Subcommittee Updates
08.31.22 Home Visit Description for Volunteers – Update
posted September 1st, 2022, 4:10PM by Mindy Lull
Robi Kronberg participated in the July Tanzania team, and during this program she trained new caregivers on how to conduct home visits with volunteers. During the course of this work, she saw it was necessary to update our guidance document to volunteers about participating in home visits. Attached below is the draft revision of this document. Please review and Robi will share about it at our next meeting.
08.31.22 English Language Camp Curriculum Update
posted September 1st, 2022, 4:05PM by Mindy Lull
Also while Robi was in Tanzania she worked on finalizing the English Language Camp Curriculum. Attached below are general information about the curriculum and an example of the Standard 3 English Curriculum. She will be sharing about this at our upcoming meeting.
08.25.22 IGC Committee Update
posted September 1st, 2022, 4:00PM by Mindy Lull
The IGC Advisory Committee is pleased to welcome Dr. Keith DelMonte, Pharm.D. to the committee membership. Keith was voted on to the committee at the last Global Volunteers Board of Directors Meeting. Keith is the Director of Experiential Education at Wegmans School of Pharmacy, and has expertise in Pediatric Pharmacy, Continuing Pharmacy/Medical Education, contraception and is a member of the Medical Reserve Corps. With Global Volunteers, Keith has been to Montana, South Dakota and Tanzania, and is currently a Volunteer Team Leader.
The committee has one additional potential future member, Dr. Camille Hoffman, M.D. who has joined meetings as a guest.
07.06.22 RCP Peru Update
posted July 6th, 2022, 4:35PM by Melinda Lull
Initial work for an RCP Peru program is ongoing. The major activities are below:
- Staff hired include an RCP Technology Manager (Jorge Prieto) and 3 caregivers (Bea Rodriquez and 2 others).
- The priority now is to collect measurements from children 0-5 in neighborhoods surrounding Sagrada Familia. This will help to establish a baseline stunting prevalence and the need in the community.
- The RCP Program has been introduced to groups of mothers in the area.
- Staff are establishing relationships with area health promotors, clinics and government agencies that can help lay the groundwork for RCP.
06.24.22 RCP Caregiver Manager Report Excerpt
posted July 6th, 2022, 4:30PM by Melinda Lull
See below an excerpt from Thekla’s weekly report:
I have been working with the caregivers and coordinating on the meeting on all RCP families to the respectively villages during the children measurement. The plan of the meeting was to remained the RCP families which role do they have to their children as a parents. Also we have been collaborating with the IGC Midwives, Clinic manager, technology manager, localleaders and other medical staffs from the local Dispensary where we are serving. The meeting was very successful due to the fact that Ward executive has managed to share the important issues which a parent either pregnant mom or lactating mom and a child who is under 18years is not suppose to be concerned onalcoholism. He also give order to all the Village executive officers(VEO) to all owners of where theyare selling alcohol they should be having posters showing that it is prohibited for the mentioned group to be seen in that particular places. This is because it affects the growing of the child this will also bring a positive feedback to the program since the family with alcoholism victims will reduce the use of alcohol.
Also the IGC Midwives have managed to educate the moms the effects of using alcohol during pregnancy and also when breastfeeding the baby. We also remind the RCP families on the importance of starting the clinic early for the first three months of the pregnancy .The education was also given to the RCP families on knowing the essence of staying at maternity home since the aim is to have all the RCP families to have a safe delivery at IGC
05.15.22 RCP Caregiver Supervisor Report Excerpt
posted June 6th, 2022, 9:30AM by Melinda Lull
See below an excerpt from Thekla’s weekly report regarding caregiver work targeting struggling families:
- Conducting home visits in Ipalamwa to the families which are still struggling we I have discussed with the families. It was a good chance for the family they express up what is real making them to struggle some of them they are single parent they have failed to accept the situation on been single parent. But I have tried to work with the family members to assist the moms in provision of food, shelter and clothes to the mom and the child also and psychosocial support to the family also. The result of the child been stunted is the result of poor eating habit though some families they have food insecurity they are struggling in getting three meals per day which leads the family to feed the child whatever the family members are feeding.
- I have worked with the caregivers and Clinic Manager on setting the strategies which will be implemented so that we can manage to combact stunting children in Ukwega.The strategies are working very close with the Community health worker (CHW) in sharing the families which are struggling and putting efforts together on helping the family so that the families can have well being since we have a common goal on reaching children their full potentials. Working very close with the local leaders also will help in reducing the number of the stunted children in respectively villages.
04.25.22 Updates from the April Board Meeting
posted April 25th, 2022, 4?05PM by Melinda Lull
The Global Volunteers Board of Directors met on Saturday, April 23rd (remotely). Below are some updates from the meeting.
- Team leader training took place in Minnesota this weekend. Another will be held in December. Reach out to Dorota if you are interested.
- Service program registrations are starting to increase finally!
- Staff have been hired for RCP Peru, and new caregiver positions will be opening to fuel the expansion once the program is established.
- Recruitment and donations for the Ukraine-related programs in Poland have been successful. The first team of volunteers are currently in country.
- Investigation of the feasibility of an RCP program in South Texas is currently ongoing. Bud and Drew visited earlier this month and met with many community partners. They will be returning, joined by Mindy, in May.
04.21.22 Clinic Advisory Committee Update
posted April 25th, 2022, 4:00 PM by Melinda Lull
The clinic advisory committee is happy to announce the appointment of a new physician to the Ipalamwa General Clinic. This is a much needed addition since the departure of Dr. Benjamin earlier this year. The new appointment, Dr. Jackson, has an MD from Dodoma University and completed his internship at the Iringa Referral Hospital. He has been training in Ilula for 3 weeks and officially joins the clinic staff today, April 25th.
The clinic will also be starting a polio vaccine campaign targeting all children under 5 years of age. There has been a polio outbreak in nearby countries and the Tanzania government has directed this campaign and provided all supplies.
02.18.22 Technology Manager Report
posted February 24th, 2022, 9:30 AM by Melinda Lull
See below an excerpt from Husna’s 2.18 weekly Technology Manager’s report.
- Worked with Makutano Online TV to take Documentary about Schools Meals and also for RCP Moms.
Region Nutrition officer wanted to know more about how we provide meals to school and to RCP moms and asked if we can take a documentary and do an interview to Teachers, cooks, children in school and RCP mom. It was very productive and we are able to interview those mention above and I was able to explain a little bit about distribution process and Total number of students and RCP families that we distribute porridge ,Micronutrients and sugar .This documentary will be shared and presented to Iringa Regional Commissioner on 24 February 2022. On that day we will have Nutritional Meeting In Iringa region
- Attended Nutritional committee meeting
I was able to attend and participate the meeting that was held In Iringa Reginal, In this meeting I presented the activities that we done from October to December 2021 and I was been able to also share to other nutritional stakeholders .We also discussed how gender discrimination can cause stunting and also how important is for a father to collaborate with a mother in raising a child in order to help reducing stunting .The meeting was very productive and we will have another meeting with Regional commissioner to discuss more and see the effort made by Iringa Region in reducing stunting within 1,000 days.
- Plant seeds in the green house
We planted seed and we are now growing seedlings so that we can have enough in staff training, we planted tomatoes, spinach, cucumbers, peppers the seedlings will be ready after two weeks and some will be ready after three weeks .Our plan is to plant 150 to 200 Erath boxes with staff during the training season.
- Attended Management Meeting
The meeting was all about the preparation of receiving volunteers and staff, we discussed about the repairement that needs to be done and who will be responsible in supervising. We agreed on deadlines and next week in our meeting we will update each other and report what has been done. We also discuss about those staff who are not vaccinated to provide their decision so that we can look way forward. Nayman also will speak with those who are current not vaccinated each staff personally Tuesday of next week so that we can know what should be done to make sure volunteers will work with vaccinate staff .
- Translated workshop.
The workshop will be recording as we always do. The workshop is Sexual transmitted disease I was been able to translate the workshop and sent it to May so that we can prepare and organize the virtual workshop next week .We will have two virtual workshop next week that we will need to arrange and work together to translate them during presentation
- Work with RAH report.
I was been able to compile all the data starting monthly report for schools and RCP moms, Next week I will do an interview with one of the RCP mom in Ipalamwa , I will work with Tekla to select one mom and arrange to meet with local leader so that we can also interview them for RAH report .The aim is to finish the RAH report with what I have on 15 march so that when MAYA is here we can work together and I can share with her and explained in details what I have been doing with RAH report
01.24.22 Updates from the Board of Directors Meeting
posted January 24, 2022, 1:00 PM by Melinda Lull
The Global Volunteers Board of Directors met this weekend. Here are some key updates related to RCP:
- Preliminary work to start an RCP program at Sagrada Familia in Peru is underway. A new team leader, RCP manager and 1 caregiver have been hired in Peru. Bud and Drew will be in Peru in February to guide some of the work and the new staff will travel to Tanzania to be trained. Mindy will also be in Peru in late February/March to do some related work.
- The possibility of an RCP program in South Texas is also being investigated. This work is very early in the process and this year will be focused on gathering the necessary information to determine feasibility and seek funding.
- The board spent time trying to identify possible challenges or needs for both possible new RCP programs. Our committee will discuss this as well at our next meeting.
- A draft of the latest RCP impact report was reviewed. This will be shared with the Advisory Committee when it is complete.
- The Board’s afternoon session was focused on brainstorming about how do disseminate and use the latest impact report. We discussed who it should be shared with, how we can get it in the right hands of funders. This will also be a topic of discussion at our next Advisory Committee meeting.
01.24.22 Committee Membership Update
posted January 24, 2022, 12:45 PM by Melinda Lull
Please welcome 2 new members of the RCP Advisory Committee: Mike Moorman and Gail Kulick. Mike and Gail have just been elected to the Global Volunteers Board of Directors and will be serving on the RCP Advisory Committee. They will both be formally welcomed at our next meeting, and their bios will be added to our website soon. Welcome!
10.29.21 Staff Update: Husna (RCP Coordinator/Technology Manager)
posted November 04, 2021, 1:15 PM by Melinda Lull
In keeping with the idea of periodically posting weekly reports from RCP Managers, this week I am sharing Husna’s report from last week. There are some interesting items in her report that I thought you would enjoy reading. Enjoy!
10.11.21 Mental Health Education Manager Update
posted October 11, 2021, 12:15 PM by Melinda Lull
In honor of World Mental Health Day, I’d like to share a portion of Regina’s recent report. Regina’s new position is as the Mental Health Education Manager, and she has been doing some great work in this area. From Regina’s report:
“worked on mental health in Lulindi Village by using depression self – assessments into standard home visit using WHO and mhGAP manual and beck depression inventory tools. I managed to identity 3 moms, one was serious depressed and she has a new born, due to the situation she had I decided to link her with IGC for immediately to have support. She met with Dr Silas yesterday. Dr Silas told me a mom is very depressed, he provided psychotherapy and plan for next week a mom to come back IGC to meet again Dr Silas to see the progress, if she need medication or more help Dr Silas will let me know.
I spended most of time with her and make sure at least she eats, she had difficult time, her husband goes away when she was admitted in Iringa town. Lulindi government and few families helped her to pay the bill services. I saw food was not available, I coordinated with technology Manager we gave her Rah Porridge to support her breast feeding and encouraged exclusive breastfeeding for her new born.
- Met with Caregiver manager and RCP Caregivers in Ukwega village, create awareness of mental health and discussed the goals and purpose of the Mental Health in the RCP Program, and informed them we are starting to work on mental health in Lulindi, please see below the goal and purpose of mental wellness education and health services Program.
- Goals.
- To improve understanding of the mental health needs in Ukwega ward.
- Raise visibility of and improve access to available mental health services.
- Intergrate mental health treatment into Primary care.
- Purpose
To provide mental health support to the RCP Families so children and parents can reach their full potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to broader Community.
After meeting we were able to see three families the Caregivers showed me they have sign of mental health problem, I used assessment tools I think they mental illness, the plan is to make appointment with IGC for more observation.”
10.01.21 IGC Update
posted October 1, 2021, 2:20 PM by Melinda Lull
Two exciting/important updates from the Ipalamwa General Clinic
- Last week, staff at the clinic were trained to prepare and deliver COVID-19 vaccines. They have received 30 doses of the J&J vaccine that can be delivered to patients at the clinic. So far, only 1 patient has been vaccinated. There is a tremendous amount of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation still in the community, but staff are working to educate and engage the community.
- In late August, the clinic was visited by members of the Kilolo district and the Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC) to be evaluated for readiness to provide HIV treatment at the clinic (clinics must be specially qualified/licensed to provide HIV care). The group concluded that the clinic is equipped. CSSC works to expand access to HIV services in Tanzania, and so will contact IGC in the future to start a program, now that readiness has been assessed.
9.28.21 Membership update
posted September 28, 2021, 2:50 PM by Melinda Lull
Earlier this month, Diane Marsch resigned her position on the RCP Committee. Diane has been a long-time member of our committee and her contributions to the Education (as chair and member), Volunteer Prep, Curriculum Creation, and Food, Nutrition and Tehcnologies Subcommittees have been invaluable. She will be greatly missed! I have sent her our thanks and best wishes from the group, but if you would like to reach out to her individually, she can be reached at dmamarsch@yahoo.com.
9.28.21 Recorded Workshop Volunteers
posted September 28, 2021, 2:40 PM by Melinda Lull
Thanks to everyone that has volunteered to present/record RCP Workshops. For those that have volunteered (list below), Drew and/or I will be in touch soon with workshop materials, details, and scheduling options. I am still looking for volunteers for the following workshops. If you would like to volunteer, or if you want to review the workshop materials (which are already completed), please email me (mlull@sjfc.edu).
- Workshops still needing volunteers:
- Breastfeeding birth to 6 months exclusively
- Keeping your baby healthy – preventing diarrhea and pneumonia
- Safety, Nutrition and Infant Care
- Workshops with volunteers already:
- Nutrition during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding – Jacqueline Wilson
- Breastfeeding and Introducing Complementary Foods- Ruth Curran
- Caring for Newborns & Infants – Lynette Aytch
- COVID-19 – Amanda Hasley
- EarthBox Container gardens – Carol Conzelman
- Family Planning – Mindy Lull
- Handwashing and Controlling Infectious Disease- Alyssa Kornowa
- Having a healthy pregnancy – Deborah Pollard
- Promoting Healthy Life, Introduction to Medications at IHC- Mindy Lull
- Sexually Transmitted Infections- Teresa Omeddo
- Newborn and infant safety – Bill Goldman
9.21.21 Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Q&A with RCP Staff
posted September 28, 2021, 2:30 PM by Melinda Lull
On Tuesday, 9.21, committee members held a COVID-19 Vaccine Q&A session for RCP Staff. Thanks to Lynette, Bud Weiner, John and Drew for attending and providing information, sharing personal experiences, and answering questions for staff. The meeting went well!
9.22.21 General RCP Update
posted September 28, 2021, 2:20 PM by Melinda Lull
This should have come to everyone’s email, but see below/attached the September 2021 Tanzania RCP Update.
5.5.21 IGC Subgroup Update
posted May 5, 2021, 7:54 AM by Melinda Lull
| The IGC advisory committee has continued to support clinic staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is working on continuous quality improvement projects related to the medication formulary. Continuing medical education programs continue to be provided to staff. One suspected case of COVID-19 has been seen at the clinic as of early April 2021. |
1.31.21 IGC Advisory Subgroup Update
posted Jan 31, 2021, 7:56 AM by Melinda Lull
| The IGC advisory committee has continued to meet frequently to support clinic staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, although little has changed in terms of government reporting on the pandemic. The committee has implemented its reportable events process and continues offering educational workshops for staff. The 6-month reporting of clinic statistics will be prepared after the end of January. |
10.26.20 – IGC Subgroup Updates
posted Oct 26, 2020, 10:37 AM by Melinda Lull
| Major projects of the IGC Subgroup include:Monitoring COVID-19 updates from the communityDelivering continuing education to clinic staff in diabetes, diabetes in pregnancy and upper respiratory conditionsFinalizing a Reportable Events Process for continuous quality improvement in the clinic.Clinic Statistics from the latest 6-month period are attached below. |