Health Archives - Page 7 of 42 - Shoulder to Shoulder, Inc.

September 8, 2020August 3, 2023

An Ending & A New Beginning

By Laura Manship – Executive Director

Shoulder to Shoulder has been running a micronutrient program for young children in Intibuca for the past 4 years. Due to problems in the factory where there micronutrients were produced, we knew that the program would be ending in late 2020. Then, the coronavirus struck. Honduras shut its borders in mid-March, and the micronutrient product, Chispuditos, could not enter Honduras. Sadly, we had to end our project.The young children still were in desperate need of good nutrition to supplement their very limited diet of beans and corn tortillas. What to do?

Well, when one door closes (the border) — another opens (the hen hatches). Thus, was born our new nutrition program: Hens Hatching Hope: Un Huevo Cada Dia.

We have recruited local women who have an interest in raising hens and eggs. We will help them with their businesses. Then, we will encourage the mothers to bring their young children (ages 6 months to 2 years of age) to the local health centers for their monthly weight/height check in. If a mother brings in her child, she will receive a ticket for 30 free eggs. She will visit the woman with the hens, and will leave with eggs for her child. Shoulder to Shoulder will pay for the eggs.

We feel that this is a WIN -WIN -WIN program:

A win for the women-run hen businesses (as they receive funds from StS AND sell to their neighbors).

A win for the children who will receive an egg/day.

A win for the local community, as the StS funds will remain in the community.

THANK YOU to all the folks who have been supporting our Chispuditos project “Eliminate malnutrition for 2800 children.” We could not have run this program for four years without your help!

We all need a little hope. We are most hopeful that we can count you as a loyal supporter of Hens Hatching Hope: Un Huevo Cada Dia. (Details of which can be found on Shoulder to Shoulder’s website and/or on the GlobalGiving site.)

June 15, 2020June 16, 2023

13 Years Later

May 11, 2020

Honduras, just like the rest of the world, is struggling with the coronavirus. The virus has had many unexpected negative consequences. One of them is that Medical groups are currently not allowed into Honduras. StS’s Medical Brigades provide vital medical services in our isolated, rural, part of Honduras.

As we wait for the situation to improve, we hope that the story below will bring a ray of light – and a smile – to all who read it. (And, if anyone ever asks you why you go to Honduras, the story below provides lots of answers.)

In 2007, Dr. Julie Prosseda participated in a Shoulder to Shoulder Medical Brigade to Honduras. She went with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to their clinic in the town of Pinares (in San Marcos de la Sierra, Intibucá). In late 2019, Dr. Julie wrote to StS, and asked if it would be possible for her to participate with VCU again. The doctors of VCU happily said “yes,” and Dr. Julie went with them to Honduras in February 2020.

Here is Dr. Julie’s very touching reflection:

Reflection on Honduras 13 Years Later By Dr. Julie Prosseda

Dr. Julie Prosseda with girl dressed as a princess.

I am so thankful that Shoulder to Shoulder allowed me to participate on its most recent brigade. I had an extremely meaningful experience. Everyone on the brigade was so nice and inviting and curious. I enjoyed all of my interactions…with Ilya, Jairo, Alan, Gustavo, and Kate.

We did a home visit on a 15 year old girl named Brenda. I was the first one to document in her chart when she was two years old. Back then we knew she has some sort of disability – most likely MRCP. Currently, she lives with her family and is well cared for.

THINGS ARE BETTER! (Some of this is pure infrastructure….road signs and guardrails….but there were improvements at a municipality and community level too.)

Having the perspective of being on one of the first bridges to Pinares in 2007, I can tell you the change is evident and so encouraging. I was fortunate to see my handwriting in quite a few charts……yes….I saw these patients decades ago – and now they are being treated for chronic conditions, not just acute illnesses.

StS has done right by the people of San Marcos – through its partnership with the local people and continuity across different sponsoring institutions and leadership. There are roads where there were no roads before. Newly built schools. Water filters. Chimneys. The children look healthier and happier. I saw no scabies or lice which was all we saw in 2007. Back then, I remember one of the maternal child health goals was to get the first time pregnant mothers to deliver in a hospital and not at home – trying to convince people who thought that you only go to a hospital to die. This time, I made a point to ask about their deliveries and every woman said she delivered in a hospital. Also, I was impressed to see that women are now part of the community Health Committees. Committee members now have a blood pressure cuff for their communities, thanks to VCU’s generous Community Development work. The Pinares compound was impressive.

This trip was incredibly meaningful to me. Why? Because things are better in San Marcos de la Sierra!!

May 28, 2020June 20, 2023

The Borders Are Closed

The impact of the novel coronavirus is being felt around the whole world. In Honduras, it is having many negative consequences. Today, I will write about one aspect:

The Borders Are Closed

The micronutrient supplement that StS provides to almost 3,000 children is called Chispuditos. It is manufactured in Guatemala, and shipped to Honduras. The factory makes the product once per year (each November) and it has an expiration date of the following November. We have been waiting for the batch that was produced in November 2019 — so that we could distribute it during the quarterly visits the mothers make to their local health centers. That would have been in April, July, and October 2020.

However, due to the coronavirus, Honduras shut down its borders to all traffic coming in from neighboring countries. Therefore, the product did not arrive in March, as expected. Now, we are hearing that the borders might not be opened until June. We are hopeful that the Chispuditos will arrive in time for our July distribution.

Home delivery of Chispuditios.

If this does not happen, we will be in the difficult position of needing to figure out a new plan.

We are most appreciative of all the assistance our loyal supporters (YOU) give to this nutrition project. There is nothing more important than working to improve the health of the youngest, and most vulnerable, babies and children in Honduras.

Thank You!

Laura Manship

Executive Director