August 2024 Trip Recap
Meeting with the Ministry of Health and Continuing our Ongoing Collaboration
Meeting with the Ministry of Health
On Monday, August 5, Sisters Project Peru met with the Ministry of Health (MINSA). The group meeting involved connecting with health administrators on where the project currently is, where things are moving slowly, and what future actions entail. The ministry finally signed a written agreement, that once the health clinic is built, they will adopt it into the public healthcare system and send staff to Huacahuasi.
MINSA will send the minimum requirements for the health clinic, which will allow us to design and specifically budget for the clinic. Going forward, this Fall we will be working on letters of inquiries and begin grant writing to really push forward our primary goal on building the health clinic.
Increased Collaboration with the Lares Health Administration
Gracias to the Lares Health Administration who presented every volunteer with a handwoven scarf in a sign of good faith and future collaboration to improve healthcare in the region.
Dental Hygiene Education Followed by Over 2000 Toothbushes Donated
A team of volunteers went from classroom to classroom to teach, along with the help of the school teachers, how kids should brush their teeth. Models were used to let the kids practice.
Our volunteers also talked with community members after the community wide meeting and discussed on the importance of brushing your teeth, how to brush your teeth, and the importance of doing it regularly, twice a day.
We distributed toothbrushes and toothpaste to the women who also took toothbrushes home for their family members. All leftover toothbrushes were donated to the school and Lares Health Administration who could use it at the clinic in the next town over.
Hemoglobin Base Testing Helps Screen for Community Anemia Levels
Our goal when visiting was to collect baseline hemoglobin levels amongst community members to do some preliminary screening for anemia. Our data is currently being cleaned and digitized which will help us create metrics for anemia interventions moving forward.
Paige additionally created an anemia education model to demonstrate what low-iron levels and fewer blood cells looks like. A handout was created highlighting the negative effects of anemia that was also shared with participants.
All preschoolers ages 3-5 were also tested for anemia. While our data has yet to be finalized, this was the demographic with the highest levels of anemia based on preliminary screening.
Lucky Iron Fish Cooking Class
The Lucky Iron Fish is an iron cooking tool that can be added to liquid based meals such as stews that increases fortified iron in the diet. The Lucky Iron Fish company gave us a discounted price for the fish, which allowed us to purchase twice the amount we originally budgeted for.
To introduce the tool, we invited the women to the school kitchen, where the school director, Pilar, generously demonstrated how to use the tool when making food.
Women who were interested in taking a fish home had to also get their hemoglobin checked. In 6 months we will return to take their levels again.
Empowering Women through Greenhouse Cooperative Organizing
John, an agrononmist from Cusco who is leading a greenhouse initiative in Huilloc came to Huacahuasi to talk with the women interested in greenhouse cultivation. Three teams of 10 women were organized to each run a greenhouse.
We Need Your Continued Support
We couldn’t have done this without all of the generous donations. Your donations made a huge impact in toothpaste distribution, Lucky Iron Fish purchasing, greenhouse consultations, and more. This Fall, we are finalizing and moving forward on greenhouse constructions. We are also focusing on fundraising for this medical clinic.
Consider being a monthly donor. Even $10 a month would make a huge impact.
