By Rebecca Goins | Global Engagement & Development Manager
Dear Project Hearts Donors,
In rural Baitoa, Dominican Republic, many families face preventable health issues simply because they lack access to basic knowledge and resources. Not only is public health education limited, but high transportation costs make medical care hard to reach. Led and supported by members of the community, Project Hearts steps in with a model that invests in people, not just temporary fixes.
We’re excited to share that on June 18, Project Hearts officially kicked off our 12th cohort of the Community Health Leadership (CHL) Program in Baitoa. Some medical emergencies have prevented the full group from meeting all together, but we anticipate a total of seven to eight women will participate this cycle!
Among the students, we have both new and familiar faces. One woman had previously enrolled but had to withdraw due to work commitments. She’s returned this year, now running her own business and with more control over her time. This illustrates that the program leaves a lasting impression on our members. Another participant is the new Youth Empowerment Program Coordinator at Project Hearts, further building bridges across our different programs.
The course continues to be led by Juana, who was a student herself in our very first CHL cohort more than 10 years ago! Later in the year, she’ll be joined by Manuela, our WASH Program Coordinator, who will lead sessions on administering injections and taking blood pressure. Like Juana, Manuela also first got involved in Project Hearts as a CHL student, and is now nearing college graduation with a nursing degree. Their growth and leadership are exactly why this program matters.
To set the tone for what is to come, the curriculum began with a class on leadership and what it means to be a leader, sparking enthusiastic participation. As the months progress, students will receive notebooks, binders, and writing supplies, followed later by blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, and small incentive gifts of their choice. To complete the program, each student must share what they’ve learned with at least five families in their neighborhood, multiplying the program’s reach throughout Baitoa. The program will culminate in a final exam in November and a celebratory graduation in December. Once this class completes the course, Project Hearts will have trained over 100 Community Health Leaders in and around Baitoa. That’s 100+ women equipped to teach their neighbors about clean water, reproductive health, and chronic disease prevention, and sometimes quite literally to save lives, including their own.
Your continued support makes all of this possible. If you’d like to help cover student supplies, support the upcoming graduation, or invest in the next generation of health leaders in Baitoa, please consider making a gift.
Thank you for believing in the power of women-led health education and leadership. At Project Hearts, we are so proud of what these women are building not just for themselves, but for their entire community.
With gratitude,
The Project Hearts Team and GRACE Cares
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