Atzin Dental Program for 1000 Kids Each Year

Dear Friends of Atzin and Tlamacazapa, As a team, we have continued a covid response since April 2020 and not let up. Click here to view our new video Returning to Strength Lessons about Development from Tlamacazapa, Mexico – watch the promoters at work.

In brief, during the past three months (January-March 2021) we have:

• Continued the Tihueliske Education classes for children 6-12 years of age, held outdoors with a total of 115 children who are organized in small groups, each child attending twice a week for three hours. One young promoter monitors handwashing, face masks, disinfection and safe distance. With these classes, the children have advanced in reading, writing and arithmetic and not lost a year. (Our literacy program for women and youth as well as early stimulation for young children remain on hold.) Two young women have recently joined as new educators.
• Continued our Midwifery and Motlan Dental Programs which are both operating with high demand amidst different precautions.
• Focused on the children and adults with special needs, updating our registrations to include new people, and now getting individuals to appointments for health consults. At present there are 40 children and 39 adults who receive active follow-up.
• Maintained our registry of deaths in the village, especially important as the position of civil registrar for vital statistics has been vacant since December 2019. Promoters visit each household with a death in the family to offer condolences and food and obtain a short history. This has helped us keep roughly up-to-date on covid occurrence in the village.
• Conducted two full days of promoter training (on topics of: security and development milestones of children under five years) with weekly follow-up learning circles.
• Started a vegetable and herb garden in the yard of the Atzin Office – we decided to walk the talk of eating higher nutrient food, and are making progress as a team in Cuernavaca. Each plant is very much appreciated!
• Completed many administrative matters that were put aside during the intense first year of covid – while perhaps less than exciting to report, these details are actually what keep the programs running.

Thank you with grateful appreciation of all encouragement - we press on with the creation of opportunities for better times.

Susan Smith
Director, Atzin

Links:

• Returning to Strength The Long Road from Conquest to Discovery
• Website for Atzin