Japan Relief Efforts Update from Ishinomaki City

June 23, 2011 in Disaster Relief, Japan by Jonathan White | Comments closed

Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture

Beneficiaries

Approximately 6,257 individuals and 895 households were reached by RMF’s partner in Japan, JEN’s, activities during this period.

JEN staff and volunteers clearing rubble (Photo credit JEN)

Activities

1  Material Distribution

Four cases of canned food were distributed at the sports day event at Ogihama Primary School in Ishinomaki. In-kind donations (9,000 bottles of shampoo and bath towels) were prepared at JEN’s Ishinomaki warehouse for further distribution.

2 Sludge Removal Volunteer Dispatch

Supported by 1,410 volunteers, JEN has completed removing rubble and sludge from a total of 153 houses in the Watanoha and Oshika Peninsula areas of Ishinomaki City.

Needs are now shifting from rubble and sludge removal of homes to the removal/cleaning of sludge from roadside ditches, an urgent task before the rainy season. 

3  Soup Kitchen Volunteer Dispatch

Continued providing hot meals for lunch and dinner to earthquake/tsunami victims taking shelter in their own houses. During this reporting period, JEN volunteers provided 6,245 hot meals to these evacuees. 

The government of Ishinomaki city is now covering up to 400 yen per meal for ingredients paid to organizations that are providing continuous soup kitchen support (only 5 organizations are eligible so far). The first order under this support was made on the 30th of May, and the ingredients were delivered on the 3rd June. 

From the 1st of June and onwards, soup kitchens supported by Ishinomaki city will be limited to those citizens who are pre-registered. Once people move out of the evacuation centers to transitional shelters, people will return to the ‘Assistance-Required Household Card’ and will no longer be eligible to soup-kitchen services. It is being discussed with self-governing committees of JEN’s project communities whether to follow the city’s direction in this matter. 

JEN has started an assessment of those who come to the soup kitchen services, creating a list of demographic data and living conditions (health, vehicle possession and possibility of cooking etc.).

4 Psychosocial Care through Community Cafés

JEN is providing spaces called “Community Cafés” where evacuees can gather for activities and share their experiences as a form of psychosocial care. There are currently two locations for these activities. ‘

Nakayashiki Café

During this reporting period, a selection of professional psycho-social activities were provided at the Café, consisting of “relax touch” (self-massage), soft massage, and yoga classes. 12 participants enjoyed these services last week.

Four students from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies have visited every weekend and are planning to implement children-related activities.  There have been requests from community members to use the venue for hobby group activities and meetings of local welfare commissioners. 

Kazuma Café

The building that JEN’s 2nd café (temporary) resided in was decided to be demolished and rebuilt by the building owner during the 2nd week of June. Thus, the soup kitchen activity has moved into the tent next to the café. 

Koganehama Cafe

This community centre, established with donations collected from the surrounding community, has been chosen as JEN’s 3rd café. Since this has already been used frequently by community members for various uses, it is expected to be the most successful one. However, as this building was severely damaged by the Tsunami, the expensive cost of repairs could be a drawback. A few other potential buildings have been spotted around various communities of Ishinomaki if this one turns out to be too expensive.

5 Rubble Clearance through Assisting Local Waste Management Contractors

20 dump trucks bought second hand were delivered to Ishinomaki on the 28th of May, and some of them have already been handed over to contractors in Ishinomaki who passed JEN’s selection criteria. The damage level of the truck fleets of these contractors by the Tsunami was up to 40% so these extra trucks are in high demand.

The vehicles will be available as free rentals from JEN during the project period of 6 months, but upon completion of the project JEN plans to transfer the vehicles to an association consisting of all local companies after a 2 year probationary period. 

6  Assistance for People in Transitional Shelters

JEN distributed items such as bedding, clothing, kitchenware, and hygiene materials, etc. for 1,208 households at transitional temporary shelters in Ishinomaki City.  The city has begun or completed the construction of 4,389 transitional shelters to date.

Delivery took longer during this period because 1) there was a gap between the delivery manifest and actual number of materials, 2) materials arrived without being divided by item. To cover the shortage of materials, making additional orders delayed the whole distribution process, and thus JEN will be changing suppliers for the next reporting period in order to speed up the procurement. 

7 Assistance of small to mid-size local businesses

JEN has begun projects to encourage the revitalization of small to mid-size local businesses over the next year.  During the reporting period, the basic outline as well as posters has been prepared. Call for applications through local newspaper and radio will be published followed by the orientation in the next reporting period.

8 Needs Assessment

Assessments of the living situation at all evacuation centres of Ishinomaki is ongoing using an interview survey methodology. It will be completed in the first week of July.

9 Entertainment and Relaxation

・JEN organized a facial massage event by volunteers at 4 evacuation centres of Ishinomaki on the 24th of May.

・JEN implemented book reading by an ex-newscaster at Mizuho Kindergarten in Ishinomaki on the 24th of May.

・JEN organized an event of face and hand massage by 10 make-up professionals as well as cosmetics distribution at 2 evacuation centers on the 26th of May.

・JEN coordinated a football (soccer) class event by the ex-coach of the National Football Team at the Kazuma Primary School in Ishinomaki.

1)      Main Issues or Concerns in the Field

Severe land shortage in Ishinomaki has delayed the prefecture office in 1) expanding the temporary rubbish disposal sites, 2) building a recycling facility to separate the rubbish into pieces and burn anything non-recyclable.

Clearance of debris on pedestrian streets has enabled volunteers to clean the road-side ditches. As the public streets will be cleared by the Road Department of the Ishinomaki City Council, JEN will support the clearing of private streets between individual houses. JEN has been given the sewage map of Ishinomaki and is now in site selection. 

2)      Any Other comments

JEN hired 2 additional local staffs in Ishinomaki, and that made a local team of 15.

JEN is also in a process of hiring part-time laborers to help distribution at transitional shelters, creating income opportunities for local people.

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Real Medicine Providing Hope for Refugees in Uganda

June 20, 2011 in Africa, Rebuilding Communities, Uganda by Jonathan White | Comments closed

In recognition of today’s World Refugee Day, we would like to highlight our work with refugees in Uganda and the overall plight of more than 40 million uprooted people around the world.  With conflict and natural disasters escalating in many countries, finding new homes and allowing refugees to restart their lives is increasingly difficult.

Real Medicine Foundation (RMF) supplies the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement in Uganda, a home to more than 26,000 Sudanese, Kenyan, Congolese and internally displaced Ugandans, with something rarely found at refugee camps; HOPE.  Providing this hope to Kiryandongo by supporting the healthcare, education and vocational support of its residents.  We have been working with Kiryandongo since 2008 through a grant from the World Children’s Fund and other individual donations and in collaboration with UNHCR and the Ugandan Office of the Prime Minister.  

 “Kiryandongo has become a permanent settlement,” says Real Medicine Foundation Founder and CEO Dr. Martina Fuchs. “The residents cannot return to their homes, and they deserve opportunities for a future beyond the camp.  Real Medicine’s programs want to supply not just concrete support, but a sense of hope that life can and will get better.”

 Education is currently supported by directly paying for school fees, uniforms and supplies for 638 children, roughly half the students at the settlement schools. The kids range from nursery through high school age. RMF also provides a Vocational Training Center at the settlement for young adults, employing local instructors to teach marketable skills such as hairdressing and tailoring. 

 RMF also supports the “Panyandoli” health clinic at Kiryandongo which services more than 40,000 people in the camps and surrounding areas and treats as many as 4,400 patients a month. The majority of patients are women, many of them suffering from malaria or pneumonia.  RMF provides the clinic with medicine, medical supplies, cleaning staff, repairs, renovation and a solar powered water system.

In addition, RMF provides support and training for treatment of post-traumatic stress among the students and orphans at the Mama Kevina School in Tororo, Uganda where many of the children have been affected by war, AIDS, floods and deep poverty. Several of the students were also forced to be child soldiers and are currently recovering from those horrors.

We are highlighting the plight of refugees under our care and to advocate on their behalf for the help they need and ask you to contribute in whatever way you can to helping them rebuild their lives.

To contribute to this initiative, please click Donate button or visit our website at realmedicinefoundation.org.

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Voices from the field: Giving the Green Light by Ximena Prugue

June 16, 2011 in India, Voices from the Field, Ximena Prugue by Jonathan White | Comments closed

 

by Ximena Prugue

The first week of March, I had the pleasure of visiting Caitlin McQuilling, Nyamat Bindra, and Naiara Tejados in Madhya Pradesh, India as part of a project I started to distribute solar-powered flashlights to the rural villages called Giving the Green Light. I traveled with my best friend and business partner, Stephany Torres. We met up with Caitlin in Khandwa who greeted us with a bright smile and fresh attitude along with Manisha and Anjana, RMF field workers. We were off to Ranai, a village in Khandwa that is home to Korku tribe of India, to check up on the MUAC kids and get Stephany and I acquainted with the villagers.

We visited the school and saw the children getting their mid-day meal. Walking around the village, everyone was coming out of their houses curious to see who the mysterious visitors are and we slowly started gaining a group of villagers following us to see where we were going. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so popular! We held a village meeting and talked to the villagers about their biggest concerns and what they wanted to see changed. Two of the main concerns were toilets, and electricity at night. In a village of 5,000 people, there was approximately 6 toilets, many of them being private toilets for villager leaders. As much as open defecation has become a norm within the village, they wanted toilets.

Electricity at night was exactly what Stephany and I came for. Our project, Giving the Green Light, provides the villagers solar-power lighting to eliminate the use of kerosene lamps and provide a clean and inexpensive form of electricity. We sold the lights to the villagers for a subsidized cost of approximately 2 dollars, while the lights usually cost fifteen dollars. The money went back into a village account that would fund either replacements for the lights, or any other projects that the village would vote on to see realized.

Stephany and I stayed the night with the anganwadi worker in the village, which we both agree was the best night from the entire trip for the both of us. All the women in the village were so curious and had so many questions for us and the hospitality was overwhelming. We sold the lights both at night and the next morning to a total of 75 lights sold. The big smiles and excited faces of the villagers with their new lights reminded me why Giving the Green Light was so important to me. None of it would have possible without the tremendous work that RMF has done in the villages to create a presence and pave the way for progress in Khandwa.

The next day Stephany and I were off to Jhabua, where we were to distribute the flashlights to the students from the Bhil Academy. Again, we were welcomed with incredible hospitality from the students, staff, and the RMF members Nyamat and Naiara. After we distributed the lights, the students couldn’t wait to use them. They each had their own personal light that they did not have to share with anyone and they each wrote their own name on them. One teacher came to me and thanked me for the flashlights saying that the children were so excited, as was she, because they would not have been able to afford them otherwise. She almost began to cry as she was speaking, and it again reminded me how a small step can make great progress.

My visit to Khandwa and Jhabua with Stephany was a tremendous and motivating experience. I learned so much working in the field with Caitlin, Nyamat, and Naiara and was extremely inspired by them and all that they do for RMF. I cannot thank them enough for all that they’ve given me and I hope to get the opportunity to visit as soon as possible. Change in the world comes from the hearts and minds of women like Caitlin, Nyamat, and Naiara who sacrifice their own vanities and refuse to give up on humanity, something we can all learn from.

For a great video summary of Ximena’s trip, check out the video she made about her trip on Youtube: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4DhNFcrKKo

Ximena also just won an award from the United Nations Environment Program based on a blog entry she wrote about Madhya Pradesh!

For more information about RMF’s Malnutrition Eradication Program in India, click here

We can use any financial help you are able to provide on this project to continue our Education, Treatment and Outreach and help towards our goal of Malnutrition Eradication in this region of India.

To contribute to this initiative, please click Donate button or visit our website at realmedicinefoundation.org.

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Haiti Situation Report from United Nations

June 14, 2011 in Haiti by Jonathan White | Comments closed

 

The orange alert has been lifted on 9 June by the Direction de la protection civile (DPC). River water levels have started to recede in affected areas of the Nippes, West, Artibonite and Centre departments.

According to final estimates by the DPC, 28 people died, 6 have been injured and 6 are still reported missing. The West department, including Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, has the highest fatality rate with 22 deaths.

CAMP COORDINATION/MANAGEMENT (CCCM)

Needs: A total 213 vulnerable sites were assessed by telephone between 6 and 7 June. Needs assessment teams, deployed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 91 of those camps, reported that tenwere severely flooded. Of those 91 camps, 29 are large sites hosting more than 1,000 households.

Response: The Direction de la protection civile (DPC) and CCCM partners are currently providing

assistance to 10 sites hosting internally displaced people (IDPs) in earthquake affected communes. Mitigation activities are ongoing in six of the large camps hosting more than 1,000 families and around 200 tents will be distributed. Assistance is being provided to help IDPs drain the water and remove the mud and rubbles in and around camps.

Gaps & Constraints: Water canals near camps are blocked and need to be cleared to prevent further flooding and landslide. Additional tents and tarps are urgently needed, stresses the CCCM Cluster.

WATER SANITATION HYGIENE (WASH)

Needs: Latrines and showers are damaged, mostly in camps with no WASH actors, reports the Cluster. Dispersion of fecal matters is reported in some camps. A deterioration of residual chlorine levels has also been observed in water distribution systems.

Response: WASH partners are conducting drainage activities in camps although water levels have started to recede. Distribution of WASH items is ongoing. The Direction de l’eau et de l’assainissement (DINEPA) is scaling up its monitoring of residual chlorine water levels of community water distribution stations.

Gaps & Constraints: Desludging and repair of latrines are urgent. Additional Aquatabs and jerricans are needed to prevent further cholera outbreaks. More rakes, wheel barrows and shovels are needed to clearmud and stagnating water. Due to a lack of latrines and showers in Grande Saline in the Artibonite department, affected population use water canals.

HEALTH/NUTRITION

Needs: The increase in the number of new cholera cases seems to stabilize in Port-au-Prince with 1,938 occupied beds on 9 June compared to 1,885 beds on 8 June and 1, 773 on 7 June. Outbreaks of cholera continue to be reported, particularly in the communes of Peredo and Saint Michel in the South department and in Mapu, Bayonnais, and Dessaline, in the Artibonite department, which was totally flooded when the Artibonite River over flown its banks. Cholera numbers have been on a stable high, and went up over the past two days in Léogâne/Gressier of the Palmes region.

Response: In cooperation with the CCCM Cluster, PAHO has set up a surveillance alert system in camps. An important awareness campaign, organized by the Direction sanitaire de l’Ouest (DSO), in partnership with health partners, will be launched in Carrefour and Martissant which were among hard hit areas of Port-au- Prince metropolitan area. Additional medical supplies (catheters, doxicicline, érythromycine and sirop) have been made available.

Gaps & Constraints: The CTC of Baradères in the Nippes department has run out of fund. As a result, the 27 staff members have not been paid since February and are threatening to go on strike. Under reporting of cholera cases in the South department remains an issue. Drouin UTC in Grande Saline commune has been cut off by flooding and can only provide medical assistance to cholera patients in the immediate vicinity.

EMERGENCY SHELTER

Needs: According to a joint assessment mission between departmental, local authorities and humanitarian partners in the commune of Grande Saline in the Artibonite department, 4, 629 people have been affected (16, 5 per cent of the population).

Response: La Tapie Shelter in Grande Saline is hosting 135 people while 3, 675 others have moved with host families.

Gaps & Constraints: The provision of assistance to affected population and host families is needed.

EDUCATION

Needs: Some schools in Baradères have been flooded, according to the Education Director of the Nippes Department. In Artibonite, one school is hosting 200 people affected by the flooded River Artibonite. In the West department, three schools have been confirmed to be flooded in Port-au-Prince. The five unused classrooms in Thomazeau affected by water rising levels of Lake Azuei continue to be occupied as one of three collective centers.

Response: Cleaning of Port-au-Prince affected schools was done immediately after the rain and no disruption of classes have been observed.

FOOD SECURITY/AGRICULTURE

Needs: the flooding of agricultural fields has resulted in the loss of manioc, sweet potatoes, rice, and tomato crops in Grande Saline, according to a joint assessment between departmental, local authorities and humanitarian partners.

Response: provision of agricultural tools and seeds, distribution of food and kitchen kits are scheduled to take place in the coming days.

LOGISTICS

Response: An integrated mission with departmental and local authorities, the Direction de l’eau et del’assainissement (DINEPA), the National Haitian police (PNH), MINUSTAH and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was conducted on 9 June in Baradères in the Nippes department in response to heavy flooding. Two areas suitable for helicopter landing were identified for an emergency response should the city be cut off by flooding in the future. Two trucks were deployed on 9 June by the Ministère des travaux publics, transport et communication (MTPCT) and the Direction sanitaire des Nippes (DSNI) to deliver food rations on 9 June in the commune of Baradères. Global Mapping of Emergency Stockpiles, a collaborative initiative between the Global Logistics Cluster Support Cell and OCHA, provides a pre-selection of what is accessible in the country. It is accessible at:

http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/stockmap.

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RMF Los Angeles Outreach Program update

June 8, 2011 in Los Angeles, North America, Rebuilding Communities by Jonathan White | Comments closed

by Sarah Stern

Annual Report for RMF Outreach program at the Florence Western Medical Clinic

Real Medicine’s partnership with Whole Foods Market, Venice, California is continuing successfully. In the last 12 months, 1,728 patients were provided with bags of nutritious groceries. Patients sign up at the Florence Western Medical Center’s front desk to be considered to receive food. We are looking into additional partnerships with organizations and grocery stores that would be able to meet the growing dietary needs within this community.

Our children’s Health & Fitness program is held the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, from 10am-2pm. Fitness instructor Roz Baker provides nutritional education and goals along with a fitness “boot camp” that provides children with fun, yet challenging exercises and a cardiovascular workout. Our yoga instructors provide the children with stress relieving breathing techniques and poses that they can take into their daily lives. 144 children were provided Health & Fitness instruction along with yoga and nutritional classes last year. The physical condition of most of the children participating in the program starts out as poor.

Many have very little cardiovascular fitness, are weak and some are obese. Our experience shows that after a few classes the kids understand the importance of being healthy and how it is in their own power to get healthy and fit. Regular attendees now request us to create exercises for them to take home and several children have started to lose weight. The majority of the kids live in areas where parks are dangerous, and few and far between. This program gives them the knowledge and confidence to take control of their health. Our goal is that it will transfer to all aspects of their lives.

Real Medicine Foundation believes in focusing on the “whole” child. In Sri Lanka, following the Tsunami of December 2004, we found the use of art therapy extremely beneficial in helping children to deal with the tremendous trauma they had experienced, to relieve post-traumatic stress and to open the door to communication.

The children of South Los Angeles face many emotional challenges, such as gang violence in the streets where they live, homelessness, unemployment and despair of their parents or caregivers on a daily basis, and our goal is to provide them with a safe atmosphere to be able to express themselves. Thus, we provide art, reading and specialized workshops as these services are unavailable within their community. Real Medicine will continue to expand this program by providing summer programs as well, i.e. a “Back to School” drive which will provide all children with new backpacks, school supplies as well as vouchers that can be used for clothing and shoes.

132 adults attended our “Healthy Living” workshops provided by our partner Health Net. Workshops educate the patients about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and how to incorporate it in their daily lives. Dietary suggestions as well as low-impact exercises are presented, along with encouragement to quit smoking and limit alcohol use. 80% of all patients who participate are suffering ailments due to obesity, poor dietary and lifestyle choices.

Our annual holiday party was held on December 18th, 2010 where 65 children received over $2,000 worth of toys, books and sports equipment donated by Northrop Grumman Corporation. We are looking forward to this year’s holiday and expect it to provide even more items and gifts for the families.

Four times a month, Real Medicine provides physical therapy sessions with a licensed Physical Therapist, Charmayne Cahn. In the past year over 25 patients (with a 50% return rate) received physical therapy sessions. The majority of patients are seeking treatment for injuries due to strokes, arthritis, falls and automobile accidents.

Our program continues to grow each year, and with the possibility of additional funding promises to provide even more services for patients including a registered dietician, Lifestyle counseling, field trips to cultural activities centers for the children and transportation to music programs, grief counseling and other free community services provided within Los Angeles. Depending on funding, we also aim to resume our Psychological Trauma Support Program since it is desperately needed in the community we are serving.

To contribute to this initiative, please click Donate button or visit our website at realmedicinefoundation.org/donors.

 Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or become a fundraiser for us at Causes.com

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UN Haiti situation report: Humanitarian Bulletin

June 6, 2011 in Haiti by Jonathan White | Comments closed

Cholera alerts on the rise

The number of weekly hospitalizations nationwide has increased from an average 1,700 to 2,600, reports PAHO in its latest bulletin dated May 27. The South-East, Grande Anse, South and West are the departments most affected by outbreaks of cholera with a surge over the past three weeks inthe number of daily alerts received from partners in the field. In the South-East department, the number of hospitalization has tripled over the past two weeks, with some of the cases coming however from neighboring West Department. From 21-23 May, a significant increase of cases in Port-au-Prince metropolitan area has also been reported. As of 2 June, close to 2,000 cases and 13 deaths had been reported. Some donors including ECHO and USAID have indicated the availability of new funds to respond to further cholera outbreaks.

PAHO is noting that it is too early to say whether there is a change in the tendency of the epidemic. The rise in the number of alerts might be due to the closure of Cholera Treatment Units (CTUs) and Centers (CTCs), resulting in the accumulation of cases in other health infrastructures still open. Given the early detection of alerts, a prompt response has been implemented. PAHO/WHO is coordinating the response through the Preparedness Emergency and Disaster Relief (PED) teams deployed at the departmental level. Those teams are tasked with distributing prepositioned emergency stocks, coordinating with the Ministry of Public Health (MSPP), and deploying rapid response teams, in collaboration with several NGOs, for initial control of the health situation and epidemiological surveillance. In coordination with UNICEF, PAHO/WHO is supporting the installation of oral rehydration points, particularly in Port-au-Prince.

 As of 22 May:

  • 1.7% mortality rates nationwide
  • 314,539 cumulative cholera cases
  • 5,332 number of deaths

 

CONTINGENCY PLANNING

Awareness campaign on seismic and tsunami risks continues The awareness raising campaign on seismic and tsunami risks reduction, which started last February under the leadership of the Direction de la protection civile (DPC), moved to the North, North-East and Nippes departments. From 7 to 13 May, hundreds of school children and individuals from major cities, including Cap Haïtien, Ouanaminthe and Fort Liberté, attended conferences and public debates with the participation of specialists from the Bureau des mines et de l’énergie (BME) and the Service maritime de la navigation d’Haïti (SENAMAH). Public screenings of documentaries

were also conducted at Place Notre Dame in Cap Haïtien. These activities were organized by the Thematic Committee on Education and Public awareness, in coordination with local authorities. May 7th coincided with the commemoration of the 159th anniversary of the 1842 earthquake and tsunami which destroyed the city of Cap Haïtien. The earthquake killed 5,000 people, and the tsunami 300 individuals. In the Nippes department, about 150 young volunteers marched through Miragoâne on 18 May.This third consecutive edition of the event was also attended by delegations of students and volunteers from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Civil Service. Professor Eric Calais of Purdue University, commissioned by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) since July 2010 to provide technical support to the Haitian Government on seismic risks, and engineer Gerard Métayer, held a panel discussion onearthquake and tsunami risks on 17 May. These activities were conducted with the support of UNDP, Plan Haiti, and the participation of the National Haitian Police (PNH) and the Alliance pour la gestion des risques et la continuité des activités (AGERCA).

FOOD

Survival strategies of vulnerable population exhausted in some areas The cumulative and simultaneous impact of the price increase, financial pressure on households due to school tuition since October, and the reduction of humanitarian aid over the past nine months have contributed to higher levels of poverty of vulnerable households, according to a study conducted from 4 to 6 and 11 to 13 May. The study was led by WFP, FAO, OXFAM, ACF, in support of the National Coordination for Food Security (CNSA), in the Port-au-Prince neighborhoods of Carrefour Feuilles, Croix-des Bouquets and Camp Aviation, in two villages of Anse Rouge, one village of Saline.

OCHA Haiti Humanitarian Bulletin

May. 2011 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – http://ochaonline.un.org | 5 neighborhood of Gande Rabuteau in Gonaïves in the Artibonite Department. All survival strategies to cope with rising prices have been exhausted, notes the study. Incomes of most households surveyed, the majority headed by women with children, have fallen sharply and this trend continues. With rising prices and declining purchasing power, small businesses have become much less profitable, forcing women to buy food on credit or beg to feed their children. In Gonaïves, job opportunities in the salt marches have also fallen sharply following hurricane Tomas. In Anse Rouge, rural households experiencing lower poverty levels, and whose main source of income is agriculture, have also seen a drop in income due to higher prices of agricultural inputs, fuel and labor.

School fees and contingencies

Therefore, households’ nutritional status has worsened, the poorest having reduced their number of daily meals from three to two. For the poorest of the poorest, the daily consumption of food has been cut down to one meal a day. The consumption of meat and rice was significantly reduced and replaced by less nutritious food such as “arbre véritable” and sweet potato. Mothers report that their children are thinner and complain of headaches and stomachaches, which are potential signs of hunger, malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency. Some school principals have observed cases of fainting and reduced attention in class. Those households go to health centers as a last resort because they can no longer afford to buy drugs in pharmacies.

With rising prices, poor households also experience difficulties in meeting school tuition. As a result, a significant number of children were taken out of school since last December. In some classes the number of school children has dropped by half. Almost half of the women surveyed In Rabuteau have taken their children out of school. Some families cannot not even afford to keep children in community schools where tuition are very low, from 50 to 200 Gourdes per year (1 to 5 US$).

With rising prices, poor households also experience difficulties in meeting school tuition. As a result, a significant number of children were taken out of school since last December. In some classes the number of school children has dropped by half. Almost half of the women surveyed In Rabuteau have taken their children out of school. Some families cannot not even afford to keep children in community schools where tuition are very low, from 50 to 200 Gourdes per year (1 to 5 US$).

Clinical Mentoring workshop held for our Nursing and Midwifery students in Southern Sudan

June 3, 2011 in Sudan by Jonathan White | Comments closed

by Sophia Nyame, RMF project partner with UNFPA in Southern Sudan

 

The teachers, students, and mentors of our Juba College of Nursing and Midwifery recently held a very succesful 3 day clinical mentoring workshop sponsored by the UNFPA on May 18th-20th in Juba, Southern Sudan, to build the skills of everyone involved in the clinic training of our students.

Background:  Clinical Practice for nursing and midwifery students in training is essential in developing their skills and competencies for effective patient care. Students in clinical settings needs to be guided, supervised and mentored by equally qualified staff to bring out these competencies. Most nursing and midiwifery staff are good at what they do but might find it difficult to transfer their knowledge to others.

This may be as a result of lack of confidence, cultural issues, equipment and infrastructure,or lack of knowledge of the current trends in the profession, etc. As a result of the above, experienced nursing and midwifery staff can fail to pass along high standards of patient management to new staff in the clinical setting and over time forget and/or compromise these standards. In the Southern Sudan context, these issue are all true making teaching and learning in the clinical setting difficult (a supervisory follow up on students doing clinical practice revealed marked lapses between what is taught and what is actually practiced.) It is therefore of upmost importance to identify the right caliber of staff and equip them to mentor the junior (student) whilst in training to bridge these gaps.

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES:

  • To build the capacity of the indentified Clinical Mentors/Ward in charge of mentoring of students
  • To equip the Mentors/Wards with effective and competant mentoring skills
  • To maintain continuous monitoring and supervision of students at the practical sites
  • To help in the training the students

A total of twenty-five nurses and midwives who were supervising the students in the various wards (Maternity and Gynae, Ante Natal ward and Clinic, Surgical and Medical units, Emergency and Pediatric units) were brought together during this training. Among the twenty-five participants, three were midwives- this is as a result of the low number of midwives in the hospitals. The facilitators were tutors from the college, a doctor from the Juba Hospital and the project manager totaling six, the project assistant manager acted as the logistics officer during the training.

The staff of JCONAM and the project management sincerely appreciates and acknowledge UNFPA for the support given in funding and organizing this workshop. Also acknowledged are the officers from the Ministry of Health for their guidance and suggestions from planning to execution of this workshop. The hospital administrator of the Juba Teaching Hospital and Al Saba Children’s Hospital cannot be left out-for arranging and releasing their staff for the workshop. Finally, we would like to appreciate the nurses, midwives, and all the facilitators who worked very hard to make this dream come true.

For more information about the Juba College of Nursing and Midwifery Initiative please visit our website here

If you are interested in donating to this initiative please visit the donor page of our website by clicking on the Donate Button below…

 

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Action Against Hunger Collaborates with RMF on Malnutrition Report

May 27, 2011 in India by Jonathan White | Comments closed

We are posting the Situation Analysis of Acute Malnutrition in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh written by our friends and colleagues at Action Against Hunger (ACF).  While putting together this report their teams visited RMF in the field multiple times and spent time learning about ground realities from RMF CNEs and ground staff.  RMF is always happy to host great organizations like ACF in the field and also learned a lot from their experts who visited.  We’re looking forward to collaborating more with ACF in the future and thank them for this informative report.

RMF’s role in the study is mentioned by ACF here:

“Other than advocacy, under-nutrition is not a high priority activity for most local NGOs nor is there any specific technical expertise on this issue generally available in the local non-governmental sector. Real Medicine Foundation (RMF-India), an international NGO recently active in 500 villages of the Malwa Tribal Belt, runs a nutrition program aiming at improvement of community detection and nutrition education. They identify and facilitate the amelioration of missing linkages between AWC and community health structures, surveying the nutritional situation of the intervention area, collecting and analyzing data from the MUAC screenings.”

PDF link below
A report on Acute Malnutrition Situational Analysis in the States of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh

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Japan Relief Effort: New photos and update from the field

May 25, 2011 in Disaster Relief, Japan by Jonathan White | Comments closed

Quick update from our partner on the ground in Japan, Japanese Emergency NGO (JEN) for the past two weeks of their relief efforts in and around Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture

Photo: Meals served by JEN Staff (Photo copyright JEN)

Approximately 6,905 individuals and 101 households were reached by JEN’s activities during this period with hot meals provided, rubble/sludge removal, and the opening of Community Cafe’s which provide a warm and social gathering place for the affected communities with such service as hair dressing, massages, plays and other entertainment for all.

One major issue facing the city of Ishinomaki is that the clearance of rubble is lagging, and seems impossible to accomplish the task without the use of heavy machinery and manpower from outside the city. 

The amount of rubble has been estimated to be about 6,160,000 tons and thus far only 270,000 tons have been cleared from the city, a mere 4%.  JEN is contuining to work on procuring more heavy machinery and volunteer labor to tackle this enormous challenge.

JEN will also begin projects to encourage the revitalization of small to mid-size local businesses over the next year. 

If you are interesting in donating to the earthquake/tsunami relief efforts with our partner JEN in Japan, click on Donate below.

All photos JEN Copyright

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A Volunteer’s Perspective by Surya Bajpai

May 24, 2011 in Asia, India by Jonathan White | Comments closed

Below please find the a guest blog entry from Surya Bajpai, a high school student from Bhopal who spent a week during his summer vacation volunteering for Real Medicine Foundation out in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh:

Surya in class with his peers at the Bhil Academy

A volunteer’s perspective

 By Surya Bajpai

It all started when my dad gave me a few options of where I could volunteer.  The Jhabua option was the most intriguing to me.  I wanted to volunteer because my parents told me to, but also because I wanted to get the feel of the real India.  The funny thing about this trip was that I did not know what to expect out of it.  Normally when we go out for school trips they give us the list of things that would happen there and we know what to expect.

I had a great experience in Jhabua.  I volunteered in two areas; 1 was the Bhil Academy and the other was the malnutrition program.

A first for everyone - this is the first time Surya, a student from Bhopal spent time in the villages in MP and the first time students from the Bhil Academy spent time in a city - Indore. Surya and his new friends on the bus on the way to Indore

The Bhil Academy has a group of tribal kids who were great to be with.  They showed so much of interest in what they did.  I played cricket with them and I helped a little in computer classes.  The school provided everything that was necessary, such as a proper cricket kit and uniforms.  The staff of the school was great.

Going for field work in such a hot day was difficult but it was even more difficult to believe what I saw.  I met 3 kids – Aman Singh , Surya , and Rahul – and their stories were shocking.   I was really sad to see this.  This experience had a great impact on me: Now I know what my really country is and now I know what all I can do to improve it. Now I can see what I want my country to be.

All that I would like to say is that everyone who reads this please volunteer in such programs, get to know what India really is and work towards improving it.

Surya Bajpai, Bhopal

For more information about RMF’s Bhil Academy click here and the Malnutrition Eradication Program in India, click here

To contribute to this initiative or any other,  please visit our website at realmedicinefoundation.org/donors.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or become a fundraiser for us at Causes.com

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