2010 Educational Hispanic Women's Forum
NAFC held an educational forum for female migrant farm workers in Monterey County, California. The forum was held October 10, 2010, and was conducted entirely in Spanish.
About the Event-
See a slideshow of the event here!
Access to healthcare is something most Americans take for granted. Although an estimated 50 million of us lack health insurance, not even counted among the 50 million uninsured lives are three million migrant and seasonal farm workers in our country on valid, temporary work visas. They are doing backbreaking jobs and often living with multiple families in sub-standard housing. Three-fourths were born in Mexico, and the overwhelming majority are non-English speaking Hispanics.
In October, we took a stab at changing this picture, targeting underserved Latinas in the farming community of Salinas, California. NAFC teamed up with Natividad Medical Foundation and Clínica de Salud del Valle de Salinas (CSVS) for a public educational forum. With funding by the Medtronic Foundation and Ethicon Women’s Health & Urology, an evening program was provided with local doctors serving as speakers. Additionally, CooperSurgical and SRS donated pessaries for women with pelvic organ prolapse, as a non-surgical means of intervention.
The location was the cafeteria of a cherished elementary school. Free, onsite childcare was provided. All were served meals emphasizing fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and fibers and low fat proteins. The entire program was in Spanish, and it was widely promoted by growers to their employees and to parents through local schools with flyers. Posters and flyers were distributed at popular shopping locations and churches. News about the event was broadcast on Univision radio and TV. For additional promotional exposure, the event was purposely scheduled in the midst of Binational Health Week, celebrated across California and in Hispanic communities elsewhere in the U.S.
Perhaps most importantly, the program content centered on health and wellness, with advice on balanced nutrition and weight management for diabetes prevention and a healthy heart and a detailed description of how the female body’s is impacted by pregnancy and childbirth. This was followed by an explanation of bladder and bowel control problems that may accompany childbirth or ensue years later in cases of diabetes or stroke, with information about treatment options.
Location-
César Chávez Elementary School
1225 Towt Street
Salinas, California 93905
Click here for a map!
Schedule-
Click here to see the program
Presentations about incontinence and general health and wellness were given.
To see more images, view our slideshow of the event here.
