Welcome to GHI at OSU’s International Volunteering blog! This is where you can find updates about GHI’s International Volunteering Trips to Peru, Malawi and Guatemala this Summer 2014.
This summer from June 3rd to June 17th, 10 members of the OSU Global Health Initiative will be traveling to the town of Shilla in the Ancash region of Peru. We will be volunteering our time to work with a Peruvian anthropologist and community leaders on the construction of a Women’s Health Center. This center will serve as a safe educational space for women and young girls in the community. We will also work on implementing a nutritional curriculum for local schoolchildren to learn how to stay healthy. For two weeks, we will work in conjunction both with the community, and with staff from the non-profit organization Peacework International (http://peacework.org), to build a better understanding of the critical health problems within the region and work to remediate them.
Please be sure to check back in June when we get ready to depart for Peru! We will be posting regular updates and images of our projects and experiences while in Shilla. In the meantime, we encourage you to check out the following resources that provide background information on where we will be volunteering. There you will also find an article written by Cynthia Ingar, the Peruvian anthropologist who we will be working with. Thank you so much for visiting our site, and we hope that you stop by again soon!
CULTURE
VIDEO: Peruvian Indigenous Groups Fight to Save Their Dying Language – by Alexander Houghton
This video is about the challenges Peruvian indigenous languages have in surviving in the modern world and new ways of communication. Making it a part of the education system is key, but a serious challenge.
HEALTH
“Midwifery and Women’s Health in Peru: Visions and Dreams” – by Cynthia Ingar
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/intPeru.asp
This article discusses the challenges Peruvian women are facing in deciding how they would like to give birth. The country has had many health care policy changes that do not always accommodate for traditional methods of birth. Very interesting read to understand the intersection between indigenous culture and the modern state.
“Suffer the Children: Malnutrition and Growing Plenty”
http://www.economist.com/node/10498874?zid=305&ah=417bd5664dc76da5d98af4f7a640fd8a
This Economist article discusses the current state of malnutrition in Peru and how this fits in with Peru’s recent economic growth.
“Inequality and Healthcare in Peru” – by Rachel Goldberg
https://www.medlifeweb.org/blog/item/147-inequality-and-healthcare-in-peru.html
This post discusses the issues Peru faces in delivering healthcare to all people in Peru. Many people are unaware of their health rights and what resources are available to them.
GHI International Volunteering Blog 