Improving Maternal-Infant Health for Mayan Women

When a woman joins the Maternal Child Health project, we ensure that she receives three things: subsidized medical care for herself and her newborn; health education to help her care for herself and her child; and a supportive cohort of other sponsored women.

Participating mothers have a lot on their plates. Most of their families depend on income from irregular agricultural labor, leaving the women responsible for bringing in extra earnings, caring for children, and completing household chores.

For example, sponsored mother Concepción has six children. She washes her family’s laundry in the lake, by hand, every day. In addition to her chores at home, she sells a natural fire-starter called ocote and makes intricately beaded embroidery to supplement her family’s income.

The Maternal Child Health project has relieved some of the stressors in Concepción’s life. With Pueblo a Pueblo’s support, she can take her son Juan to the partner clinic when he gets sick. She also began using a contraceptive method earlier this year after being introduced to the topic of family planning during a project workshop.

This project has brought Concepción new resources and knowledge that she can use to keep herself and her family healthy. With a supportive social work team on her side and a friendly cohort of other sponsored women around her, she doesn’t have to face things alone.

On December 4, Concepción and the other sponsored mothers gathered to celebrate another year together. Maternal Child Health team members Rebeca and Vilma led games and distributed Christmas gifts to the women and their children. The whole group shared a picnic meal together, and each mother-child pair posed for a portrait.

Your donations provide relief from the pressures of poverty. The Maternal Child Health project exists to provide women like Concepción the dignity of health care, education, and community. On behalf of our beneficiaries, we wish you the happiest of holidays and thank you deeply for your support!

Links:

• Maternal Child Health at Pueblo a Pueblo

On Tuesday morning, Rebeca Sosof unlocked the Pueblo a Pueblo office early to set up for a Maternal Child Health project workshop. The participating moms arrived soon after; some of them held hands with little ones old enough to wobble in on their own feet, while others carried their babies wrapped up in blankets, snoozing away.

The women were gathering to learn about child development—one of the topics Rebeca and the Maternal Child Health team believe is vital to raising healthy kids. “I tell participants, ‘During the first five years of life, your child’s development is in your hands,’” Rebeca says. “‘You can do so much for your child just by engaging with them, playing with them.’” Mothers who have had an introduction to the topic are more likely to detect developmental abnormalities in their children, Rebeca adds, which can make a life-changing difference for kids who need specialized medical or therapeutic interventions.

During the workshop, Rebeca taught participants about four different areas of development and led them through a series of corresponding exercises. She started by discussing gross motor development and leading the mothers in a game of hopscotch—a great way for kids to gain the strength and coordination they need to perform everyday actions like walking, running, and sitting upright. After addressing fine motor skills and emotional development, Rebeca finished the workshop with a memory game to model positive cognitive development.

The morning was full of games and physical activities, with lots of laughter shared between the women in attendance. The tone of the workshop was intentional, says Rebeca. “When I visit these women at their homes, they tell me about the problems they face every day—problems with husbands and family members, health problems, money problems,” she says. “Many of them have told me that these workshops are like a refuge for them, so I try to make them fun and relaxing.”

But Rebeca is also glad to see participants inspired to apply what they’ve learned—like Elena, who told her after Tuesday’s session, “I'm definitely going to try these exercises with my little one—I just wish I had done more of them with my older children when they were younger!” We incorporate education across the majority of our projects because we believe in the power of moms like Elena to build healthier families and communities using what they learn. Thank you for believing in the Maternal Child Health project. Your support fuels our success!

Links:

• Maternal Child Health at Pueblo a Pueblo