Empower 20 Adolescent Girls from Rural Peru

A common reality in non-profit project implementation: timing is everything. Unfortunately, timing did not work in favor of the collaboration with Chimpay, the partner nonprofit in Ollantaytambo, Peru. Going back to the drawing board, Director of Programs, Escolástica, decided to ask Community Health Workers (CHWs) to gauge interest in the Adolescent Girls Empowerment Initiative program among young women in their communities.  

Before long, Escolástica received a full roster of participants between the ages of 12-16. One of the best and most unexpected outcomes of SVH’s Maternal and Child Health Advanced Certification Program (MCHACP) has been the amount of interest it has generated among community members, especially in the theme of family planning. Due to the increased family support in learning about women’s health topics, CHWs were able to easily recruit participants to join the AGEI program.  

With the participant roster set, SVH staff approached a younger CHW to fill the facilitator role. Sonia, a CHW specializing in women’s health from the community of Patacancha, expressed interest in leading training sessions with the help of Quechua-speaking SVH staff member, Yajaida. Starting in September, 20 young women from the high altitude communities will join our facilitators on Saturdays for five half-day sessions over the course of 5 weeks to discuss themes of healthy relationships, changes in adolescence, and sexual and reproductive health. Currently, Sonia and Yajaida are in the process of finalizing the initial training session. They are excited to begin working with this group of dynamic young women, and look forward to creating an impactful experience!