El SalvadorIHELP Projects
Earlier in July I had the opportunity of attending an IHELP trip to Texistepeque in El Salvador! When I was presented with the potential opportunity of going on this trip I was extremely excited and said yes before the question was even finished. Going to other countries and helping the local people in any capacity is something that I am extremely passionate about and hope to continue to do as part of my life’s work. Traveling is such a privilege especially when going outside of the country and I am so grateful for the generous giving by those who donated to IHELP to help make this trip possible.
Although the trip only consisted of a week-long, the work and training that we provided were extremely impactful to those within the Texistepeque area. Never being on an IHELP trip before I was nervous due to simplistic reasons such as, will I really be able to empower these new Community Health Workers (CHWs), are they going to connect with me despite the language barrier, and I even questioned if our work will be reciprocated well enough for them to make an impact within their own communities. All of these questions were reassured and answered on the very first day within minutes of arriving and meeting the new CHWs that we were training in the El Jute area.
The training for this group consisted of 7 very vibrant, personable, talkative, yet very passionate women who were determined to learn new materials that could help make a difference in their community. Being in their presence each day for a week and learning about the different basic struggles in which they face was truly impactful for me and on my life. It was one of the best reminders as to why the work that I was doing with IHELP was so important. One topic that stood out to the CHWs was the importance of clean drinking water. Not realizing how impactful clean water is was not only eye-opening for them but also made an impact on me. We forget within our daily lives to appreciate the little things in life, like clean water, not a day goes by where I really question if my water is safe and clean to drink. However, the process in which each of these women and everyone in their community has to go through just to obtain “clean” water is extremely extensive. Without this training, these women and those within their communities would not have known to take precautions towards different types of water sources. Thankfully with the help of our generous donors, we were able to supply them with information and supplies that help educate them on preventative measures towards potential infectious diseases.
Not only were we able to educate, equip, and empower each of these new CHWs, I also felt empowered due to each of their testimonies that they had to share. Their reasonings as to why they each wanted to become a CHW were extremely raw and vulnerable testimonies. Personally, I was inspired by each of them in different ways and simply by their willingness to not only be the faces for their community in times of need but also their dedication to come and learn from us each and every day. One of them was a new mom to a baby who was just 4 months old. She underwent extreme complications throughout her pregnancy along with her labor process, and her struggle to obtain care at a hospital was gut-wrenching to hear about. Due to the different hardships she endured during this time is the reasoning behind why she wanted to become a CHW, so that way she can help others not struggle with the same issues that she did. Being able to provide not only medical supplies (such as a blood pressure cuffs, stethoscope and a pulse oximeter) but also the basic knowledge on vital signs and the importance of different blood pressure readings, allowed for hope to be implemented within their community due to their ability to now help provide initial care to those within their communities.
I am so extremely grateful for the opportunity that I had to go down to El Salvador and work alongside Ashley (IHELP Fellow) to help continue the IHELP mission. Although we were there to train and provide teachings to new CHWs, they also taught me valuable lessons that needed to be reminded of. The importance of appreciating all the little things that are provided to us and to express gratitude for them was just one lesson that I was reminded of. The work that IHELP continues to do around the world is truly empowering to not only those that receive it but also to those that work/volunteer for the mission as well. This trip is one that I will not forget and I am hopeful that I will not only get to continue this type of work in the future but that exposure to the mission provided by IHELP grows!
– Jordan Rittberger, Intern
