Here we go!
Hello and welcome to our first blog post EVER!
Why a blog?
This project is a multi-faceted and tedious process that involves lots of conversations and adapting. Natalie and I have decided to keep a blog in order to update you all as to where we are in this process. We want to be as transparent with you all as possible. There is a lot of backend work when working to build a clinic. Natalie and I hope to not simply raise funds to build a clinic in Huacahuasi, but we hope to build a clinic and establish it within the Peruvian healthcare system. Building a clinic is important, however, working within the public healthcare system is even more important. We hope to be able to work with the Peruvian Ministry of Health and convince them that Huacahuasi 1. needs a clinic and 2. should have a full-time doctor, supplied and funded by the public healthcare system, to work full time at this clinic. ULTIMATELY, this is much easier said than done.
As previously mentioned in our ABOUT story, Natalie and I first began conversations about this health clinic back in Summer of 2020. Since then we have formed an incredible team and have gotten in contact with Dr. Anibal Nieto, who is head of the health ministry in Cusco (the region where Huacahuasi is). Dr. Nieto has stated that he is all for building a clinic, however, information about Huacahuasi must be updated. In order to fund a clinic and supply it with a doctor, we must first conduct a community-needs based survey (essentially will be a large data collection survey on the demographic makeup of Huacahuasi) in order to prove there is a need for a clinic.
Currently, we are in contact with Huacahuasi’s community leaders and will be sending surveyors out into the community to collect information on the number of elderly people, men, children, women, child-bearing women - general information along those lines. We are currently raising funds to conduct this survey as our surveyors will need funding for transportation, PPE (to ensure the safety of our surveyors during this global health crisis), and compensation for their work. We have, as of now, gotten our donation link up and running. Since we are a partner branch of FNE International, our donation link is registered to a campaign under FNE specifically for Sisters Project Peru.
Please, if you can DONATE DONATE DONATE! If that is not on the table send out emails to friends, families, and neighbors. ANYTHING helps! Thank you and much love to everyone!
- Maya and Natalie <3
