helen weld public health: Valuable home visits. . .

Valuable home visits. . .

Last week I accompanied the health educators on home visits, which always refreshes my perspective on the work that needs to be done to improve the conditions of peoples’ lives here. As I sat with Claire on a hemp bag in the tiny, dirt floored, mud- walled, tin-roofed shack, I could see a myriad of holes in the roof, which appeared like constellations on a moonless night. Claire was incredible, her empathetic listening skills giving the woman a safe and comfortable place while eliciting intense and heartfelt conversation as the mama shared her travails of vulnerability and poverty.

At one point during the conversation, Claire paused and translated the woman’s words, “Being able to talk about depression is better than receiving money”. This profound statement held so much poignancy, especially in the context of sitting with this woman in her home who unquestionably qualifies as among the ‘poorest of the poor’ strata. It was amazing to think that we could begin to make a difference in this woman’s impenetrable emotional despair. Her statement completely affirmed that GHI’s newly introduced a unit on mental health to our health and training curriculum is certainly vital.

The mental health of mothers has to be targeted as a key variable when attending to the complex and interrelated factors that lead to malnutrition.

A recently published article, http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/commentary/rich-or-poor-depression-growing-global-crisis discusses that depression is a growing global crisis across all economic classes. “Psychiatrists can play an important role in improving global mental health — not just as physicians — but as advocates, strategists, and teachers. We must find ways to expand access to mental health care through community-based services and primary care. We must train local clinicians, even non-clinicians, to identify and treat patients with mental disorders, and we must work with local governments and community leaders to prioritize mental health care and reduce stigma.” It’s good to know our work at GHI in this realm is contributing to easing the burden of depression and other mental health issues.

Besides providing a chance during home visits for these mothers to confide their individual problems and challenges, reinforcement of key messages from trainings to date, answering questions and providing clarity to issues is also a focus. Nutrition, family planning and mental health appear to be the trainings that spur the most dialogue.

Everyone visited had the printed handouts from the trainings close at hand for reference and some of them had nailed on the wall. Accompanying our extraordinary health educators on home visits is one of my favorite aspects of my work here. I love witnessing the development of their skills and the respect they hold as leaders within the community.

News Flash!

Direct from the Gardens for Health website:

“Julie Carney, GHI’s incredible Country Director, was recently named an Ashoka Fellow. This is exciting news for both Julie and Gardens for Health! This prestigious fellowship recognizes the world’s leading network of social entrepreneurs – extraordinary change makers who find new solutions to social problems. As GHI has been lucky enough to witness firsthand, Julie is the definition of a change maker.”

Congratulations, Julie, we are so proud that you have received this well deserved recognition and opportunity.

Helen