Since 1987 MAMA Project has been working in Honduras. We have grown through the years and have been
able to help MANY people in Honduras. Here's a look at some of the work that is done in Honduras.
Health/ Hygiene Education is done at both the village level, and also at our Nutriton
Center in Honduras. We have developed many of our own materials, and also use material from parallel organizations
such as the Ministry of Health of Honduras, and the Hesperian Foundation (e.g. "Where There is No Doctor").
Medical Brigades -- We are trying to refocus and change our strategy to be
more involved with promoting preventive rather than curative medicine in our medical contacts with the communities.
We want to find more ways to equip the Hondurans whenever possible, rather than being the primary providers
of short-term care.
Work Teams -- to serve in Honduras, but also to learn from Hondurans. To prepare
our teams for the experience, we offer a series of Cross-Cultural Ministry Training seminars. It is important for volunteers
to cultivate a perspective on service that is not centered on themselves and their needs, but is truly geared to the
needs and desires of the people that we are serving. Of course, as visiting foreigners, we are always in for many
surprises, but spending time preparing our minds and hearts to become truly humble and open is an important part of
becoming good partners in this work of love.
Deworming and Vitamin A Promotion -- Intestinal parasites cause an enormous degree of
suffering on a worldwide scale in developing countries. Honduras is a prime example. Deworming children promotes
growth, and allows them to be more successful in school. The cost is low (about 5 cents per dose) and
the "cure" lasts for 6 months. We follow the Mininstry of Health Protocol, using Albendazol. Vitamin A deficiency
is a major cause of blindness in Honduras. Less well-known is the role that Vitamin A deficiency plays in creating an
immune-deficiency state in malnourished children, leading to tremendous susceptibility to infectious disease. The role
of community education cannot be overstated, but for the short-term, many programs, including MAMA Project, have found
the distribution of mega-dose (200,000IU) Vitamin A capsules to be an important intervention in saving the sight and life
of many children.
Medicines and medical supplies have been generously donated by many pharmaceutical companies,
and are being used by local practioners and medical teams to bring help to many who would not otherwise have the benefit of such
treatment.
Community Development - This takes many forms. An important aspect of
this work for MAMA Project is the promotion of Nutrition Clubs in the villages in which we have our preschools
and medical and deworming campaigns. We especially focus on the villages from which severely malnourished children
have come to the San Francisco Nutrition Center.
Scholarship Programs - We have a small number of scholarships that we give to students
in the San Francisco area. Students that receive scholarships show their grades to our staff director every quarter
to show that they are using their scholarship money correctly.
