News and Events: Projects
Completed Projects
- October 2007: First stage of pilot project "Trainers of Youth Health Promoters" (TYHP) was completed by our coordinator in Peru, Jimmy Cueva Romero. More information will be available soon.
- July 2007: Completed our first official pilot project, training local youth health promoters for the rural community of Salacat in Cajamarca. For more information, see Youth Health Promoter Pilot Project Evaluation
.
- October 2006: Completed a better wood stoves project in Salacat while still in the Peace Corps. We hope to do similar projects with MEJOR Communities in the future. For more information, see
Better Wood Stoves Project.
Upcoming Projects
Over the next few years MEJOR Communities will continue to solidify its presence and support both in the United States and in Peru. Following are some of the specific goals and projects we hope to complete.
Legal in Peru
One of our most important goals for the next few years is to become a legal foreign nonprofit organization in Peru. Currently we are limited to small pilot projects because of our lack of legal status. In order to move forward in this goal MEJOR Communities must find a partner organization in Peru with which to work. We are currently seeking meetings during our trip to Peru in July, with various nonprofits which work in ways similar to us, or whose work we would mutually enhance.
Picture Posters
We have received numerous requests from illiterate women to provide picture-based materials along with our classes so that they are better able to retain the information they learn. Because these same women make many of the choices about hygiene and nutrition in their homes, we recognize that picture materials are important to making MEJOR Communities' projects successful. We are currently working on picture-based materials to meet the requests.
Nutrition Enhancement
Five to ten families will recieve initial classes on nutrition and hygiene, then a special vetrinarian-led class on raising small animals for consumption. The families that follow through on their responsibilities will recieve a pair of rabbits, along with vetrinary care and materials to get them started.
With time and reproduction, those families are required to provide new families with start-up rabbits and pass on their knowledge. This project gives us the opportunity to introduce the importance of a healthy diet and how to achieve it in a sustainable way.
For more information on future plans, see our five-year plan.
To find out what you can do, see How to Help.