We continue our series on Pueblo a Pueblo’s Maternal Child Health project. Read the first post here.
Everyday, our Maternal Child Health team -- led by a small but mighty group of three women -- spend their days supporting mothers and infants through the critical periods of pregnancy and early childhood.
Everyday, our Maternal Child Health team -- led by a small but mighty group of three women -- spend their days supporting mothers and infants through the critical periods of pregnancy and early childhood.
Our Maternal Child Health project team (from left to right: Jemima, Rebeca, and Vilma)
From accompanying women to their pre- and post-natal appointments to conducting regular home visits, we are extending access to necessary medical care and knowledge in rural Guatemalan communities, where resources to health services are extremely scarce.
Our beneficiary mothers are carrying out healthy pregnancies, and their children are exceeding the national infant mortality rates. Lives are improving in rural Guatemala.
However, the great successes we have seen so far have only been possible because of the support of our MCH sponsors. A sponsorship makes all the difference.
Our beneficiary mothers are carrying out healthy pregnancies, and their children are exceeding the national infant mortality rates. Lives are improving in rural Guatemala.
However, the great successes we have seen so far have only been possible because of the support of our MCH sponsors. A sponsorship makes all the difference.
Anne with her MCH-sponsored child, Anna Veronica
Meet Anne, a 60-year-old educator from Michigan. Anne’s ties to Pueblo a Pueblo run deep, reaching back to 2005, when Hurricane Stan hit Central America-- leaving many Guatemalan communities devastated. Around the same time, Anne had been reading about the high rate of infant mortality in Santiago Atitlan and its surrounding communities.
“I began to learn how children in Guatemala were dying before they were a year old because access to medical services were so rare.” When the hurricane hit in 2005, the few resources that were available in Santiago and other nearby towns were destroyed.
“After hearing about all of this, I wanted to help. I found Pueblo a Pueblo through their website, and saw how this is a program supporting pregnant mothers and infants. I became an MCH sponsor to Elena, a mother, and her daughter Anna Veronica.”
“I began to learn how children in Guatemala were dying before they were a year old because access to medical services were so rare.” When the hurricane hit in 2005, the few resources that were available in Santiago and other nearby towns were destroyed.
“After hearing about all of this, I wanted to help. I found Pueblo a Pueblo through their website, and saw how this is a program supporting pregnant mothers and infants. I became an MCH sponsor to Elena, a mother, and her daughter Anna Veronica.”
Elena with her daughter Anna Veronica as an infant
Anne quickly became part of the family’s lives, and stayed up to date with Elena and Anna Veronica via correspondence coordinated by Pueblo a Pueblo. Along the way, there have been visits to see the family in Guatemala, and even a song written in honor of Elena. Sixteen years later, Anne is still in contact with her first MCH-sponsored family.
Since 2005, Anne has sponsored three mothers and their children as part of the MCH project. Her monthly contribution as an MCH sponsor has translated into vital pre-natal appointments, preventative check-ups for children, and free clinic visits for sick days.
Maria Gonon and her son Esdras, who Anne currently sponsors
What started as a desire to help mothers and infants in rural Guatemala turned into action, and overtime, Anne’s contributions as an MCH sponsor has had a great collective impact on the lives of multiple families.
Anne’s story doesn’t have to be unique. You can help empower mothers and infants in rural Guatemala too. Your sponsorship translates into real impact- an impact that is transforming lives and communities.
Anne’s story doesn’t have to be unique. You can help empower mothers and infants in rural Guatemala too. Your sponsorship translates into real impact- an impact that is transforming lives and communities.
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