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Stories From The Field

Jumairi

Jumairi and her grandmother Marisol Luna live in Semillero, a barrio of Santiago, Dominican Republic. Jumairi lives with her grandmother because both her parents are in prison. Jumairi's father murdered her older sister and Jumairi's mother was found guilty by the Dominican courts for accessory to murder. At fifteen months of age Jumairi has not had any childhood vaccinations. Her birth has not yet been registered so she has no birth certificate.

Thankfully Jumairi and Marisol will now receive the support they need through International Child Care's Community Based Health Program, which is currently expanding to encompass Semillero as well as ten other communities in Santiago.

International Child Care has a strategic process for beginning work in a new community. First, the health team targets new communities that neighbor communities where International Child Care already works. This allows the institution to build on established relationships and facilitates supervision. Second, the health team investigates to see if the prospective community has a large population of children under the age of five. Young children are the focus of ICC's health services in the Dominican Republic. The health team also explores whether or not there is a neighborhood group that will partner with International Child Care in providing services.

International Child Care does not just show up in a community and begin work. Rather, ICC looks to the people to decide whether they want the health program to be a part of their community's development. The health team also observes the general living conditions and health care of the community as a whole and determines if ICC's Community Based Health Program is necessary. When the health team decides that services are needed they identify community leaders and explain the program to them. They also request that the community leader call for a community meeting, allowing the health team to introduce the program. At that time the community discusses what they have learned and decides whether or not to go forward with the program. If the community decides affirmatively, International Child Care will bring the Community Based Health Program to their particular community.

Next, the community selects a health worker to be trained by the ICC/DR health team in nutrition, hygiene, first aid, and basic health knowledge. The ICC/DR health team also enters each community to do interviews. These interviews give the health team an overview of the general health of the community and the overall level of basic health knowledge that the community has. In addition, it gives a base line for future evaluations, which will show the impact the program has had on a particular community.