Fall, 2006

Dear Friends and Supporters of Project Children's Health,

Greetings on behalf of Barrio Walter Ferrety and

the Consuelo Buitrago Women's Association !

Thanks to all of you, the Consuelo Buitrago Health Clinic is completing its fourth year of successfully providing primary health care to thousands of poor Nicaraguans. You'll see from the Clinic Report that the clinic continues to serve over 400 patients each month on an annual budget of $20,000, raised through: this newsletter; the annual Santa Cruz Bailethon held in November; and friends in Europe.

The Clinic also receives support from Direct Relief International, which provides medicines and supplies. DRI Program Officer Dan Smith recently returned from Nicaragua, where he completed an assessment of the project. He kindly gave permission to include these excerpts from his report.

General & Specific Health Indicators	Nicaragua
DRI/UNDP Indices of health and welfare	4 out of 112
Population	5,487,000
Urban - Rural Split	57% - 43%
Per Capita GDP per year	2,832 US dollars
% of population living on $1 or less/day	45%
Percentage of government expenditure allocated to health	7.7%
Maternal Mortality rate (per 100,000)	230
Infant Mortality (per 1,000 live births)	31
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate	0.1-0.3%
% of newborns with low birth weight	12%

According to the Agency for International Development (AID), less than 50 percent of Nicaragua's population has access to essential medications, and there are only eighty-six physicians per 100,000 people. The Consuelo Buitrago Women's Association (AMUCOBU) is located in the Walter Ferrety barrio, one of the poorest and most dangerous human settlements in Nicaragua. With a population of 5,000 residents, over half are under the age of 15 as a result of the country's protracted and violent civil war. Gang violence, drug abuse, AIDS, and family violence are also commonplace and are exacerbated by an exceptionally high unemployment rate. The AMUCOBU clinic is the only medical facility located within this settlement, and in addition to providing primary health care it also offers health education, psychological services, and vocational training.

The crumbling concrete block and tin-roofed houses, dusty unpaved streets, irregular or non-existent trash pickup, the presence of many gangs and drug dealers, and a water supply that is available only every few days in the dry season make this barrio both unsafe and unhealthy. Although the AMUCOBU complex is made of the same physical construction and is in the same deteriorating condition, it is an oasis of medical and emotional support in the midst of this impoverished urban setting.

The AMUCOBU complex provides a much-needed service to the impoverished Walter Ferrety residents. No other health care providers are located near them, and there is a strong and evident need for their services. The reputation of AMUCOBU within the community appears to be very high and positive, based on conversations with barrio residents.

Dan Smith, Program Officer DRI

Take it from Dan and his independent review of the project – this health clinic provides invaluable services on a shoestring. Together with DRI, WE ARE THE ONLY SOURCE OF FUNDING. Your generous support is crucial to the health and well-being of thousands of poor Nicaragua citizens. Thank you so much for your gift to this project and also for your support all of these years. Every cent goes directly to support the Consuelo Buitrago Health Clinic!

Muchas gracias,

Jill Winegardner

Project Coordinator

Consuelo Buitrago Health Clinic Report:

January–September 2006

House to house visits:

The medical clinic staff went round the barrio house to house in order to identify children under five years old to review their vaccination cards and at the same time to identify pregnant women and women of child bearing age to enroll them in prenatal care at the health clinic. A total of 78 follow up visits were made.

Educational talks:

Each month, three or four educational talks were given to clinic patients on topics such as sexually transmitted diseases, skin diseases, and lactation.

Staff training:

The clinic staff underwent training including a session on coping with natural disasters.

Medical consultations:

There were a total of 3,893 medical consultations, which averages 433 visits per month. Of these, 313 were prenatal control and family planning visits and 1,068 were related to child development.

Common diseases in children under 5 years of age:

Acute respiratory diseases accounted for 868 cases and acute diarrheaic conditions accounted for 161 cases.

Vaccinations:

3,286 vaccinations were administered to children and women of childbearing age.

Nurses' visits:

There were 3,206 visits to the nurse, most commonly for injections, medicine, nebulizer treatments for respiratory problems, and wound stitch removal.

Featured Community Leader – Esmeralda Lorente, an inspiration for us all

Community activist Esmeralda Lorente, like most of the other 30 individuals who work at the center, has lived in the Walter Ferrety barrio since its inception in 1989. Her husband, a Sandinista soldier, was killed in combat in 1987 during the contra war, leaving her with six children to raise.

Later that year, Esmeralda founded the Women's Collective that later became the Consuelo Buitrago' Women's Association (AMUCOBU). She has spearheaded the grassroots community development work in the barrio, starting in 1989 with the installation of drinking water for everyone. Over the last 17 years, other projects have included a network of health promoters, a soy nutrition program for malnourished children, a primary school, adult literacy programs, puppet theater for public health education, and ultimately the health clinic.

Currently, Esmeralda is administrator for the entire community center. The center complex consists of a primary school, several buildings where health education and occupational trainings are held, and the health clinic and pharmacy. Plan International works with AMUCOBU to construct adequate housing for community members and to date has constructed 40 'pre-fab' homes. AMUCOBU has a cake-making school, a computer training room, and its own music/dance group is also located within the confines of their complex.

AppleMark Esmeralda is a true leader respected by everyone within this struggling community, and is often called upon for other tasks; for example, recently she hosted a young mother with no place to go after being abandoned by her husband and left on Esmeralda's doorstep with an encephalitic newborn.

At the same time, a homeless man was sleeping outside her home on the ground, as he knew that at least here he would be safe from the gangs that roam the neighborhood. Esmeralda and her colleagues are offering some degree of security, schooling and medical care that the government is unable to provide.

Esmeralda writes of the health clinic, Bueno esto gracias al apoyo de todos y todas ustedes que hacen posible que esto se haga realidad. (All of this is thanks to the support of all of you, who have made this a reality.)

If you are interested in supporting this work please print and use the form below if you are in USA or Canada. For supporters in Europe or elsewhere in the world, please contact donations@amucobu.org for further information.

PROJECT CHILDREN'S HEALTH

Remember that 100% of your donation goes directly to the Project. Not a single penny

goes for administrative or other costs. Remember, too, that your donation is tax-deductible

Check here if you would like a letter documenting your donation for your tax records.

On behalf of all the residents of Barrio Walter Ferretty, thank you for your continued

moral and financial support. Make your check out to Women's Empowerment Network

and send this coupon and your check to:

WEN, c/o Jill Winegardner, 629 Palm, Watsonville CA 95076

$500 $250 $100 $50 $25 Other _______________

Name _________________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________