Elizabeth Warren, Program Assistant – September 20, 2012
It’s back-to-school time in Haiti and Hope for Haiti’s talented Community Health Workers (CHWs) can’t wait to continue educating students in their communities! With the start of the school year coming up on October 1st, the Hope for Haiti team hosted a Back to School meeting with the CHWs.
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| CHW Adme Felicia describes the steps in treating a cut before demonstrating on fellow CHW Belzius Pierre Obelson’s arm. | CHW Jean Rene Rezeau shows how to prepare rehydration solution with sugar, salt, and water. | CHW Plesimond Falios describes his cholera intervention to the group. |
During the meeting, the CHWs shared stories about the community meetings they hosted over the summer, ranging in topics from the importance of clean water to the role of hygiene in disease prevention. Plesimond Falios, one of the graduates of the Public Health Program, shared the details of a cholera prevention community meeting he held the previous week. When six cases of cholera were discovered in his community after Tropical Storm Isaac, Plesimond contacted Hope for Haiti for help. Together with Hope for Haiti’s Public Health Nurses, he taught over 200 people the causes of cholera, steps to take to prevent becoming sick, and symptoms of the crippling disease.
Another CHW, Lucner Veillard, shared a story about a motorcycle accident that happened near his house. “Three people were hurt in an accident in front of my house, and I was able to provide them with care as a result of the Public Health trainings,” he proudly told the group. The other CHWs told similar tales of interventions in their communities over the summer.
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| CHW Kathleen Nicolas demonstrates how to treat a leg wound with Johanne Dossou. |
CHW Jude Saloman prepares the materials he needs to demonstrate treating a burn. |
Next, the CHWs proceeded to plan and execute practice presentations to refine their skills. For example, Adme Felicia demonstrated the procedure for dressing a cut on a student’s arm. In her presentation, she first described the steps she would take to dress the cut and then she performed the task. Topics selected for presentation included dressing burns and other wounds, making rehydration solution, and other first aid responses. The CHWs actively encouraged each other throughout the presentations and provided great tips on how to improve!
The CHWs are now ready to start preparing new lessons for the upcoming school year. Hope for Haiti’s CHWs touch the lives of their neighbors daily. We can’t wait to see the impact and the progress they make this year.