By Juana "Nina" Rodriguez | Coordinator of Community Learning
On August 2, 2023 we inaugurated our 10th cohort of Community Health Leaders (CHLs), and we couldn’t be more excited for the 8 women who have been dedicated to learning about preventative health topics for the past 4 months.
In past cohorts Project Hearts has proudly graduated teenagers as CHLs, but this year we have our youngest attendee by far. Of course, they haven’t even been born yet, so their participation isn’t exactly voluntary, but they will most certainly benefit from the health knowledge being imparted to their mom, Davianny.
Davianny, 19 years old, lives in the community of Los Ciruelos in Baitoa and is currently 8 months pregnant with her second child. When I asked Davianny if she has learned anything from the course that will help her as a mother, she enthusiastically affirmed, despite already having 4 years’ experience as a parent.
Last week I taught the group about sexually transmitted infections, and as an expecting mom Davianny was especially surprised to learn that some STIs can be passed from mother to child during birth. And, like most parents in Baitoa, Davianny had no idea that breastfeeding is so vital to an infant’s health, growth, and development, and that in addition to powered formula being much more expensive, it is also much less nutritional.
I love introducing women to new information, and seeing how the knowledge gives them power and self-confidence. Davianny is going to be an amazing leader and role model for her community, and I hope her children will grow to follow her example. Perhaps they’ll even get to enroll in our training some day! Since Davianny’s mom, Denisse, graduated as a CHL in 2022, they would be third-generation Community Health Leaders. I know I would be honored and blessed to still be teaching at Project Hearts in 15 years!
I’m continuously grateful to you for helping us to empower women of all ages here in Baitoa, and I look forward to continuing this good work for as many years as possible.
In gratitude,
-Juana “Niña”
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