Baptist Church in Ti Place Cazeau ( May 2010)
One of the goals of SANTE FANM AK LAFANMI is to empower young Haitians who want to encourage their peers to abstain from sexual activitity. It is key for adolescents to understand the importance of having healthy sexual behaviors and to know how to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the complications that could happen from the lack of treatment of these STIs. Estephanie Estilet, received training as a sexual health educator from Sante Fanm Ak Lafanmi. As a senior at one of the prestigious Catholic schools in Port-au-Prince, along with other youth leaders in the Baptist Church of Ti Place Cazeau, she organized an event to help educate young church members about the importance of True Love Waits.
CAMP SITE AT TI PLACE CAZEAU ( May 2010)
In Febraury 3, 2010 , a group of medical professionals headed to Haiti to help in the camps, clinics, and local communities in a variety of ways that proved beneficial to the victims of the massive earthquake that took place on January 12, 2010. While performing physical examinations, we discovered a high incidence of gynecological health problems among women due to bathing with unlcean water. Almost all had either urinary tract infections, yeast infections, or bacterial vaginosis, and many had sexually transmitted infections as well. In May 2010, we were able to return and provide much needed medications to appropriately treat these women and educate them about prevention.
The public health problem in Port-au-Prince is at its critical point and will likely worsen before improving. We are seeing an increase in the numbers of women and girls resorting to prostitution in order to survive. I met a sixteen year old girl who had turned to these actitivities in order to bring in money to support not just herself but her mother, father, and younger brother. As a first step, Sante Fanm Ak La Fanmi went to two local camps in Ti Place Cazeau to distribute condoms as well as hand out leaflets to educate people about preventing sexaully transmitted infections.
Orphanage in Delma 33
After the education event at the church and campsite, we went back to the orphanage in Delma 33 to check on the health improvement of the infants and children at this local orphanage. The children had no fever, no diarrhea, and the skin infections improved tremendously. Medications, clothes, and toys again were dontated to this orphanage.
