In early December I had the pleasure of traveling to our site in Uganda.  It was the first time that I had traveled to our clinic to experience all that I had been hearing about over the past 3 years on conference calls with field staff.  The word that continuously comes to mind when reflecting upon my trip is incredible.  Incredible can be the starter for so many aspects of the journey.  On my first full day in Uganda, I visited Paulo.  He is a child from the community who has been fighting a serious health issue for years and was reported extremely malnourished and near-death.  When I visited him at the International Hospital, all I could think was how incredible his progress has been.  Due to a former volunteer's continued generosity, he has received world class treatment and was days away from receiving an operation that would change his life forever.

Patients at clinic

Upon arrival in the community, I was able to see the incredible beauty of the area. The mountains were stunning, and the red clay was how I had always envisioned it.  The work that the Community Health Educators (CHEs) have been executing since the first women's group in 2006 is nothing short of incredible.  Sitting in a small adobe hut surrounded by 30 women, I heard stories of how the women have taken their health into their own hands.  They discussed how, as a group,  they had fought domestic violence, worked together to learn about health issues, and promoted proper sanitation in the home.  They also help each other buy basic supplies such as soap and pool together resources when someone needs food.

Community kids at play

After spending time in the clinic, I was also able to see the incredible impact that the services are having for thousands of community members.  Sick children, mothers and elderly come in on a regular basis to receive treatment that is of the highest quality and scarcely available anywhere else in the area.  The antenatal clinic is nothing short of incredible - it is the first of its kind in the entire region and is an opportunity for women to receive prenatal care - something unheard of in the rural village.

OVC Training

The new Orphans and Vulnerable Children program was off to an incredible start as well. There were fifteen participants who came in to eagerly receive training on how to adequately care for community orphans and children living with HIV.  The participants have now been officially trained to be guardians for the children and will continue to receive monthly trainings to ensure proper care is being given to those who need it most. 

Meredith (center, bottom) and FIMRC site staff are all smiles

Every FIMRC staff member puts their entire heart and soul into the project, and it was incredible to witness first hand.  The trip reinforced what I've known all along but was finally able to experience: the work that FIMRC executes at Project Bumwalukani is incredible, and only possible because of the support that we receive from the community.  This support is not only from the Bumwalukani community, but from the entire FIMRC community at large.  Lives are being changed every day due to the incredible dedication of clinic staff, community members, Global Health Volunteer Program participants and donors alike.

While there were many accomplishments across FIMRC's project sites, this is a sampling of some noteworthy highlights (in no particular order).
 

1. Launch of Maternal-Child Health Program in Uganda: Increased education for expecting mothers and the reduction of maternal and infant mortality rates are the two pillars of this program.  All participants receive  a "mama kit" complete with sterile medical supplies while those able to attend at least four antenatal care clinics will earn free transportation to a health center at the time of delivery.  Efforts are being led by former Community Heath Educators, a local midwife, and supervision provided by pediatrician Dr. Umphrey.

2. Launch of new FIMRC website: April 16^th marked the day FIMRC presented its new look to the world.  In addition to improved usability and dynamic content for project sites, other stand-out features include archived newsletters, one-click shopping for FIMRC gear, and resources for FIMRC's Chaptership Program.

3. Viviendas Saludables: Project Peru raises the standard of health through the Viviendas Saludables ("Healthy Homes") project.  Heightened hygiene, diversification of the diet, and trash management are becoming second nature to beneficiaries.

4. Spring breakers set record high for Global Health Volunteer Program: 185 students from universities and colleges nationwide demonstrated their commitment to service.  The bar has been set high!

5. A 17% increase of well-child visits in Costa Rica: Field Operations Manager Dr. Reinhart Stedem's advocacy for what are more commonly known as "check-ups" pays off!

6. Micro Health Insurance Program participants graduate to next phase: Site staff in El Salvador honored nine women of the original MHIP test group for completing two years of the innovative program.  These women will become mentors for the next class of participants and continue to strive toward the goal of comprehensive health coverage and a healthy home.

7. FIMRC's social media imprint: With the addition of the FIMRC blog, a Facebook group page for

Project Las Delicias, and a YouTube channel (currently collecting footage), FIMRC's increased presence in the social media world will allow past, current, and future supporters to stay in the know.

8. New health tracking system developed in India: The surveys are complete and the results are in, allowing site staff at Project Kodaikanal to more effectively serve community members and their needs.

9. 'Kids In Focus' program in Nicaragua: Five schools and over 150 students learn invaluable lessons on hand washing, latrine use, tropical diseases, recycling, and proper nutrition.

10. Meredith Mick promoted to FIMRC CEO: More often than not great ideas are left on the drawing board and never see the light of day.   Fortunately for FIMRC team members, the opposite is true.  The culture at FIMRC strives to foster creative thinking and reward initiative.  Meredith Mick plays a decisive role in this and FIMRC is lucky to have her at the helm.

FIMRC Team Member Highlight - FIMRC Field Staff

We would like to recognize field staff members across all six project sites for their dedication, enthusiasm, and energy.  Global Health Volunteers are currently addressing community health issues across the globe with great success as a result of your tireless efforts to create dynamic itineraries.  Thanks to each and every one of you for making Winter Break 2010/2011 a memorable one!