Project Launch:

The district of Chiguirip, which has a population of 4,800, is home to the three communities of Mumpampa, Sacus and Tugusa . This project will focus on the two communities of Mumpampa and Sacus, which are part of the Andes mountain range. In this region, it rains frequently for five months. Community members face a wide range of challenges, many of which can be attributed to limited access of resources as Chiguirip is located more than two hours from the nearest city.

The goal of the Healthy Homes project is to improve the physical and intellectual development of children under the age of five in the communities of Mumpampa and Sacus. This will be achieved through educating mothers on the following topics regarding child health and development: proper and adequate nutrition, breast-feeding, prevention of respiratory and diarrheal illness, and the benefits and maintenance of improved cook- stoves and latrines. Each month, volunteers will educate health promoters on a specific topic and accompany them on house visits to each mother in the program. The behavior change of the mothers as well as the health of the children will be measured both quantitatively and qualitatively by three evaluative sessions at the beginning, middle and end of the program. During the fifth and sixth months of the program, all of the participants who have shown active participation and behavior change improvements will receive an improved cook stove. Every family that receives an improved cook-stove will also receive information on how to clean and maintain the stove properly.

 

Project Update

Six local health promoters were trained and have conducted several house visits, where they taught the participating mothers about the following subjects: complementary feeding, cookstove maintenance, Peruvian Child Development Card (CRED), respiratory infections, anemia, malnutrition, and hand-washing. Over the next few weeks, the mothers will also learn about diarrheal infections and early childhood stimulation. Not only are the mothers learning important health information, but there is also a notable increase in their self esteem and leadership skills. As a result from the Healthy Homes project, 45 improved cookstoves have been built in the communities of Mumpampa and Sacus. Additionally, the local municipality has been very supportive of this project, and a local NGO is collaborating with the communities to help spread information about the environmental benefits of improved cookstoves.

 

Testimonials

"This project has taught me a lot about respiratory infections and how the improved cookstove will help improve not only the health of my child, but the health of my whole family as well." - Erlita, Project Participant