Imagine what it would be like to get sick and not have access to basic health care. This is the reality for many children around the world. Providing for the health and vitality of children is one of the primary goals at Children of the Nations (COTN). But many children in Haiti have limited access to health-care facilities, and because of the chronic poverty in this country, their parents are often ill-equipped to protect them from disease. Raising children who are physically healthy is essential to raising children who transform nations.
Why is Your Partnership needed in Haiti?
Access to Medical Services and Facilities:
There are approximately 25 doctors for every 100,000 people.[1] Communicable diseases and insufficient health services leave children vulnerable and contribute to high mortality rates.
It is impossible to fight these diseases without adequate medical-care and health-care infrastructures. Without proper resources, the children of Haiti will continue to suffer from illnesses that could otherwise be prevented.
- Critical Need to Eliminate Malnutrition:
21% of children have had their growth stunted, caused in part by lack of nutrition. 32% of children have a subclinical vitamin A deficiency.
The World Health Organization says that disease and lack of proper nutrition can lead to a weakened immune system. Children in Haiti aren’t receiving the nutritional meals they need to grow healthy and strong.
- Access to Safe Drinking Water, Proper Sanitation, and Hygiene:
Over 2 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. 24% of children are treated for diarrhea due to drinking dirty water. 20% of Haitian children are exposed to open defecation.
Unsafe drinking water often causes severe diarrhea. Diarrhea is a major contributor to infant mortality rates. Proper handwashing is the best way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, but most communities do not have access to handwashing stations or soap. The spread of germs can lead to malaria, cholera, coronavirus, and more.
Uniquely Positioned for Impact
For most of our children, COTN medical staff and clinics are the primary health-care services available in their community. In partnership with village leadership, COTN has provided expert medical staff, equipment, food, access to vaccines, and more for improving the health of each child we serve in Haiti. But as global health concerns escalate, we are limited in our ability to provide the nutrition, preventative care, clean water, and health education necessary to raise these 116 children to be physically healthy.
Our Strategy
Development Goal # 1: Give all COTN children access to quality medical care.
Well-child checks, health promotion, and medical care for all VPP children
Individualized care plans for complex medical needs
All COTN clinic staff undergo annual training and are certified.
Clinics are focused on patient/child safety measures.
Development Goal # 2: Improve the nutritional health of all COTN children.
Implement growth charts in all countries.
Use growth charts to enhance meal programs.
Develop meal planning and standards for staff and parents.
Children eat balanced, nutritious meals daily.
Conduct a community survey and report nutritional deficiencies.
Development Goal # 3: Raise children who are physically healthy through health-promotion activities.
Provide health education curriculum that can be used in all countries.
Provide training for staff so they can offer high quality health education.
Implement bi-annual deworming.
Provide mosquito nets for every child.
Provide opportunities for physical fitness.
Outcomes
Perform annual well-child checks on all 116 Village Partnership Program (VPP) children to determine growth patterns, identify and treat chronic disease, and provide preventative care.
Decrease the percentage of children suffering from malnutrition by 20%. This includes training staff and families on daily nutritional requirements, tracking the children’s progress, and providing supplements when needed.
Implement annual Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) training and practices in all villages to decrease cases of preventable illness and prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
Provide deworming for all children bi-annually.
We are seeking an investment of $32,831. The completion of this project will include:
$6,624 for access to medical care and clinic support
$26,207 for nutrition improvement and balanced meals
[1] All statistics and numbers are specific to Haiti.
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