Organization For The Development Of The Indigenous Maya - Odim

ODIM OFFERS PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH EDUCATION IN TWO TZ'UTUJIL MAYA COMMUNITIES ON LAKE ATITLÁN, GUATEMALA (SAN JUAN LA LAGUNA AND SAN PABLO LA LAGUNA) THROUGH TWO MEDICAL CLINICS AND FIVE COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO PREVENT ILLNESS AND ENABLE AN ELEVATED QUALITY OF LIFE AND SUSTAINABLE CHANGE.

IN 2023, CLÍNICA SANJUANERITA (SAN JUAN LA LAGUNA) AND CLÍNICA CHUITINAMIT (SAN PABLO LA LAGUNA) OFFERED SUBSIDIZED, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TO 2,576 PATIENTS, INCLUDING FROM 40 SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDED 1,427 DIABETES TREATMENTS, 2,975 LABORATORY TESTS, 1,910 FAMILY PLANNING METHODS DELIVERED, 629 ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENTS, 256 PRENATAL CONSULTATIONS, 98 BACH FLOWER THERAPY TREATMENTS, AND DENTAL CARE TO 448 PATIENTS.

THE MAMÁ Y YO SALUDABLE (HEALTHY MOMMY AND ME) PROGRAM IS AIMED AT IMPROVING MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH TO COMBAT MALNUTRITION DURING THE FIRST 1,000 DAYS OF A CHILD'S LIFE. THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES A MONTHLY EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR AND SUPPORT GROUP FOR EXPECTANT AND NEW MOTHERS THROUGH AGE TWO YEARS OF THE CHILD. PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT TOPICS SUCH AS HEALTHY NUTRITION DURING THEIR PREGNANCY, BREAST FEEDING, CHILD NUTRITION, COOKING TECHNIQUES, HYGIENE AND INFANT CARE, VACCINATIONS, FAMILY PLANNING METHODS, AND HOW TO RESOLVE EMOTIONAL CONFLICTS WITH SPOUSES AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. SUPPORT GROUPS ARE LED BY LOCAL HEALTH PROMOTERS WHO HAVE BEEN EDUCATED BY GUATEMALAN AND INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. IN 2023, A TOTAL OF 133 MOTHERS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM, AND THEY RECEIVED 910 FOOD VOUCHERS TO PURCHASE FOOD FROM LOCAL MERCHANTS DURING THE YEAR. ODIM HEALTH PROMOTERS CONDUCTED 77 IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS WITH MOTHERS, HELD 7 SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS, AND 24 FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS TO CHECK THE HEIGHT AND WEIGHT OF THE CHILDREN. AT THE END OF THE YEAR, 22 MOTHERS AND THEIR TODDLERS GRADUATED FROM THEIR 1,000 DAYS IN THE PROGRAM. BASED ON REGULAR HEIGHT AND WEIGHT MEASUREMENTS OF THE INFANTS AND TODDLERS, 64% OF THE CHILDREN FROM SAN JUAN AND SAN PABLO IN THE GRADUATION CLASS ACHIEVED A HEALTHY HEIGHT AND WEIGHT FOR A TWO-YEAR OLD CHILD. A TOTAL OF 330 MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN BENEFITED FROM THE PROGRAM IN 2023.

HIGH IMPACT HOME IMPROVEMENTS/ VIVIENDAS SALUDABLE FOUNDED IN 2018, ODIM'S HIGH IMPACT HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AIMS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN SAN PABLO AND SAN JUAN THROUGH IMPACTFUL HOME INTERVENTIONS. FAMILIES IN OUR PROGRAM RECEIVE EFFICIENT, ONIL WOOD-BURNING STOVES THAT REDUCE OR ELIMINATE SMOKE IN THE HOMES AND ECOFILTRO WATER FILTERS, WHICH REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE NUMBER OF BACTERIA IN DRINKING WATER. THESE TWO HOME INTERVENTIONS COMBAT THE PREVALENCE OF RESPIRATORY AND GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESSES CAUSED BY TOXIC SMOKE INHALATION AND CONSUMPTION OF CONTAMINATED WATER. EACH FAMILY ALSO RECEIVES SEVEN EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS TO LEARN HOW TO USE AND MAINTAIN THESE INTERVENTIONS AS WELL AS STRATEGIES TO MAINTAIN THE OVERALL HEALTH AND HYGIENE OF THE HOME. IN 2023, INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERS AND ODIM STAFF INSTALLED 70 ONIL STOVES AND 81 ECOFILTERS, BENEFITING A TOTAL OF 334 INDIVIDUALS. ODIM HEALTH PROMOTERS CONDUCTED 131 FOLLOW-UP EVALUATION INTERVIEWS TO MONITOR THE USE AND FUNCTIONING OF THE INTERVENTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, 16 WATER FILTERS WERE DONATED TO LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BENEFITING 1,680 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.