My work documenting the Salud en tus Manos program with Fundación Cántaro Azul continued this past week, as we left for the northern regions of the Municipio de Comondu to visit another set of communities, and attend a set of training sessions. This particular week was inspiring, as I watched an idea grow quickly, and the project possibly double in size with the added support of almost everyone we met this past week. As a quick recap, Foundacion Cantaro Azul is an NGO based out of La Paz, Mexico. They are starting a project that brings hand hygiene education programs to schools in rural Baja, while also providing hand sanitizer as a technology that facilitates hand hygiene for students and community members. During this past week I went out with Ian Balam, the foundation’s director, as he introduced the program to the teachers at schools (which started this Monday), to doctors at various rural clinics, and to health promoters who work at boarding schools around this region. The reception to the program was overwhelmingly positive. More schools wanted to join the program, hospitals and rural clinics are interested, and Cantaro Azul’s Salud en tus Manos program could soon be off to an exciting start. It’s been wonderful to see the progression, and to be invited to document the progress. Here are a few photos from the last trip.
A typical Baja landscape on the way up North.
Ian introduces hand sanitizer to the cooks at a boarding school, and the dispensers that will be in the dining halls as well.
Giving a talk to the health educators for Comondu.
We stopped at various Ranchos in the northern region, stopping near Las Barrancas, San Juanico, Cadeje, Carambuche, and many other small towns. Here’s a typical rancho, creating a little oasis in an otherwise bone dry valley.
There was even a wine maker (they make wine in Baja!) near San Miguel de Comondu. His ancestors came from Italy in the 1800s, and he still uses their 200 year old press to make his wine.
We also got stuck in the mud on the way out, and spent 3 hours pushing Zorro (the red Toyota) around in order to get out. Here’s a quick photo I took before being called into service.
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