Kassel is a Health Educator! (April 5th, 2014)

This weekend my health post had a training session for the ACSs (Agentes Comunitarias de Salud; health promoters essentially), and we’re going to breeze on by the minor criticisms (the fact that it started an hour late, that I was the only health post person who actually sat through the whole thing, the fact that only the doctor and I were the ones who cleaned up), and focus on the really cool part, which is that I got to give one of the sessions!

During EIST (Early In-Service Training), the health volunteers were shown a really good presentation on demonstration on anemia.  It was involved different types of learning and explaining, was interactive, and really emphasized having the participants come up with the answers and direct the flow of the talk.  I was very impressed by it, and decided to use it for my session. I felt that people were paying attention and that while most of the information wasn’t new to them it was reemphasizing and reinforcing details and facts that are often forgotten over time. 

And thanks to a rigorously enforced culture of taking photos to prove that you’ve actually done something, I have evidence!

Health Education in Action!

I’m now going to go into great detail, so get ready for some health education!

You start out by showing these two trees.  You ask the group to describe the differences between them.

Once we’ve established that one tree has more leaves, more roots, a bluer sky and fewer rocks in the soil, you show these two children and ask the group with which tree each child belongs.  What are the differences between the children?

You now introduce the topic of the day which is Anemia!

We now move on to the causes and consequences of anemia.  Ask the group to either raise their hands with what they think are the causes of anemia, or if they-re shy have them write them out in small groups.  The causes of anemia, which you have previously written out, are placed beneath the roots of the unhealthy tree.  The consequences of anemia, the reasons why it’s bad are placed above, near the leaves and fruit of the unhealthy tree.

We then repeat the same activity but this time asking what are the ways to prevent anemia and what are the consequences of an anemia free life.

You now pass out sheets of paper with different foods written out.  Put up a scale of most iron to least iron and ask the group to tape the food they were given where they think it belongs.  Once all of the foods are up, reorganize them until they are in the right order.  Emphasize that sangrecita (cooked blood) is the best food to fight anemia with.  Next is jerky, beef, chicken, and organs, especially liver (mmmm).  The next group is beans, peanuts (surprising, right?), fish (especially the dark parts of the meat found normally along the spine), and the super-cereals native to Perú, quinua, kiwicha, and cañihua. The last group of food with a sizable amount of iron are leafy greens, such as spinach and verros (native to Perú and very tasty).

Look at all the people participating and taping their foods to the wall!

You end with the showstopper, a recipe book for blood.  I can personally attest that this recipe is delicious.  So if you’ve been feeling a bit lethargic, too tired to work, and the Red Cross won’t accept your blood for lack of iron, give this bad boy a try:

1)   Sancochar (english definition: parboil) one cup of blood.  Make sure it is free of feathers and skin.

2)      Blend the blood along with a cup of sugar.  Add 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon and a dash or so of vanilla.  More if your taste buds so require.

3)      Once this is well-blended, add a packet or two of powdered milk to achieve your desired consistency. 

4)      Serve.  It looks like chocolate pudding and tastes delicious.

You have known completed your first course in Anemia 101.  Wasn’t that fun?

Besos!