Help Peruvian TB Patients Start Microbusinesses

Once again, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who donated to GlobeMed at the University of Chicago! Your generous donations played a major role in GlobeMed's successful attempt to raise 10,000 USD in support of ASPAT-Peru, both on and off GlobalGiving.  In the next few months, 15 recovering tuberculosis patients will have the opportunity to attend an entrepreneurship training seminar where they will learn how to implement their own microbusinesses, an opportunity which would have remained out of their reach without you.  Your belief in the worthiness of our cause has made a tangible impact in their lives.

GlobeMed at the University of Chicago reached the 10,000 USD mark at the end of June, after fundraising on the GlobalGiving site and hosting several large scale benefits on the University of Chicago campus.  Once ASPAT received the funds we wired them, they immediately began to implement the entrepreunership training program.  The majority of this update will focus on the steps that have been taken thus far, and the timeline for future completion of our project.

REPORT ON PROGRESS JUNE - AUGUST
1.1 Briefings were held in eight different health clinics in the cities of Lima and Callao throughout July, reaching approximately 70 interested persons affected by tuberculosis (PATS).  At these briefings, the PATs were informed of the details of the microbusiness program, focusing on such details as the length of training time they'd need to be willing to dedicate and the selection criteria that they would have to meet if they hoped to benefit from our program.  Briefings were run by ASPAT, and attended by select members of GlobeMed at the University of Chicago. 

1.1 (a) The Selection Criteria:

• Larger Family Size
• Strong Support System
• Current Low Income Level
• History of Reliability as Measured by Compliance to their Treatment Regimens 

1.1 (b) Briefing Statistics

Health Clinics: Number of Patient Attendees

1. Mi Peru: 24
2. Angamos: 3
3. Faucett: 5
4. 200 Millas: 8
5. Aeropuerto:9
6. Fauccett:6
7. Ramon Castilla:5
8. Villa Sr. de los Milagros:7

TOTAL: 67

1.2 After the initial briefings were completed, ASPAT began interviewing all of the PATs who met the selection criteria in early August, from which 15 people will be chosen to attend the seminars and receive the microbusiness training. This phase (briefings and interviews combined) is projected to cost about 2,000 USD, though we will only know exact costs once all of the interviews are finished.  Interviews were run by ASPAT and members of GlobeMed at the University of Chicago.

1.2 (a) Interview Statistics

Health Clinics: Number of Patients Interviewed

1. Mi Peru: 4
2. Angamos: 1
3. Faucett: 1       
4. Aeropuerto: 2
5. Fauccett: 1
6. Ramon Castilla: 2
7. Villa Sr. de los Milagros: 2
8. Santa Rosa: 5
9. Peru Corea - Pachacutec: 1
10. Ventanilla Baja: 1
11. Marquez: 1

TOTAL: 21

GENERAL PROJECTED SCHEDULE SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER:
2.1 and 2.2 Once patients are selected, they will begin to be trained according to the CEFE methodology. Their families will be incorporated into their training, to further improve the patients' support systems.  This training will have two modules: one will focus on the development of personal entrepreneurial characteristics and skills, and the second module will be strictly for the development of business management.

 3.1 Members of ASPAT will assess the feasibility of implementing the patients' proposed microbusinesses.  Start-up loans will be provided to help with the implementation of feasible businesses.

GENERAL PROJECTED SCHEDULE DECEMBER 2013 - FEBRUARY 2014:

 3.1 Members of ASPAT will continue to assess the feasibility of implementing the patients' proposed microbusinesses.  Start-up loans will be provided to help with the implementation of feasible businesses.

3.2  ASPAT will also support the business by providing advertising and technical support to program graduates.  They will provide advice to PATs and their families to help them improve their business models if necessary.

3.3 The businesses will be monitored by ASPAT for their efficacy and probable sustainability.    

This phase of the project is projected to require the remainder of our 8,000 USD for costs such as:

• Seminar leaders / professors
• Seminar logistics (food, rental space, lodging, etc.)
• Advertising and promotion
• Start-up funds

Before I wrap up this report, I'd like to share with you some photos we've received of ASPAT and the patients while interviews were being conducted.  In the words of one prospective micro-entrepreneur, this program is like:

"...a push they are giving us, that drives us to do something.  And they [ASPAT and GlobeMed] will give us the experience of not just trying something, but of doing it." - Cristhian, a tuberculosis patient in Ventanilla, Callao, Peru

Thanks to your help, we have been able to create a sense of empowerment in Cristhian, and hopefully in many more patients like him. As always, we want you to know that we value every contribution we receive, and that we deeply appreciate the sacrifices that you have made to be able to give your hard-earned money to our cause.  Your donations have helped us achieve our 10,000 USD goal and supported a program working to alleviate the extreme poverty that is so often the underlying cause of tuberculosis.  Please consider telling your family and friends about us - so that we can continue sustain our partnership with ASPAT and work to improve the lives of people like Cristhian!

On behalf of everyone at GlobeMed at UChicago and ASPAT-Peru, we'd like to thank you for your continued support of our organization.  This report was not written by our project leader, Lauren Springett, but rather one of our newer members, who has worked hard communicating with ASPAT to bring this report to you.

Without further ado:

We’d like to thank all of you once more for donating to our program to help tuberculosis patients start microbusinesses.  ASPAT, our partner in Peru, does so much to support people who are affected by tuberculosis, both during and after their illness, and we’re excited to have the opportunity to fund this project.  This effort would be impossible without support from you, our wonderful donors.  The project is slated to begin in June, and will help fifteen TB survivors overcome the stigma and poverty associated with the disease.

We have sent about $5,000 to ASPAT of our $10,000 goal.  This money will be used to fund the business skills training program as well as to provide seed money for the microbusinesses.  We have to emphasize that this is an all-or-nothing project; if we don’t reach our goal, ASPAT will not be able to provide this training or support these microbusiness startups.  Melecio, the founder and head of ASPAT, has told us that a lot of candidates are very excited by this opportunity, so we can’t let them down!

Each summer, we choose a small group of students from our GlobeMed chapter to on the GROW (GrassRoots On-site Work) trip to visit ASPAT’s headquarters in Callao spend time with the staff and patients.  This is where they evaluate ASPAT’s needs and develop a project that makes an impact where it is needed most.  Our current project was developed during last year’s GROW trip, and it addresses the poverty that both results from TB and exacerbates its harm.

As we speak, the staff of ASPAT is in the process of hiring facilitators for the training program and choosing candidates.  The standards are very high for the participants.  From one hundred applicants, the staff of ASPAT will select fifteen people to receive training and support as they start their microbusinesses.  The participants should have desire and motivation.  They should be driven to succeed, and determined to make the most of this opportunity.  They must have the strength of character it takes to go from suffering from a debilitating disease to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Here again are the criteria for selecting the participants:

• Larger Family Size

• Strong Support System

• Current Low Income Level

• History of Reliability as Measured by Compliance to their Treatment Regimens

Melecio and his colleagues are also very closely vetting the facilitators.  Melecio told us that they must be equally motivated; this project should be a labor of love.  They have to be dependable, with a lot of integrity, and have no personal problems that could interfere with their jobs.  In addition, it is essential that the facilitators form close bonds with the program participants; they will be the participants’ primary support network, and will continue to support them and advise them after the program ends.

Once again, here is the outline for the implementation of this project:

GENERAL PROJECTED SCHEDULE:

2.1 and 2.2 Once patients are selected, they will begin to be trained according to the CEFE methodology. Their families will be incorporated into their training, to further improve the patients' support systems.  This training will have two modules: one will focus on the development of personal entrepreneurial characteristics and skills, and the second module will be strictly for the development of business management.

3.1 Members of ASPAT will assess the feasibility of implementing the patients' proposed microbusinesses.  Start-up loans will be provided to help with the implementation of feasible businesses.

3.2 ASPAT will continue to support the business by providing advertising and technical support to program graduates.

3.3 ASPAT will also provide advice to people affected by TB or their families in improving their business models if necessary.  In this phase, the members of ASPAT will be joined by some select students from GlobeMed at UChicago, who will evaluate the efficacy of the program and the probable sustainability of the microbusinesses.This year’s GROW team is working with students and faculty from the University of Chicago’s renowned economics department to establish metrics for tracking the success of this program, which will help us to improve and refine it in the future.

There is a reason that tuberculosis is so rarely fatal in the United States but can be so devastating in neighborhoods like Callao: poverty.  Anti-tuberculosis regimens are ineffective unless they are paired with balanced diets and plenty of rest from tuberculosis can take years and requires several months off work, which few families are able to manage.  Those who do take time off work often find themselves out of a job after they recover.  

Thank you for helping us to lift fifteen families out of this vicious cycle!  We look forward to your continued support.