Atzin

April 2021

Dear Friends of Atzin and Tlamacazapa,

NEWS FLASH!!!

Click on the image to watch our promoters at work in Atzin's new video: Returning to Strength - Lessons about Development from Tlamacazapa, Mexico.  Produced with talented photographer and videographer, Rodrigo Cruz (www.rodrigocruz.com).

As a team, we have continued a covid response since April 2020 and not let up. In brief, during the past three months (January-March 2021) we have:

  • Continued the Tihueliske Education classes for children 6-12 years of age, re-started in September 2020; held outdoors with a total of 115 children who are organized in small groups, each child attending twice a week for three hours. One young promoter monitors handwashing, face masks, disinfection and safe distance. This program is a significant investment - with these classes, the children have advanced in reading, writing and arithmetic. Two young women have recently joined as new educators to help with the teaching; another new promoter helps with covid precautions. (Our literacy program for women and youth as well as early stimulation for young children remain on hold; we don’t see these re-starting in 2021.)
  • Focused on the children and adults with Special Needs, updating our registrations to include the new people (there are more every month), and arranging appointments for health consults, lab work, home visits – an incredibly time-consuming and expensive yet vital service. At present there are 39 children and 39 adults who receive active follow-up. Ruth Wiens, a return fulltime volunteer who arrived January 8th, has been instrumental in getting this program again in workable order.

 

  • Continued our Midwifery and Motlan Dental Programs which are both operating with high demand amidst different precautions.

 

  • Maintained our Registry of deaths in the village, especially important as the position of civil registrar for vital statistics has been vacant since December 2019. Promoters have visited each household with a death in the family to offer condolences and food and to obtain a short history. This has helped to keep us roughly up-to-date on covid in the village – there has been an upsurge of cases and deaths since the New Year, and now by all appearances, it is not going to let up anytime soon. Total number of deaths (any cause) of villagers during January-March 2021: 25. Tracking of stillbirths and newborn deaths continues. Comparative analysis of numbers of deaths by gender/age/ year for 2017-2020 is in process.

 

  • Supported Cristina Alejandro, Atzin local coordinator and educator, in her bid to take on the position of civil registrar in Tlama. Endorsement by state government is pending, having received initial approval from the municipal president.

 

  • Conducted two full days of promoter training in mid-March (on topics of: covid symptoms and home treatment; risk and security; and assessment of development milestones of children under five years) with weekly follow-up learning circles. Weekly planning meetings with Atzin Program Coordinator with the three local village coordinators continue as well as frequent telephone support.
  • Continued ramping up the Income Generation for Women Program since October 2020 so that at least eight-ten weavers have palm basket orders and more regular income.

 

  • Started a vegetable and herb garden in the yard of the Atzin Office – we decided to walk the talk of eating higher nutrient food, and we are making progress as a team in Cuernavaca. David Wiens arrived as a fulltime volunteer on January 8th and, with Ruben’s help, has done wonders to transform a dried-up, full-of-rocks yard into a green garden.

 

  • Completed many administrative matters that were put aside during the intense first year of covid – while perhaps less than exciting to report, these details are actually what keep the programs running. Coordinated with OPIRG to advise three McMaster student groups that took on small development/ fundraising projects in Hamilton, ON.

Thank you with grateful appreciation of all encouragement - we press on with the creation of opportunities for better times.

Susan Smith
Director, Atzin

Visit us at www.atzin.org  
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