ATRAVES is an international non-profit that builds connections among communities, organizations and people in Nicaragua and internationally.
Health Month and Nurses’ Group - May-June, 2010
Our third annual May Health Month was a great success thanks to the volunteers from ATRAVES at the University of Michigan, Drs. Veronica, Alberto and Adalberto, the generosity of Escuela H.D. staff, and the tireless community volunteers from Camilo Ortega/William Galeano. We offered three weeks of free clinical service, saw 630 patients, gave 312 free lab tests, and provided free medication to those who needed it. We also offered 7 health education workshops to community members, English and curriculum reinforcement in classes at EHD, and after-school programming to local children. After the month-long participation of the U of M volunteers, we hosted two professors of nursing, Pam Santarlasci and Elaine Hossler of Delaware County Community College. These two provided follow-up care to patients we saw in May, home visits to patients with mobility issues, and an exciting training program in first aid and other health skills to residents of the neighborhood. Congratulations to the 7 women who completed this training program!
Welcome Lara Jackson! - July, 2010
Lara Jackson volunteered with ATRAVES from April to June of 2010, and was soon playing a key role in helping us organize Health Month. Experienced manager, food service guru, "logistical genius," and contender for solidarity heavyweight champion, ATRAVES welcomes her as Volunteer Coordinator. "It’s Lara Jackson time."
"We made things" - June, 2010
Volunteers-extraordinaire Katrina Grigg-Saito and Jonah Goldstein worked with artisans and children in San Juan de Oriente in May and June of this year. Their projects included English education, web development, computer skills education and a variety of other support for artisans’ work and trade. They worked with children in the community to create the website www.wemadethings.org/artesanos-de-sjo/, which showcases artisans’ creations, stories and photographs. We hope that this website will be an effective tool in helping expand San Juan de Oriente’s reach in the fair trade market. It is a beautiful representation of the craft and the people who practice it. For more stories and crafts from SJdO, you can also see Katrina’s website www.beinginlovethere.com.
Unitarian Church of Sharon Youth Delegation - February, 2010
ATRAVES worked with 8 youth and 3 adults from the Unitarian Church of Sharon, Massachusetts on an educational volunteer delegation this February. The volunteers taught English and organized after-school enrichment activities at Escuela H.D. in Managua, and worked with children in San Juan de Oriente and Catarina. ATRAVES thanks the UCS congregation for its financial and moral support of the youth group, and thanks the participants for their remarkable work and enthusiasm. We hope to repeat this experience in the near future!
Casa de Salud
ATRAVES is excited to welcome Engineers Without Borders Cal Poly on their return trip in August-September to complete the building shell of the Casa de Salud William Galeano! We are currently seeking funding to support clinical, health education and health leadership programming in the new facility.