Concern America

In countries with devastatingly underfunded health systems, rural isolation, and war, access to quality health services is a serious concern for billions of people. Furthermore, the presumption that one must be a university-educated professional to provide care further excludes people from access to care. Concern America has successfully shown that community members, many with only 3-6 years of formal education, can become the health care providers of their village, successfully treating 80% of local health issues. As a result, over 272,000 people now have access to health care services in remote regions of Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia.

The immediate effects of clean water can be seen in the decrease of illnesses such as gastrointestinal infections, malnutrition, skin-related illnesses, and the weakening of the immune system, all leading causes of death and illness in the regions where Concern America works, especially in young children, all stemming from a lack of potable water. For example, introducing clean water to a community can reduce by 90% instances of diarrhea, a leading cause of mortality of children under five. Within just a few months of the filter installation, families and local health promoters see a dramatic improvement in health. While filters and clean water systems are essential to purifying the water, so too is working closely with the families and communities themselves to ensure correct use and maintenance. Workshops provide the space to exchange, share, and learn about the problems of water, its care, its contamination, its waste, and above all, the importance of the consumption of clean water, free of pollutants for the direct benefit of health. With these trainings and community participation, people take greater ownership of their filters and water systems, learning their use and operation, knowing how to care and clean them, and ensuring a responsible and conscious consumption of uncontaminated water. One of the team members describes: "It's not about just creating a water system; it's everything else that happens in the process. It's an opportunity to dialogue about the environment where we live, the implications that our environment has on our health, and how we can care for our environment.”

Despite the economic hardships faced by people in these regions, their work as part of cooperatives has enabled families to stay together and earn a better living at home, in their own villages. In addition to these artisan projects, many of the cooperative members are leaders in their communities, health care providers, and/or involved in providing clean water. Part of Concern America’s focus is not only building local capacity as health care workers, artisans, teachers, etc. but also building the skills in administration and leadership to ensure the sustainability of programs into the future.

These schools have been transformative for the communities and the education of their children and youth. Previously, only 25% of kids and youth in the region reached a fourth grade level of education. Now, with the availability of more schools and mandatory attendance, 90% of young people between ages 6 to 16 are attending school and literacy rates have greatly improved. A Concern America Field Team Member in the region writes in a recent report: "The benefits of an autonomous education do not just reach the students and their families, but affects all of the communities in the region. These students will be the future leaders, promoters of heath, education, development, etc. They will be in charge of following up on this work and ensuring the best for their communities"