Jessica Jean-Francois, Program Manager, September 9th 2011
This month, Hope for Haiti Community Health Workers (CHWs) have been holding numerous meetings in the communities they serve. These meetings are to spread useful information about illness prevention methods to their neighbors and their families. Hope for Haiti CHWs, who generally work in 12 of our partner schools, are spending the summer helping community members evade the chronic illnesses plaguing their communities. They have chosen 4 themes that best fit their community’s needs and are holding informational sessions that inform participants of the signs, treatment and prevention methods for these common illnesses.
The Hope for Haiti Public Health program has now reached its 4th module in a 6-module program and these meetings provide a great opportunity for community health workers to implement the lessons they’ve mastered in the schools into the community. In Grenodière, participants were relieved to receive caution about misinformation regarding Malaria medication dosages. In Ravine Sable, caretakers were shocked to hear about the potential dangers of consuming unrefrigerated left-over food. Community members learned how to clean water by boiling it and ways to maintain a clean home with very little means. These tips and life lessons will last in Hope for Haiti’s partner communities and will hopefully be passed on throughout generations. Our CHWs are equipping members of their communities to make smarter decisions when it comes to nutrition, hygiene and healthcare. This program helps illustrate how education is a powerful resource, especially when it allows families to better protect their loved ones.