Internship Notes: The waiting game

Week 3
Last week, our meeting at the hospital ended with resolution that everybody would meet with their respective higher-ups and find a date for the workshop. The dates set by the state health department came too soon and everyone recognized that it would create too much of a burden on an already overworked personnel.

During the waiting, we started drawing up plans of contingency plans is all organizations were not able to participate. I thought that it would be interesting to give the ”pre-test” to a wider array of health workers, to see what their baseline measure of attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors are in relation to HIV/AIDS. We had received conflicting reports as to whether staff had been trained or attended any type of workshop addressing HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination. If we couldn’t recruit participants for the workshop, at the least we could see what the needs are.


Nothing came, on Wednesday, we made some calls and sent emails prodding our collaborators to respond. On Thursday, Maria and Juan went into Celaya to talk to the local health jurisdiction administrators and came back with terrific news. They had set dates for the workshop for the beginning of July (the week after the summer institute in Puebla). That evening, Dr. Meza also replied confirming the dates in early July, and informing us that a hotel in Celaya would be available with breakfast for the workshop participants. Dr. Meza wasn’t done with his good news for the project. He also mentioned that the workshop would be incorporated in the training curriculum for CAPASITS and the local health jurisdiction. We weren't sure if our project would have posterity, but now, the state HIV guy was saying that it would continue after we had finished our part.

On Thursday, I also sent Dr. Meza an email requesting an interview for the internship. I would like to know more about his position and what his previous experience was that landed him here. I am also curious into gathering insight into the doctor-dominated hierarchy. In our first meeting, he told me of a needle-exchange program in one of the cities in the state. I thought it would be interesting for me to visit that site, to check out how they run things differently from programs I am familiar with in SF.

Next week: figure out how CAPASITS can become more involved with the development and presentation of the workshop; and work on an additional page to the pre-evaluation with the goal of finding out if people have been trained in HIV, HIV stigma/ discrimination, Universal Pre-Cautions, or anything related…

Amidst all the waiting, I have been visiting CASA periodically helping them with a couple of projects. Tuesday, a bunch of volunteers met concerning the big August fundraiser "Margarita Contest." The goal for is to bring a bunch of restaurants from the community to compete for SMA’s best Margarita. Restaurants will provide their entries, money from the tickets for the event will go to CASA . The money from the event will go to CASA's nutrition program, where they have a bunch of innovative interventions designed to encourage healthy eating (promotores, radionovela, theatre, etc.). I am not sure if a Margarita contest is the best way to promote nutrition, but if the ends justify the means. Right?

In addition to the promotores and margaritas, CASA wants to start an organic garden on their compound (pictures to come later). The idea is to use compost from the kitchen to grow fruits and veggies for clients and community members. Cynthia has enlisted the help of a few local organic farms, one who was present at Tuesday’s meeting was Rancho Toyan. They have a USDA organic certification, and a farm that serves both the local and international markets. They are investing on the popularity of organic produce, and are depending on conscious consumers who choose to spend a little extra for food that is produced sustainably. To encourage this new movement with their own clients, CASA is forming partnerships and with organic farmers and creating their own little garden to demonstrate the benefits. At the margarita contest, there will be samples of tasty organic food provided from another of the volunteers who is a chef. In the spirit of partnership, Rancho Toyan offered a tour of their farm.