicines. (This means lots of extra work for the volunteers who have to fill out reports for all the organizations that support them.) Today 2 of the 4 primary organizations involved in Orocuina came together with a group of volunteers to discuss how to coordinate efforts. For me, this moment was super exciting... as I know how hard it is for most NGOs to set their egos aside and truly work together. AMDV, the organization with whom I work, is one of the most humble, hardworking groups of women I have ever met. I am also incredibly impressed with a Spanish organization, Medicos del Mundo, that has been working with the same intention of uniting forces for the wellbeing of the community. My hope for the rest of the time here is to work with the women to unite the nonprofit efforts with the Mistries of Health center to create one, fortified and cohesive set of community health workers to serve the community. Will keep you posted!

In other news, today I received my first piece of mail since I have gotten back!!! I can´t tell you how excited I was to see Victor, the mail man, pull up on his bike and pull a letter out of his backpack! Thanks Jenny!!! I have also been hard at work writing lots more post cards and letters to be sent out tomorrow- check your mailboxes in the next 3 weeks! :)