Here is a story about one member of the Changemakers community who had a brilliant idea for expanding access to maternal health care.
Picture a Healthy Pregnancy
Ensuring that women know about their rights to maternal health services is a challenge if the women are unable to read. One organization in India found a way.
The answer was a picture book outlining the available public health entitlements for pregnant women. The visually attractive and simple to understand book serves as an antidote to the government-issued information that is aimed at literates. It was the brainchild of Indu Capoor of CHETNA (The Centre for Health Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness) in Ahmedabad.
To encourage regular and consistent maternal health care, the picture book also comes with a wall calendar that helps the expectant mother prepare for a healthy pregnancy and birth.
The calendar was designed to capitalize on the cultural practice of hanging calendars at home and is designed be posted in a prominent place in the house of the pregnant woman so that the plan is visible to the woman and her family for easy and timely access of important information.
CHETNA was an entrant in the Designing for Better Health competition and is just one of the many great ideas for improved maternal health you will find on Changemakers.
Created on 10/14/2009 by brindavan
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Organization: Vasantham trust
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Address
9 - 3 Raja Durai house, west vellalar colony, ramavarma puram, nager coil-1
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideCountry your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
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In each village community convergent forums with representation from mothers, youth Panchayat president, doctor, NGO religious head, school teachers and school children will be formed to address issues of mental health. Story telling club of youth will educate the community through stories on mental health along with cultural media.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
Addressing mental health through primary and secondary stake holders is the first innovation. The stake holders are formed under community convergent action forums. They come together under the forum and discuss various issues related to mental health including cause effect and community rehabilitation. The doctors give clinical solution on prevention and treatment of mental health. The religious head offers spiritual healing to mentally ill persons and prevent mental illness through spiritual education. Story telling is an almost a dying cultural traditions but it was an effective communication tool in the villages in the past. People from all ages are font of listening to stories. Therefore a story telling club will be formed from youth and school children they develop stories on issues of mental health, psycho social causes of mental illness community rehabilitation of mentally ill persons, clinical and spiritual healing of mental illness.
Appropriate stories from real case studies of mentally in persons and possible mental rehabilitation through community support will be developed and discussed in the forums. Addressing mental health through story telling technique is another innovation. Instead of IEC materials story tellers will dissiminate the message through story tellers this is one more innovation incorporated in the proposal. The entire project will be planned implemented and monitor in consultation with in the target group. An expert from mental health from National Institute of mental health and Neuroligical studies (Bangalore) will be the consultant for the project..
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
We have already experimented with the prototype of the project in one block of a district with 20 story telling clubs. The experiment resulted in 80% success in terms of qualitative change in the knowledge level of the forum members as well as the community on issues related to mental health in the absence of printed or electronic media of communication, the members effectively communicated though their own cultural idiom., ie story telling tradition which is unfortunately a dying tradition. But the impact of story telling as a tool of communication has been very effective. The stake holders forum as well as the community has been informed of very scientific knowledge of mental health issues and they are able to identify mental health problem in the villages they studied the background of the mental health issues act individual level, family level and community level very analytically and developed appropriate empowering approaches to address them out of the 20 mentally ill persons, identified 14 have be cured of there mental illness and the rest have be referred to mental hospitals with community support.
Problem
The primary problem or challenge that we find in the community is that there has been a lot of superstitions and myths surrounding mental health and mental illness. This is caused mainly by ignorance and poor a level of understand of the causes and effect of mental health. The village witch doctors and traditional healers manipulate mental illness to witch craft. The family members also interpret the abnormal behavior of the mentally ill persons with evil spirits.
Instead of approaching mental hospitals and take up adequate treatment, they aggravate the situation by falling victim to superstitions. The only way to address this problem is to educate the community on scientific information on community health through participatory and empowering approach
Actions
The first step by step organize forum of stake holders from the community who can influence the opinion and belief system of the people. They will be trained through participatory education on community health issues. A story telling club will be formed from youth and adolescent girls with education and communication skills. They will be trained in story telling techniques and basic individual family and community level mental health issues and problems appropriate information and scientific knowledge will be given to the story telling club members and they will we helped to develop stories from real life case studies an expert from National Institute of mental health and neurological studies will be invited to support the group to develop the stories. The stories will be printed as resource material and the story telling club members will conduct the stories at two levels. First they will sensitize the stake holders forum and then the community with stories on mental health. The community will identify the mentally ill persons through the families and provide psychosocial care and if necessary refer to mental institutions.
Results
From the 99 Panchayat in the district 99 stake holders forum will be promoted in each Panchayat and equal number of story telling clubs will be form from among youth and adolescent girls. 980 members of stake holder forums will get high quality scientific information of mental health issues and problems. More than 10,000 families will be sensitized of mental health issues and problems about 180 to 200 mentally ill persons will be identified from the Panchayat by the forum with the support of the families and the mentally persons will get psychosocial care and counseling by the forum members as well as by the family members the psychiatrist consultant from the NIMHANS will provide home based psychiatrist care and counseling if necessary the affected persons will be referred for clinical treatment.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
First year
Formation of stake holders forum at Panchayat level and sensitization of them. Training for the forum members on mental health issues, problems of mentally ill persons and community based care and support mentally ill persons story telling clubs will be formed from among educated youth and adolescent with communication skills. The story telling club members will be equipped with skills on body language, verbal communication and story developing skills from real case studies. Moreover they will get training on story telling techniques.
Second year
A real case study of mentally ill persons, their family circumstances, the cause and effect of mental illness on family and community will be given to them and trained facilitator will assist them in developing stories on mental health issues. In each Panchayat, Vasantham Trust organize story telling sessions at two levels. First, the stake holders will organized under story telling session once in a week in the villages, the story telling members will narrate them stories on mental health issues through stories. At another level the community and family members will be organized under 30 member story telling sessions. Once again story telling sessions will convene in the villages and the story telling club members will narrate them family based socio economic problems that contribute to mental stress and psycho somatic illness to family members, particularly women a stories will focus on understanding the root cause of mental illness in the socio cultural context and working out community based solutions and home based care / support and finally integration into the family. The psychiatrist consultant will diagnose complex and advanced cases of mentally illness and refer them to specialized treatment to NIMHANS or other reputed institutions. The community will make the expenses of the treatment and rehabilitation.
Third Year
The stake holders forum will be brought under a district level federation that will sustained the program and activities.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
In the beginning level, the superstition and myth surrounding mental health related problems in the villages will be the major challenge to implement and complete the project but we hope that we will overcome this by education and sensitization of the community.
We need trained and committed staff to implement and monitor the program. It requires commitment and motivation from the staff. Handling mental health issues is very difficult therefore we need to give adequate salary to the staff.
We conceive this project for three years and we expect continuous flow of fund for three years to make it a success.
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$50 - 100
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Operating for less than a year
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating?
Less than a year
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Our partnership will enable us to improve our strategy and programs through their advises and guidance Some of the NGOs have expertise and experience in handling mental health. Our partnership with government enables us to avail existing resources and facilities, though limited from the government .Some of the NGOs will help us with well experienced staff with adequate skills to implement the project. This support from the NGOs is very critical to make the program a success. Moreover we will get appropriate resource person for the training programs from these NGOs
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
The first action is creating a grass root level education at awareness on mental health in the community this is not only the important action but a very critical action as the participation in the community in the projects an important indicator for the success of the project. Mental health is a broad area with key actors ranging from children to old aged people. The therefore the entire community needs be sensitized of the nature and objective of the project.
Establishment of grass root level success is very important for the continuation and sustainability of the project. The primary and secondary level stake holders will be included in the grass root level structure. Their role is very critical to monitor the program.
The third important action is the training programs for the family members stake holders and community on mental health issues and follow up. This will facilitate Vasantham Trust to transform the initiative into a movement.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
I had a cousin who was my childhood friend. We used to play together. He had a fall from the upstairs of his house while he was studying 10th standard and he suffered and internal head injury which was not known to him as well as the family members. He started showing gradual behavior abnormalities since then. It was unfortunate that his parents were illiterate and instead of providing medical treatment, they consulted local witch doctor. But his mental problem was getting acute in the coming years.
The entire family and the local community thought that he was possessed by evil spirit and he was tied in a pole in the local church and beaten cruelly to ward off the evil spirit. Finally, he succumbed to internal injuries caused by beating and died. Then I was a teenage and I also believed the above story. Only later I came to know that he was a victim of mental disorder. This is the important moment in my life that motivated me to work for the various issues of mental health affecting different age group.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
I was consultant to Devasahayam Institute of Mental Health which is providing temporary in house medical and psychosocial treatment to victims of mental health disorders. Once the in mates recovered from their problems and were considered fit to lead a normal life, the institute sent them back to their families. The success rate was only 30% and many of the victims used to return back with the same problem, at times even in worse condition. I found that the family members do not have either skills or knowledge about mental health issues particularly mental disorders or mental illness. Therefore, they are not able to provide follow up treatment, particularly psychosocial care and support. When I discussed this situation with a sister managing the institute she pointed out that community based care, support and rehabilitation of such persons is the only solution. But the community needs be sensitized about the mental health issues in the beginning. It is then I develop the idea of involving the family members and stake holders in community based empowering approach to addressing all types of mental health issues.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Web Search (e.g., Google or Yahoo)
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
The Changemakers community has big ideas for improving the quality of and access to health care around the globe. From using technology creatively to giving children a leadership role in preventive care, solutinos abound. Hundreds of innovations from around the world are here on Changemakers.
Check out these top solutions.
Created on 10/14/2009 by brettrjohnson@verizon.net
We are extending a novel pilot study of Maternal-Infant Mental Health (MIMH) service coordination for vulnerable families. We have established a need for a family advocate to manage and sustain participation and importantly, we are integrating all primary care physicians in the region into the program.
Organization: Birth to Three Family Center-Ipswich
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Birth to Three Family Center-Ipswich
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Project
Diploid Thru Diapers: Community-based Model of Family Mental Health Navigation
Country your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
We are extending a novel pilot study of Maternal-Infant Mental Health (MIMH) service coordination for vulnerable families. We have established a need for a family advocate to manage and sustain participation and importantly, we are integrating all primary care physicians in the region into the program.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
A significant amount of data supports the beneficial effect of supportive family environments from birth to three. Transition and integration of families in need of mental health services has been targeted to initiate in the pediatric office. Our pediatricians have been concerned about false negatives derived in this model. Alternatively, we have coordinated an effort to facilitate screening and follow up of mental health needs by trusted nutritionists and community based educators. Preliminary indicators suggest that compliance in follow-up care is significantly increased in such circumstances.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
As the founding member of the North Shore Postpartum Depression Taskforce, Bto3 is uniquely positioned to address the State mandated reduction of MIMH risk, including pregnant and post-partum women and infants. Recent collaboration with Community Action Inc. (WIC) and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation (BCBSF) has provided a unique opportunity to address the needs of a significant number of mothers by increasing access and delivery of mental health resources, as well as engaging those who fail to follow up on WIC education and services. Within the context of the WIC setting we have implemented a pilot to spot marked changes and chronicity of depressive parenting behaviors in an effort to provide timely anticipatory guidance about important parenting practices and referrals. Additionally, we have created a Virtual roadmap outlining regional resources that is visited by families AND providers over 1500 times (and growing) a month. Regional advocacy and awareness has been extended by the task force by sponsoring numerous forums and provider trainings.
Problem
The spectrum of depressive events affects almost 20% of pregnant women, resulting in impaired ability to address the needs of self and family. The co-morbidity of malnutrition and substance/child abuse with depression is significant. The North Shore program provides screening and tracking of the targeted population via WIC programs. We will provide follow up services to positive MIMH screens found during normal nutritional intake of WIC participants. These funds will serve as a gateway to coordinate all regional mental health resources through the spectrum of co-morbid diagnosis, such as substance abuse. Coordination of regional collaborative Mental Health Services is the overarching goal of this effort. We would like to extend awareness of advocacy services to ALL regional providers of primary care in Essex County.
Actions
Specifically, we will work to:
1. Extend a validated and selective depression screening tool to be administered in the supportive setting of community-based family centers. This will be measured by analysis of numbers of patients screened and submission of recommendations to State regulatory (CHBI) officials.
2. Implement a home visit service by a family advocate to families with an identified parent at risk for or with depression, and will be measured by the number of monthly home visits.
3. Organize resources available through the community, measured by the percentage of local providers participating in the network.
4. Track treated families and maintain HIPAA compliant mental health information for affected children. We expect to establish one of the first formal regional mental health tracking systems for children, and will measure this by implementation and validation of available software.
Results
Initial mental health screening will be targeted families with young children served by WIC. Based on 2008 data, the WIC programs in Beverly and Gloucester currently serve over 650 families. Extension to the full service area will increase the number of families served to over 1500. Mass Health insures 95% of the targeted population thus greater than 2/3 of participants fall below federal poverty standards, and there are a substantial number of mothers under the age of twenty. These families are thus by definition “at-risk” for adverse mental health events. Bto3 and WIC will implement best practice protocols that will be considered appropriate within the context of the recent court finding ‘Rosie D v. Romney.’ This order mandates the development of comprehensive mental health care for children. As such we have been encouraged to make a case to the state agency that is overseeing the implementation of said legislation.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
The implementation of services will be introduced and statistically assessed by leading clinicians from Dartmouth and Harvard, whom participate upon our advisory board. This is a scalable program that is serving as a model for MFN regional coordination of MIMH medical homes. This year we expect to increase our referral base to ALL providers on the North Shore. Additionally, the Mass. Dept. of Public Health is following the screen for potential statewide WIC implementation. We will make a Statewide case for the importance of early screening and prevention for family mental health problems that directly and adversely impact child behavior and development, thus we will fill a significant role in leading MIMH efforts on the North Shore. The Birth to Three/WIC collaboration offers a model for delivery of child mental health awareness within the context of family mental health and dyadic interventions. Birth to Three and WIC will also investigate methods to initiate third party billing for the services provided to insure sustainability.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
The lack of funding and subsequent attrition of champions marshaled throughout the spectrum of implementation and advocacy would prevent success.
How many people will your project serve annually?
1001‐10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
More than $4000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
Birth to Three Family Center-Ipswich
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
The Task force of participants (over 75 individuals representing providers, hospitals, social service agencies and legislators) meets monthly, with a growing roster of participants. These networks have provided leverage to discuss how collaborations will and will not work. Communication among the task force has proven critical in the development of referral trees and coordinating the training of family advocates.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
Currently,
A) we need to rapidly respond (within 24 hours) to any request for assistance.
B) we need to track participants in the program by patients AND providers
C) we need to develop a network of volunteers to reach out to families
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Internally, the staff at Birth to Three recognized the growing incidence of families that were not receiving adequate mental health services, regardless of socioeconomic status. Attendance at a seminar on Cape Cod introduced the staff to Deborah Issakson, a seminar speaker, addressing Postpartum Depression. Subsequently, the Center has facilitated resources to address the regionalized coordination of mental health services and awareness.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Kitt Cox is the Director of Programming at the Birth to Three Center. Part educator, administrator, musician and therapist- he navigates the fine line of strengthening families by reinforcing individual goals and passive motivational exercises. He has relentlessly chased legislative and policy initiates to better the offerings for the most vulnerable members of our community-children. With out him, this effort truly would not be possible.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Created on 10/13/2009 by chencj
LISTEN improves the nutrition of diets of low-income women by
- Providing fresh produce from Lafayette College's student-run organic garden
- Teaching nutrition lessons to the women at a local women's shelter
- Cooking and dining nutritious dinners with them
More details at http://sites.lafayette.edu/organicgardening/community-outreach-listen/
Organization: Lafayette Environmental Awareness and Protection
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization
Lafayette Environmental Awareness and Protection
Organization Name
Lafayette Environmental Awareness and Protection
Organization Address
Lafayette College, Easton, PA
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Project
Locally Integrated Sustainability, Teaching/Education, and Nutrition (LISTEN)
Country your work focuses on
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
As liberal arts students, we seek hands-on experience with a wide variety of subjects, as well as developing civically-minded students. Organic gardening and agriculture, education, and cooking are a few topics that can really be applied to any undergraduate of any major. Why not capitalize of a willing workforce (undergraduate volunteers), and utilize the “waste” created from these lessons (fresh produce, meals, and more)? LISTEN provides an outlet for students to interact with community members, providing a rich opportunity for growth. We are the same age as most of the shelter women and single mothers in this community, and connect with them on a variety of levels. For instance, our diet can often mimic theirs – dependent on ramen, microwave mac&cheese, take-out Chinese, pizza deliveries. However, Lafayette encourages independence as well as the slow food movement, allowing us to provide ourselves with a nutritious diet and lifestyle that promotes healthy living and success in academics rather than hindering it. As the potential leaders of tomorrow, it is crucial that we realize how important community service is. LISTEN does not claim to be the silver bullet for nutritional issues, but does provide the connections and experiences that will allow individuals to adjust their dietary habits while maintaining a supportive and helpful background.
Hunger and nutrition issues are often viewed as problems with simple solutions such as donating more food or subsidizing foods so that they are attainable to the impoverished. However, these fail to take into consideration how unsustainable these are – they merely treat the immediate problem, providing no change to the infrastructure that led to it. Our idea has the donation and education components like many programs, but also seeks to create lasting behavioral changes. These lifestyle changes allow integration of nutrition into their regular diets while accommodating the constraints placed upon their lifestyle.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Though the project is still mainly within the planning stages, we have been making great progress already. Already, students have had a number of casual dinners with the women and children from the shelter. This has allowed us to discuss with the women what they want and really develop a plan for how to address these issues. Their enthusiasm and desire to lead healthier lifestyles and promote it for their children was evident, and it has sparked conversations amongst themselves about what it really means to be “healthy.”
Earlier this season, we donated our first big harvest from the organic garden to the women and children. Though we were initially nervous that the produce would be met with puzzled faces, the cook reported to us that the women eagerly devoured our first crop, along with the children being intrigued by and then quickly working through the tiny cherry tomatoes we had harvested just for them. We ended up supplying them with a bushel of paste tomatoes, two bushels of cherry/grape tomatoes, another two of slicing tomatoes, around 3 bushels of Yukon Gold potatoes, and several bushels of turnips and greens. To our delight, they were quickly inhaled, and the coordinator asked for more! This is the start of a very healthy partnership between two groups that both stand to gain enormously. I believe the program’s impact will only increase as the program reaches more people and incorporates specialized activities such as field trips to the garden and specific lessons tailored to different groups.
Problem
The main problems are that urban areas of lower socioeconomic status tend to become “food deserts,” loosely defined as areas where residents have little access to fresh produce because of lack of grocery stores within the area, financial barriers, and perhaps lack of knowledge/experience on how to prepare such foods. At the Third Street Alliance, many of the women staying there are single mothers, struggling to finish their GEDs while rearing a child or two, as well as working a labor-intensive job. Finances and time are tight, with the ability to shop for produce hampered further by young children by their sides. Overall, it is not a very conducive environment for young mothers to be experimenting with dietary and lifestyle changes. Fortunately, it is not as dismal as it sounds – both the residents of Third Street and Lafayette students are eager to learn from each other and provide supportive education to help remedy the situation.
Actions
Instead of approaching this problem with one set solution, we are treating it as what it is – a multifaceted issue with roots conveniently in clubs and projects that the students at Lafayette College have already been working on. This project is a collaboration between all these clubs to create a sustainable impact upon the local city community. The first component is accessibility - there is a student-run organic garden which donates a regular supply of nutritious vegetables. Those clubs are currently working on how to integrate the garden further into the community (e.g. planning pick-your-own days). The second component is educational – we are teaching the women and children about the importance of nutrition and how to incorporate vegetables into daily diets. The third component is simply cooking meals with the women, which utilize our garden-fresh vegetables while remaining under strict budget and time constraints. This familiarizes these dishes with the women and allows us to bond with them as well.
Networking with local businesses and college clubs has been extremely fruitful, and anonymous feedback from the women about the project has helped focus our goals.
Results
Nutrition is a hard issue to evaluate simply because of its lack of definitive short-term results. However, the best results (and the ones we hope to see) are lasting lifelong changes in how these women and children approach food. By utilizing flexibility, it is simple to buy and create large batches of nutritional foods which can be prepared, stored in a freezer, and then re-assembled when necessary. This does not need to be any less convenient than microwave dinners. The result of having women could increase the amounts of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains in their everyday diet as well as cutting down on processed foods is quite likely, especially when the produce is supplied. Overall awareness of health and diet in both the women and children is a crucial result.
For the students, it is just as important for us to experience a connection with food production as part of becoming more self-aware of what we are doing to our own bodies. Teaching to others is one of the best ways to learn.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
This year, we are working on establishing a regular schedule for produce donations. Come spring semester, we will prepare 3 dinners with nutritional lessons in each month. The produce donations will increase in frequency as the semester goes on, with each delivery supplementing the corresponding meal. The basics of health and cooking will be the focus, with distribution of pamphlets and recipe cards for the dishes made. Spreading the program to the children's daycare (located at the same shelter) is our next step - we're giving very basic food lessons. They'll have activities like growing their own mini-gardens and edible arts and crafts.
Year 2 focuses on expanding the attendance of this program. Currently this program is spreading by word of mouth, and has already doubled in attendance from the beginning. If we advertise this to the women living in the shelter as well to people who use TSA's daycare, we attract people from all over the area. Produce donations will have to increase accordingly – excess from community garden plots, better management of our current garden, and local restaurant donations can make up that difference. A “cookbook” of our recipes will be given to attendees.
Year 3 focuses on sustainability of the project. Institutionalizing it as a civic component of our growing Women and Gender Studies Department would keep students engaged, but turn over much of the administrative work to professors. Our community service center also has an annual Pre-Orientation Service Program which engages incoming freshmen, perfect for this program.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
A key component to this project is c and constant outreach. With so many different clubs and organizations contributing a small part each, the initial startup is difficult simply because of getting all the players together. Rather than building everything anew, LISTEN is working with already established clubs and organizations which all have their own volunteers and schedules already. As we have become more incorporated into each club, the team goal has been more realized, and now regular deliveries and lessons are the expected deal, rather than the occasional event.
Though outwardly, simply donations and lessons would be great, it is crucial that we give the women what THEY need, rather than what we think would be idealistic. Otherwise, how can we expect them to make these dietary changes for the long term? In order to avoid that dilemma, we communicate directly with them – after all, we are eating dinner with them. We also provide them the opportunity to give anonymous feedback for what they would like to see and eat next. We sample our own recipes (no complaints here!) as well as making sure they pass the test of being easily prepared within the time constraints of a busy college life. It is surprising how quickly a big pot of chili and brown rice can come together, as well as how tasty and filling it can be.
Our last issue would simply be the manpower required. Running a 2-acre garden is a bit much, but as our garden grows in reputation, more people have become interested and are volunteering their time. With future departments supporting it by requiring (or offering extra credit) work in the garden or at the shelter, this problem should take care of itself. Hopefully, future involvement from the women in the community will reduce the workload even more.
How many people will your project serve annually?
101‐1000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$1000 - 4000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Operating for less than a year
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
Lafayette Organic Garden, Lafayette Environmental Awareness and Protection, Society of Environmental Engineers and Scientists
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
No
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Simply put, without these partnerships, we couldn’t have this program! This program depends on the fact that people always want to further their movements – the environmental groups on campus wanted to spread their influence on a group that would not normally be able to experience such things. Landis (the community service club) wanted to get more people involved in the annual Hunger and Homelessness Week. Regular discussions about community activism were beginning to bubble up in Lafayette’s Intercultural Networking Council. From the student side, people were raring to go, and organizing them is key in creating a strong educational component to our project. Partnerships with local organizations are also extremely important. Third Street Alliance has been extremely welcoming and open about their wants/needs. Without their guidance, we really cannot expect to create useful lesson plans or relevant dinners. Our budding relationships with local restaurants hold much promise for the expansion of this program in the future.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
Simply put, without these partnerships, we couldn’t have this program! This program depends on the fact that people always want to further their movements – the environmental groups on campus wanted to spread their influence on a group that would not normally be able to experience such things. Landis (the community service club) wanted to get more people involved in the annual Hunger and Homelessness Week. Regular discussions about community activism were beginning to bubble up in Lafayette’s Intercultural Networking Council. From the student side, people were raring to go, and organizing them is key in creating a strong educational component to our project. Partnerships with local organizations are also extremely important. Third Street Alliance has been extremely welcoming and open about their wants/needs. Without their guidance, we really cannot expect to create useful lesson plans or relevant dinners. Our budding relationships with local restaurants hold much promise for the expansion of this program in the future.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Though a few people and I had chatted about this issue, the severity of it did not really sink in until I went on a service trip during spring break. We ended up spending a day at a food bank, sorting the foods that various supermarkets had deemed unsellable for a variety of reasons. I was shocked at the inventory we were handling. Boxes and boxes of Capri Sun were donated, along with tons of candy bars, a good amount of canned sauces and meals (of course, with skyrocketing high sodium amounts), all sorts of snack foods and freezie pops, a childhood dream. Understandably, the fresh vegetables and fruit were lacking, since these were all packaged goods that were easily transported around. The canned vegetables and fruit were present, but severely lacking when compared to the mountain of soda cans and sugary cereals. What COULD an impoverished mother do to try and attain a healthy, balanced meal for her children, let alone herself? Even if she did manage to grab something “healthy,” what sort of appetizing meal can be concocted from plain rice and canned beets? Has she even had beets before, or are they a foreign, strangely colored enigma to her? This was when I realized that I was lucky. My father’s mother has this enormous garden, where I frolicked under the California sun, snacking on a juicy peach or puckering my face at the spicy taste of radish sprouts (though they’re quite delicious now). My mother’s side did not have this luxury, and oftentimes I remember my father bringing back some strange, bizarre vegetable and eagerly presenting it to my mother’s contorted, confused face. It was lucky that she was willing to experiment and see what it was like, otherwise I may have never experienced the uniquely delicious tastes of kabocha, papaya, sprouts of all sorts, persimmons, tiny golden satsuma oranges, and a whole assortment of greens that my grandmother never had the name for. Perhaps its unrealistic to think that many other people will have the experiences that I had growing up. After all, not everyone has access to a garden and all sorts of strange heirloom vegetables. Most seem to eat whatever is most readily available. However, the variety and experience of dining on fresh produce is one that I think NEEDS to be available in order for humans to be healthy, and moreover, happy. Vegetables and fruit aren't just an option for the human diet - they are a staple, a long ignored and forgot one.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
This project was not so much a “Eureka!” moment, but rather a slow, bubbling stew that came together as different clubs and people on the college campus were discussing. Another student and I have been working on Lafayette College’s new organic garden, a component of our goal to “close the food loop” to increase sustainability here on campus. The soil and fertilizer for the garden is coming from our rapidly growing composting initiative, which soon will be able to handle all of the food waste that is produced from the campus’ dining halls. The last part of the food loop is bringing the fresh produce back around to some hungry mouths. While planning all that, the gay-straight alliance and feminist groups were discussing how to connect with our city and improve the lives of the residents, and a close friend and her mentoring professor had just come back from a conference regarding world hunger. When we all met and started talking, this project blossomed. Ideas started getting tossed around, with Professor Kney, Professor Veshosky, and I really taking the lead. After my service trip to Florida, I was more motivated than ever to get this off paper and into action.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
College or university
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Created on 10/9/2009 by wendy leonard
Organization: The Ihangane Project
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Address
206 Santa Clara Avenue Aptos CA 95003
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Project
Nutritional Support for HIV-exposed infants and children
Country your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
Our idea will prevent HIV transmission and malnutrition in HIV-exposed children by providing families with formula alternatives to breast milk. Because of their continued vulnerability to malnutrition, we will provide fortified sosoma as babies wean from formula and until they are two years of age.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
The key to sustainability is often a combination of community engagement, utilization of existing infrastructure and financial security. Our idea is unique because these important features are woven into the fiber of the project. We have been consulting with Partners in Health, Project Healthy Children and Treatment & Research AIDS Center (TRAC) in Rwanda to design a program that provides the successful results of model hospitals such as PIH’s Rwinkwavu Hospital in a way that is sustainable and realistic given the financial constraints of many rural Rwandan hospitals. To address sustainability, we will help community nutrition workers develop a means of locally producing fortified sosoma to provide income for themselves and to provide low cost nutritional supplements for their community.
The medical staff at Ruli District Hospital initially noted that many poor families are not able to follow the recommendation of abrupt breastfeeding cessation for HIV-exposed infants at 6 months of age due to lack of access to formula alternatives. Our project has been implemented within the existing infrastructure of Ruli Health Center’s Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) program. The women whose families will benefit from this program are involved in the development process, and their needs and cultural beliefs will be incorporated into the final product. Sustainability is addressed through a series of income-generating opportunities that directly support the nutrition program and the communities it targets. Our goal is to create a program that is sustainable despite the financial limitations of typical rural communities in Rwanda.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Our unique approach of engaging the target community in the development process has earned The Ihangane Project the respect and trust of the medical staff and patients alike. The staff of the PMTCT program at Ruli Health Center have been successful at educating all HIV+ women on the importance of abrupt breastfeeding cessation when their infants are six months of age. The women involved in our pilot project are receiving education regarding the safe preparation of formula so that they are prepared when their child is six months of age. The foundation of this project is in place, and will be initiated when the first child in our group is six months old.
Problem
In Developing Countries, the World Health Organization recommends that HIV-infected mothers should breast feed their newborn babies for the first 6 months of life. Although HIV is transmitted through breast milk, these newborns are at high risk of mortality due to severe malnutrition and diarrhea if they are formula-fed. The WHO recommends that these women discontinue breastfeeding abruptly at 6 months of age to minimize HIV transmission. Unfortunately, this is very difficult for poor families who do not have any other means of feeding their child. This program will provide formula to HIV-exposed infants from 6 months to 12 months of life. It will include education regarding the safe preparation and storage of formula, as well as education regarding avoidance of mixed breast and formula feeding. Once this project has been implemented and risks for diarrhea in the local community have been identified and addressed, it will be extended to include all HIV-exposed infants beginning at the time of birth. This is to address the 7% risk of HIV transmission that exists for those infants who breast feed from zero to 6 months of age.
Actions
We will begin a pilot project with 7 women who participated in our first project interviews. These women are currently pregnant or have 1-2 month old infants, and will eventually be trained as peer educators. Our idea is to provide them with formula alternatives when their children are 6 months of age. The program will extend until the child is two years of age, and will eventually include newborns. Although our initial project will include water purification through boiling, we will eventually introduce an environmentally appropriate alternative for clean water that minimizes the use of fuel or wood. Once the child is 9 months of age, we will provide fortified sosoma as a nutritional supplement as he or she is gradually weaned from formula. We will continue to provide sosoma until the child is 2 years of age. Each family would also receive a household nutrition consultation that would include evaluation for malnutrition risk factors and education regarding kitchen gardens.
Results
Because of the extensive evaluation of malnutrition that is routinely performed in Ruli, we will be able to clearly identify and follow indicators of success. We will evaluate for the incidence of acute and chronic malnutrition in HIV-exposed children, the incidence of new HIV diagnoses amongst HIV-exposed infants, and the incidence of diarrhea. The new sosoma factory will serve the entire community rather than focus solely on our HIV-exposed target population. We will evaluate for the cost-effectiveness of local production, the number of families served, and the overall impact on malnutrition in this community.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
For the next year, The Ihangane Project and the PMTCT program at Ruli Health Center will work intensively with the women in our pilot project to help them be successful and to learn how to improve upon our initial project. This will include assessments to improve our ability to minimize the incidence of morbidity such as diarrhea with formula feeding. During the same year, we will work with Community Nutrition Workers to develop a fortified sosoma production venture that will provide income generation and sustainable access to fortified sosoma. In the second year of the program, we will open the program to all HIV-exposed children from the time of birth.To improve our likelihood of success, we hope to work with government agencies and other NGOs such as Partners in Health to negotiate with East African suppliers of baby formula to obtain formula at bulk prices. By the third year of existence, we anticipate that our program will extend to all HIV-exposed children and will be self-sustaining. Throughout this project, we hope to incorporate household nutritional assessments and recommendations to help families improve their ability to provide ongoing nutritious food to themselves and their children.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
Currently, baby formula is so cost-prohibitive that it is not even carried in any Ruli stores. This project is dependent upon our ability to create sustainability through income-generating ventures and negotiations of bulk pricing. We are confident that we will be successful in developing income-generating businesses that will support the nutrition program. We are also hopeful that our program will become a model for other communities in Rwanda. This will provide incentive for all parties to work together to negotiate lower prices for formula with the companies who produce and distribute this product. We hope to engage these companies in finding solutions to the current cost barriers we face.
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Operating for less than a year
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating?
1‐5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
The Ihangane Project strongly supports collaboration, and believes in the importance of utilizing systems that have already been proven effective. We have traveled to Rwinkwavu Hospital to meet with Partners In Health's medical director in Rwanda to discuss their current nutrition policies for HIV-exposed infants. They have gratiously provided us with all of their policies, protocols, and educational information for providing formula alternatives to HIV+ mothers. Because they have several years of experience, PIH has kindly offered advice and support as this project progresses. We are also collaborating with Catapult Design, an engineering firm focused on appropriate technology solutions for developing communities, to consider improved options for clean water needed to mix formula. The executive director of Project Healthy Children has provided invaluable information regarding the general nutrition policies and protocols of the Ministry of Health in Rwanda. She has also been working on simple systems of local sosoma production that includes fortification. We are hoping to develop an income-generating sosoma production business that incorporates her advice and recommendations.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1. Fundraising for the successful implementation and completion of our pilot project.
2. Establishment of a fortified sosoma production factory.
3. Negotiation of prices for formula
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Dr. Ngirabega initially sent us a proposal to provide formula and sosoma to all HIV-exposed children in the Ruli District Hospital catchment area. The proposal was extremely expensive, and we were not sure how to ensure sustainability. While in Ruli and interviewing each HIV+ woman about their interest in providing formula alternatives to their children, I realized the incredible determination of each woman to do whatever it takes to keep their child healthy. At that moment, I realized that we must find a way to make this program work. As a team, The Ihangane Project and Dr. Ngirabega have been working to find creative ways to ensure the sustainability of this important project.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Dr Ngirabega is passionate about addressing malnutrition in his community. Not only is he the Medical Director of Ruli District Hospital, but he has a Masters in Public Health and is currently working on his PhD in nutrition. He has written a research paper that evaluates the appropriate measurements of nutritional status in rural Rwanda, as well as another paper that identifies the underlying risk factors of chronic malnutrition and undernutrition in his community.
Dr. Leonard was the first physician to volunteer for the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative's clinical mentoring program in Rwanda. Since 2006, she has continued to work as an educator and consultant to the health care providers in Ruli, Rwanda. In the United States, she is dedicated to providing quality HIV care to those living with HIV in her local community. Inspired by the dedication of the Ruli community to find solutions to their local dilemmas, she founded The Ihangane Project in 2008. She is joined by a committed group of volunteers in the United States who are passionate about supporting innovative proposals that are developed at a grassroots level.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Friend or family member
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Created on 10/9/2009 by jboulger
A mental health consultative service for rural health providers has been established (Rural Minnesota Telemental Health Network (RMTHN)).
Organization: Center for Rural Mental Health Studies
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Center for Rural Mental Health Studies
Organization Address
Univ Minnesota Med School Duluth, 1035 University Drive, Duluth, MN 55812
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Project
Rural Telemental Health Services
Country your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
A mental health consultative service for rural health providers has been established (Rural Minnesota Telemental Health Network (RMTHN)). This supports rural providers and patients by establishing a telecommunications link - a virtual presence - of mental health professionals to assist in the care of patients in underserved populations.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
Rural residents are among the most underserved for mental health as well as general health services in the USA. Most medical care is provided by family physicians in small and rural communities. The Center for Rural Mental Health Studies of the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth has developed a consultation service for family physicians and other primary care practitioners to provide rural Minnesota residents with rapid access to mental health services through their family physician. The telemental health providers consist of 3.5 FTE doctoral level psychologists, one master’s level trained counselor and .4 psychiatrists. All psychologists volunteer their time and are employed on a full-time basis elsewhere within the Duluth medical school. This off-site shared-care consultative model is a collaboration with the family medicine clinics in the Minnesota communities of Bigfork, Bois Forte Reservation, Cook, Ely, Littlefork, Mora and Paynesville, Minnesota. Services provided give support for rural/small community physicians, rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients within their “medical home”, decreasing access time for mental health consultation and treatment and efficient use of health professional time. The integration within the patient’s “medical home” diminishes stigma attached to behavioral and emotional care.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Documented results for over 800 patient contacts have been collated and published. Summarized, patients and providers are very satisfied and grateful for the rapid assessment and consultations within their family medicine home. Diagnoses are wide ranging as one would expect, and the goal of having the family physician remain the primary care giver has been successful. More communities are seeking to work with the Center.
It is clear that mental health issues are very prevalent in rural and Native American communities and that the health care providers in those areas are in need of assistance for their patients. Patients are seen quickly – an average of six or more times more quickly than prior to the implementation of the telemental health consultations – and the care of the patient is maintained in the patient’s medical home thus increasing the quality and efficiency of care of the rural, underserved patient.
See: Boulger, J. Patient Acceptance of Integrated Telemental Health Services Within Rural Family Medicine Practices. Presented at the 61st Annual Scientific Assembly of the American Academy of Family Practice, 2008. And Davis, G, Boulger, J, Hovland, J and Hoven, N. The Integration of a Telemental Health Service into Rural Primary Medical Care. J. Agricultural Safety and Health, 13 (3), 237-246, 2007
Problem
Integrating mental health into primary health care settings in underserved rural populations is our objective. Using a shared-care model of service: where care is delivered at the patient’s local Family Medicine clinic results in greater patient anonymity and thus reducines stigma attached to mental health consultations - one of the primary barriers to appropriate treatment in rural communities.
The rural mental health system is dependent on the family physician. The need to support rural physicians in their efforts in mental health care in communities is critical to attracting and retaining physicians in underserved areas. The CRMHS serves patients only in areas that lack mental health providers. Communities that are in our Rural Minnesota Telemental Health Network are all in federally designated health professional shortage areas (HPSA’s, MUA’s and Mental Health HPSA’s). None of the communities has a psychiatrist and rarely are there available mental health professionals of any type.
Actions
The physician-estimated wait time for patients was between six and eight weeks when we began. Currently, following referral, all patients seen to date have been offered an appointment within one week of the original referral date. The family physician makes an appointment for the patient with a Center provider. A brief description of the patient and the general problem for which consultation is requested is FAXed to the Center in advance. The patient is seen in the community medical clinic or hospital via televideo utilizing video conferencing equipment. Following the session(s) with the patient, CRMHS providers call the referring practitioner and summarize clinical impressions and offer treatment or referral recommendations. This initial contact is followed with a written report for the patient’s medical file and a summary letter to the patient that includes the letter to the physician and follow-up instructions, when appropriate.
Results
More than 800 patient contacts have now been accomplished via the telmental health consultative service. Recent studies of patient and provider satisfaction have shown a very positive acceptance rate marred only by an occasional technological “glitch.” Patient and provider satisfaction has been excellent for the services rendered. Using a scale from zero (low) to four (high), the patient satisfaction ratings have averaged 3.6, while the provider average rating has been 3.9. With the addition of part-time psychiatrists and an additional part-time clinical psychologist/pharmacist, the number of patients seen is increasing.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
2010: Additional funding will provide expansion of services to additional underserved rural and small communities; additional staff will be required to support expansion. Current faculty efforts will need to be maintained at a time of diminishing State budgetary resources. Commitment from institutional sources will be maintained.
2011: Again, additional funding will need to be continued to support the expansion of services to additional underserved communities; additional staff will be required to support this. Current faculty efforts will need to be maintained. Commitment from institutional sources will be maintained.
2012: During this year, it is probable that the Director of the Center for Rural Mental Health Studies will retire. A search will need to be conducted to replace him.
Throughout the three years, we project having to constantly look for external sources of funding to support the rural telemental health consultation activities. This commitment of time will, of necessity, make sustainability more difficult.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
A number of events may threaten the continuing success of this project. The co-Director of the Center for Rural Mental Health Studies, Dr. Gary Davis, recently assumed the leadership of the medical school campus in Duluth. This has lessened the amount of time that he has available to see patients. Insofar as his hectic schedule permits, he has maintained his schedule in this regard. It would be beneficial to replace these efforts with time from additional professionals in the community.
As for most clinical services, funding is a perpetual issue. We will continue to seek external funding to bridge the gap between funds recovered from third-party insurers and the actual costs of service delivery. Should we be unsuccessful in these efforts, the project will be jeopardized.
The telemental health consultation service is successful. We hope that it will remain so,
How many people will your project serve annually?
101‐1000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
More than $4000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
Center for Rural Mental Health Studies, University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
No
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Our partnershps are with rural and Native American primary care practice sites.. That is the source of the patients and the medical home of our provider/partners.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
Additional funding is required to expand the number of sites to which telkemental health services are offered. Development of additional partnerships with other mental health providers will be necessary to expand further. Additional commeunity assessments of need are required to fuel appropriate expansion.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
The goal of the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth has been to train physicians for service in rural and Native American underserved areas. We have been markedly successful in accomplishing these goals. Half of all Duluth graduates are in Family Medicine, and 46% are in practice in communities smaller than 20,000. Mre Native Americans have received their MD degree from the University of Minnesota since tha school’s inception in 1972 than any other US medical school except Oklahoma.
Support for the patients of our alumni, as well as those practitioners themselves, in these underserved areas is a natural effort for the mental health professionals at the school. Knowing the limited resources available to patients and professionals in the rural areas of Minnesota, the telemental health consultative services were instituted using our alumni and colleagues in smaller communities. The interactions that we have had in training our students in these practices as part of our Family Medicine Preceptorship Program made cooperative links relatively easy to form in a trust-based relationship.
While working with rural family physicians in the medical school curriculum as well as in the supervisory process for Family Medicine residents in the Duluth residency, the need was apparent for collegial support for the providers and their patients via telemedical consultations. Via this method using virtual presence by staff in Duluth, we should be able to decrease the wait time for patients to see mental health providers, be able to assist the primary care physicians and other health care providers with rapid and focused consultative services and deliver comprehensive services within the patient’s medical home.
We are pleased with our success.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
James G. Boulger, PhD, is the Director of The Center for Rural Mental Health Studies based at the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth. Dr. Boulger has been on the faculty of the medical school in Duluth for the past thirty-five years in various positions. Currently, he is Professor and Head of the Department of Behavioral Sciences with a joint appointment in the Department of Family Medicine where he has directed the Family Medicine Preceptorship Program for the past 34 years. He has been recognized nationally for his efforts in rural medical education by the National Rural Health Association as well as by the University. From its inception in 2000, he has been the Director of the Center for Rural Mental Health Studies.
The Center is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of faculty and community associates who provides rural Minnesota residents with better access to mental health services through their family physician. The CRMHS telemental health providers consist of 4.5 FTE doctoral level psychologists and one master’s level trained counselor. All psychologists volunteer their time and are employed on a full-time basis elsewhere within the Duluth medical school.
This off-site shared-care consultative model is a collaboration with the family medicine clinics in the Minnesota communities of Bigfork, Cook, Ely, Littlefork, Mora and Paynesville Minnesota. Additional sites are two at the Bois Forte Reservation in rural Minnesota which provide assistance to the primary care providers at that Native American health site.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Via the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Mental Health Program efforts which were attempting to identi
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Memphis United States
The Emotional Fitness Centers of Tennessee are a faith-based, culturally sensitive mental health program that addresses utilization disparities and under-utilization of mental health services in West Tennessee by removing the stigma often associated with the need for mental health services in these under-served communities. These Centers are domiciled in 10 local churches in different ZIP Code areas across the city. To help remove the stigma these sites are not called MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS but EMOTIONAL FITNESS CENTERS. The name gives a different meaning to the n
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Ho Ghana
6° 35' 59.2044" N, 0° 28' 17.0184" E
In Ho, the local diet of consists of very carbohydrate-heavy meals that often lack protein content necessary for proper growth and nutrition. As a result, a recent study has shown that 45% of children under the age of 5 in the Ho region are underweight for their height.
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Bunyakiri Congo (Brazzaville)
Bunyakiri is in a combat “Red Zone” and has known incessant fighting for the last ten years of the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The area has minimal infrastructure: mobile phones do not work, the roads are unpaved and washout during the rainy season, and the only hospital does not have electricity. In 2004, Fondation Père Simone was established to: 1) help small farmers feed the village of Bunyakiri; and 2) take care of orphans and rape survivors. The foundation provides:
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Cape Town South Africa
Many underweight children are referred to Philani's five Nutrition Centres in South Africa in Khayelitsha), Brown's Farm and Crossroads from day hospitals and clinics in the surrounding communities, and from hospitals in Cape Town. About a third of the children are brought by their mothers direct from the community. While the children are being rehabilitated their mothers are offered weaving or beadwork training and those children older than two years participate in our Educare programme.
West Bengal, India
United States
Vitamin deficiencies are among the leading causes of malnutrition among young children, pregnant and postpartum women in the developing countries. Vita Shakti is equipped with multiple vitamins to address the malnutrition in the developing countries. Vita Shakti is an innovative product developed by Micronutrient Initiative in India. It is a premix of vitamin A, folic acid and iron.
Created on 09/30/2009 by danahhannah@earthlink.net
A innovation in healthcare for new families in my community. I have noticed a need for an intervention consisting of mental health promotion invovling parenting skills and family dynamics.
Organization: Y2K Pediatrics
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993 Univeristy Drive Coral SPrings Florida 33071
Is your organization a
For‐profit
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Describe Your Idea
A innovation in healthcare for new families in my community. I have noticed a need for an intervention consisting of mental health promotion invovling parenting skills and family dynamics.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
The Caring Family Program innovation is a hybrid of old fashion home visits and high technology internet communication. This family health promotion program will address several areas of concern: instruct positive parenting skills, effect many elements of family functioning,cultivate a postive client/provider relationship, and provide increased access to primary health care services through internet communitcation. This idea is a innovative disruption of the current health care model. I plan to shift my practice to the Health Care Home Model. This is a primary prevention intervention.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
I have had a positive impact with may of my current families. I spend much of my day helping families druing stress and crisis navigate difficult times. I find that mental health services are difficulty to access and are highly stigmatized. My background as a mental health nurse practioner assists me in my daily interventions with these high risk families, while addressing their primary pediatric health needs. In my practice we attempt to integrate all apsect of health into each visit.
Problem
A major problem with mental health issues consists of: lack of access, poor insurance coverage, most mental health providers do not utilize a family systems approach, and the stigma especially in several ethnic populations. The major issue regarding mental health treatment is people seek treatmetn only when there is a problem. My intervention is a primary prevention intervention- promoting positive parenting, helping to create family systems, and building a nurturing relationship with my emerging families.
Actions
The Caring Families Program would be an easy intervention to institute. The program would be an extension of my current pedicatric practice. The program would consist of offering regular home visits and parenting classes to all of my current families. My primary focus would be on families with newborn infants and families with high stress/parenting problems.
The Program would also consist of setting up a internet based communication support network. I would utilize the facebook interface to construct a virtual patient network. Families could log in and ask question directly to the practice providers, openly post concerns,and seek support from other families with similar issues.
This innovative program will be the focus of my current Doctoral studies. I am a Doctorate of Nursing Practice(DNP)student with Florida Atlantic University. The Caring Families Program is my capstone project. I will be conducting a comprehensive evaluation of many aspects of the program.
Results
The Caring Families Program will help promote positive parenting skills, decreased family stress drunig time of growth and transition, and prevent/identify mental health issues through a comprehensive family systems approach in the primary pediatric care setting.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
Year One-Basic set of the program and intergrating this new service into my practice.
Year Two- Manatining high quality services on an in office and home basis. Potentially I may need to hire another Nurse Practitioner to meet the demand for services.
Year Three- I hope to grow the program and launch a Caring Families non-profit organization in my community.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
There are few limitations to this project. I already have a successful prediatric practice that works to provide high quality pediatic health care. This program is an extension of my current practice. The program will need financial seed money to purchase needed items: portable computer for documentation, printed educational material for families, and supplies for needy families (diapers, formula, basic care items). Several families do not have insurance and are unable to pay for services. The grant money would permit me to provide services to these families in need.
How many people will your project serve annually?
101‐1000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Idea phase
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
No
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
I am a partner in a private primary care pediatric practice. My physician partner is very supportive of my innovative idea. I have professional support from my office staff and office manager. My DNP professor Dr Ruth McCaffery is available for the research aspects of my practice innovation process.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1-funding to purchase needed items.
2-funding to provide services to noninsured families.
3-measurable data that families will benefit and cost saving measure for the community/insurance providers; as well as a realistic practice model innovation towards a true health care home model.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
I have been frustrated with the decline of family system. I have seen many mental health problems as a direct result of parenting/family problems. I have seen the decline of mental health services and the problem approach to mental health problems. I believe a primary prevention intervention at the basic family level is the key.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
I am the social innovator behind this idea. My background as a mental health nurse practitioner for several years led me to change my focus to pediatrics. I beleive that I must empower families to provide a caring and nurturing environment to promote health developmental for all feamiliy members.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
College or university
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
main
Bourdon, Port-au-Prince Haiti
18° 32' 27.06" N, 72° 18' 58.7268" W
The Child Survival Program was established in October 2005 with the goal of reducing the staggering rates of death by improving the quality of health care available within five slum areas of Port-au-Prince and encouraging timely care seeking and health care practices. The program reaches 10 percent of the city’s population, 78,013 women and children in total. The program focuses on the following strategies:
There's big news coming out of this year's Clinton Global Initiative that will change the lives of women around the world.
Bill Clinton, Ashoka founder Bill Drayton, and Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson announced the launch of a major partnership to create a global competition identifying innovative technologies to improve the quality of life for women in developing countries.
main
Ahmedabad India
23° 2' 22.4664" N, 72° 33' 57.672" E
In the summer of 1980 CARE, Gujarat, placed an advertisement for a nutritionist for their Community Development Program, in collaboration with The Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Center (VASCSC).
main
Darjeeling India
27° 2' 23.9856" N, 88° 15' 48.9708" E
The objective of the program is to establish the impact of Double Fortified Salt (DFS) intervention on iron and iodine status and consequentially on the functional outcome of work productivity, physical activity and cognitive performance in women of child bearing age. This program targets women between 18 and 45 years of age who are actively employed as tea pickers.
main
Udaipur India
27° 43' 18.336" N, 75° 28' 8.7636" E
Micronutrient deficiencies are important problems in the developing world, and iron deficiency anemia is a major public health problem in these areas. In rural Rajastan, most villagers mill their wheat at the local village miller, the introduction of an iron-rich compound at the moment of milling can help increase consumption of iron. Seva Mandir evaluated this in a controlled study, and found that this practice was associated with a significant increase in hemoglobin in the villages with iron supplementation compared to control villages.
National Girl Child Day is a national strategy that seeks to improve the status of and end discrimination against girls in Bangladeshi society.
Since 2000, Bangladesh has celebrated National Girl Child Day each September 30. It has been chosen as one day of the annual Children's Rights Week. Actions are organised at both the national and local levels.
Created on 09/23/2009 by BabaZuwa
39 Ruwanga Road
Zimbabwe
19° 0' 55.5768" S, 29° 9' 17.4852" E
Recognising the value that committed, responsible and involved fatherhood makes to community, family and individual success
Created on 09/18/2009 by sureshshanth
One man one wife should be our practical life. Otherwise it is like an animal. We should motivate the human culture of the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,gentleness and self-control We have to practice it from the school/college itself.
Organization: Rathnas Trust
more ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Address
15, Rock View, Pasumalai, Madurai-625004, India
Is your organization a
Not registered
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Project
New entry - Lack In Civilization
Country your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
One man one wife should be our practical life. Otherwise it is like an animal. We should motivate the human culture of the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,gentleness and self-control We have to practice it from the school/college itself.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
Human culture of the fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,{or, faithfulness}, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law." The above are lacking in most of human mind. Hence, we want to instigate in the minds of humans.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
The seeding in the minds of school & college children are very much useful and it will give result within two to three years.
Problem
The real problem will be coming from the cinema media and some Politicians.
Actions
1. Meet the school & college students and private & government staff
2. Meet the parents and management
3. Followup
Results
The school & college children will educate the parents and society to their maximum extent. The employees of private and government will get fruitful result by avoiding corruption, bribe, etc.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
1. The seedings will be enter into the minds of the participants
2. The negative and pasitive aspects will be practically applied in their sourroundings
3. The practical applicability in their areas
What would prevent your project from being a success?
In general most of the Tamil cinema media, more politicians, some Government officials are preventing this project. But as a social cause, they have to follow the way of life in smooth line of acceptance.
How many people will your project serve annually?
101‐1000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$100 ‐ 1000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Operating for less than a year
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
No
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating?
Less than a year
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
No
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Our team comprises of two Christians, one hindu and one muslim to co-ordinate the project.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1 Men
2 Money
3 Place
"But with God everything is possible"
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
I compelled to submit this project due to the stupidity of the ancient Indians spent lot of money & mentally upset like slaves for such superstitious believes. They like a person are doing such an atrocity (in screen & news) on public but they don’t want to do it directly. The people should know what is culture and what is sin.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Mother Teresa and
Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, ex-President of India
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Web Search (e.g., Google or Yahoo)
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Created on 09/1/2009 by fsealsbuchanan
Postpartum women often feel confused and frustrated by complex feelings and emotions. While the majority recover quickly for "baby blues", thousands moreare overcome with the stigma of depression in addition to the challenge of becoming new mothers. Our program helps women adjust mentally and protect their children.
Organization: Covenant HealthCare Foundation
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Covenant HealthCare Foundation
Organization Address
1447 North Harrison, Saginaw, Michigan 48602
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Project
Supporting Depressed Mothers with Infants
Country your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
Postpartum women often feel confused and frustrated by complex feelings and emotions. While the majority recover quickly for "baby blues", thousands moreare overcome with the stigma of depression in addition to the challenge of becoming new mothers. Our program helps women adjust mentally and protect their children.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
Currently, thousands of mothers are left to wonder if they are the only women feeling anxiety or detachment after the delivery of their child. Many women don't recognize the symptoms of depression and deny depressed feelings. However, while women attempt to manage a serious medical condition, their children are suffering and may sustain lifelong trauma. Our program provides vital and timely intervention to help women understand that depression is common following pregnancy and that there are safe and effective remedies to ensure their health as well as the health and safety of their infants.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Covenant is the only birthing center within one hundred miles for several Michigan communities. Our maternal/child initiatives have provided critical access to healthcare for thousands of families annually. Our efforts have led to a 4% reduction in the local infant mortality rate, partnerships with our local Child Abuse and Neglect Council helps to protect children and family from preventable injury and trauma, and our state of the art facility provides every level of care from a routine labor and delivery to emergency ciscerian and neo-natal intensive care onsite.
Problem
70 to 80% of women experience a short episode of “baby blues” – feeling down, angry, anxious, or guilty that may last up to several days. Approximately 10% women go on to experience a more serious condition called post partum depression. It may occur in all or any one pregnancy, not just the first or last. Many women who feel depressed try to cope with their feelings on their own. They may feel that the “sadness” will pass or that everyone feels this way. However, while they are struggling to deal with a serious medical condition on their own, their children may be neglected or abused.
Actions
Covenant has begun to evaluate each new mother for depression before she leaves the medical center. Since women don't always recognize the symptoms of depression, the screening process helps clinicians assess risk factors for depression for future follow-up. Covenant has also developed a process to follow-up with mothers who indicate symptoms of depression. Surveys that indicate depression are currently referred to social workers to help mothers address their condition.
Future actions that will be pursued under this program include direct follow-up from a dedicated maternal support speacialist who will coordinate support groups, provide education and literture to depressed mothers and their families, and follow-up with mothers to ensure they are caring for themselves and their children.
Results
The goal of Covenant HealthCare’s Perinatal Mood Disorder Support for Mothers with Infants program is to prevent child abuse and neglect by providing one-stop access to mental health resources, referrals, and support for mothers who experience post partum depression. Ensuring the safety, health, and happiness of children is the primary outcome of this new program.
The program will house a collection of community mental health resources for distribution to inquiring women and their healthcare providers. Program information will be distributed through Covenant HealthCare, the sole birthing center in the Mid Michigan region, the local Child Abuse and Neglect Council, local school districts, doctor offices, and community support agencies.
The program will create a new position, Maternal Support Specialist, to act as a liaison between the community and Covenant HealthCare. This individual will present information to groups, coordinate support group meetings, collect patient surveys, field calls from the community, maintain an up to date file of community mental health resources, contact mothers who screened positive for mental health issues, and manage the support program.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
year one, successful achieved when all of the mothers who deliver at Covenant complete a depression screening. Our efforts will be to fill the maternal support position and begin to provide vital follow-up to women whose screening results indicated some level of depression. year two, success achieved when program literature is developed and begins to flow to 300 depressed mothers and their families. Y3: We will also work to track each mothers improvements and expand to 20 counties.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
Our goals are to prevent child abuse and neglect. Studies have shown that depressed mothers are less able to bond with their child, describe their child as a "problem child" more often, speak less to their child, and is less nurturing to their child. As you may assume, this negatively affects a child's development by making it more difficult for them to form close relationships, results in more agressive and anti-social behavior as well as a plethora of educational difficulties. Additionally, children of depressed mothers are more likely to experience traumatic injury when compared to children of non-depressed mothers. While our focus is on the child, we are also concerned with helping mothers obtain the care needed when confronting the devastating effects of depression.
How many people will your project serve annually?
1001‐10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$100 ‐ 1000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
No
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Operating for less than a year
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
No
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Covenant HealthCare Foundation Board ensures that the programs, projects, and equipment supported are in line with the strategic mission of the organization. Their guidance ensures that we are focused on improving the health of wellbeing of our region through the provision of state of the art technology, skilled clinicians, and timely education.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1.The project needs the support of the funding community. As a non-profit organization, we care for many families who do not have the finances to completely fund their care. 2.The program also requires the participation of the community. We have received overwhelming support from the community through over 400 volunteers who offer expertise and talent to ensure efficient operation. 3.Finally our program requires trust. As the local leader in maternal and child healthcare, Covenant has worked hard for over 11 years to earn the trust and respect of the community. The community in return has voted our organization "Best of the Best" for four consecutive years. Funding remains the final obstacle.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Clinicians have long followed the mental health trends of the region. While we continue to make strides in areas of child birth education and prenatal healtcare, our local infant mortality rate remains above state and national averages. Research uncovered the fact that women suffering from depression during and after pregnancy deliver infants with poor health outcomes. With limited local mental health resources, the area was identified to make the most impact of maternal and child health.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Typically, post partum women are left to their own devices to seek out medical care as needed. This program takes a proactive and community based approach to help women understand the need for coordinated care for depression along with working with their family, friends, and neighbors to assist them with their illness. We also will work to bring women together to allow them form social support networks to meet their emotional and family needs as each woman works to understand and manage her condition. These activities have not been routine services offered from a medical center. However, Covenant is the heart of the Mid Michigan region, and the community looks to us for medical leadership. We take that responsibility seriously and work to provide innovative solutions to complex medical issues.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Philanthropy News Digest email notification
Created on 08/22/2009 by nrcionline
Children would earn a dating license before they can date.
Organization: New Reflections Counseling, Inc.
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
New Reflections Counseling, Inc.
Is your organization a
For‐profit
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideCountry your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
Children would earn a dating license before they can date.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
No one is doing this as far as I know. Also, it is somewhat a subjective process and so would not allow someone to pass just because they know the right answers.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
I have not measured it yet.
Problem
My idea will reduce unwanted pregnancies, the need for abortion, and will reduce the divorce rate, thereby bringing stability to the local cities and states.
Actions
Seeking funding and researching interests and helpfulness.
Results
Ability to put in place a program that would educate children seriously before they expiriment with their sexuality.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
First year: funding and promotion creation to enlist participation of communities and hiring counselors
Second year: growth to other geographical areas
Third year: publishing outcome results
What would prevent your project from being a success?
lack of funding and lack of community promotion
How many people will your project serve annually?
1001‐10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$1000 - 4000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Idea phase
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
New Reflections Counseling, Inc.
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
The partnerships would help spread the idea faster.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1) Plan promotional materials
2) Plan educational materials and experiences
3) Enagage the local community
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Realizing that kids can get a drivers license, but not a dating or marriage license that really prepares them for dating succesfully without "having accidents".
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Matt Pavlik is a licensed professional counselor.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Essex and Associations Inc.
Created on 08/16/2009 by snezana
Producing Green book on Community Mental health. Organizing Public consultations on Communiry Mental Health in Macedonia. Draft the strategy and proposals to the Government.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideCountry your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
Producing Green book on Community Mental health. Organizing Public consultations on Communiry Mental Health in Macedonia. Draft the strategy and proposals to the Government.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
tHERE WAs never held public consultation on mental health in the country. The Government has wrong perspective of public opinion on the issue and does not implement the right strategy approach in developing community mental health
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
So far the community mental health is not developing at all, resulting in outburst of problems of people with mental health.
Problem
The Government is not paying attention to the rising problems in mental health. It never has organized public consultation to screen the needs and situation in the area and to see what the population things about the scope of the problem, main issues and main resolutions to the problems. This has resulted in increasing of the number of people with mental illness and their families having problems (societal, economic,health, discrimination, e.t.c)
Actions
1. To draft a Green book on community mental health
2. To organize public consultations ( on line, public debates, interviews, e.t.c.)
3. To draft White book on community mental health
4. To propose strategy and legal changes to advance the situation.
Results
1. Upgrading democratic process in the country
2. Advancing human rights of the vulnerable population
4. Advancing the health of people, especially children and women
5.Decrease the cost of treatment of the mentally ill people (health savings)
6.Increasing information to the public
5. Orienting action towards expressed needs of the voulnerable population
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
2009: Setting up the seen:Built a full scale project,Train NGO to organize public consultations
2010:Draft a Green paper (book) on community mental health (situational analyzes), organioze and implement public consultations
2011: Draft a White paper (book) with opinions and reccomendations for further action, draft legislation/strategies that have to be amended, table drafts to the Government and make it public (publishing, web sites...)
What would prevent your project from being a success?
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$1000 - 4000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Idea phase
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
NGO VERITAS&VIRTUS Anti Violence Aliance
How long has this organization been operating?
1‐5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Partnership with the NGOs is crution for broad coverage of the population in Macedonia. Partnership with the Government provides for unlimited approach to the information regaRDING THE SITUATION, AS WELL A POLITICAL SUPPORT to realize the projects and propose advancements in the area.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1. Advancing human capital in mental health
2. Resource mobilizing
3. Advancing strong synergies among the stakeholders.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
The defining moment was a few people escapes from the mental health hospitals which proved that they can not take appropriate care of these patients, and their families, crying for help, since they were not helped to care for their relatives in the community (safer) settings).
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
I am working as a lawyer for more than 20 years now in the area of health and social issues. I was one of the founders of the mental health reform in Macedonia. I have drafted and proposed to the Government the Law on mental health , which was adopted, but never implemented. I also wrote a book on mental health reform, aiming to raise awareness of the preventive role of law in mental health and to advance community mental health.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Web Search (e.g., Google or Yahoo)
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Created on 08/11/2009 by akelly
The VidaCard MasterCard is an employer-funded Healt
Organization: Pacific Community Ventures
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Pacific Community Ventures
Organization Address
51 Federal Street, Suite 402, San Francisco, CA 94107
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Project
VidaCard Prepaid MasterCard
Country your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
The VidaCard MasterCard is an employer-funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) that is linked to an electronic debit card and discount health plans. Employers fund employee's VidaCards and employees can use their personalized card anywhere MasterCard is accepted to pay for qualify health care expenses.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
PCV’s innovation is in a product design that links employer-funded HRAs with a specialized debit card platform and access to discount health and dental networks distributed through small business channel. The product is easy to administer and use and provides healthcare access to low-income employees who traditionally have not received health care benefits.
Nearly 80% of the employees that PCV touches earn wages that are well below of the area median income level, putting them in the low- to very low-income bracket for their surrounding community. For this segment of the lower-income working population in California, including a number of workers in the PCV portfolio, not having health insurance is a doubly challenging; the need to incur out of pocket costs even for basic care creates greater economic hardship, and often more adverse health outcomes.
VidaCard is designed to serve the needs of the uninsured and under-insured, lower-income workers by providing new access to basic wellness and preventive services (physicals, immunizations, screenings and dental care).
Do you have a patent for this idea?
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
PCV believes that access to health care will improve the health outcomes for California’s lower-income and uninsured workers and will result in increased employee retention and a healthier, more productive work force. Ultimately, VidaCard will empower the working poor to break the cycle of poverty by preventing chronic illnesses that lead to medical debt and unemployment.
To date, VidaVard has over 180 cards in the market with over 1,000 transactions and $200,000 in healthcare dollars.
Approximately 10% of all transactions have been with a service product (doctor, dentist, etc.) vs. a product/prescription
One account had half of the card users switch to an insurance product by applying their VidaCard dollars to insurance premium once they experienced the benefit of accessing health care.
Problem
Rising premiums have contributed to the decline in the proportion of businesses offering employer-sponsored insurance. In an annual survey of small business problems and priorities, the high cost of health care has ranked number one—across all sub-segments of small businesses—for the past twenty years. Of the approximately 5.2 million businesses with at least one employee in the United States in 2006, approximately 4.5 million, or 88% of them were businesses with fewer than 20 workers . As a result, while workers employed at businesses with fewer than ten employees make up 11% of workers employed by firms with employees, they comprise 35% of the working uninsured in the United States.
It is in this context of the number of American adults who had inadequate health insurance to cover their medical expenses rose 60 percent from 2003 to 2007, from 16 million to more than 25 million people.
Actions
In 2008, PCV raised $350,000 in operating capital and created the legal, organizational, operational and marketing (bilingual) infrastructure to prepare for a pilot. VidaCard launched a pilot on July 21,, 2008 with four companies with a fully functional card.
We have two full-time staff and a group of vendors helping us make this project a success. Our staffers are focused on product development, marketing, sales, legal compliance and partnership opportunities. Our vendors include a transaction processor, a card manufacturer, a claims processor, and discount health care services that are all excited to be involved in an initiative that is this is innovative. Further, we are closely following at the dynamic health care debate so that we can translate the relevance of what policy is being discussed with tangible health care coverage options. In May 2009, PCV launched VidaCard statewide.
Results
VidaCard has provided access to preventative health care to over 150 workers and over 1,000 healthcare transactions. Anecdotally, employees have indicated that they have accessed healthcare and products and have lowered their visits to the Emergency Room.
Maura, an employee of Farmacia Remedios, faced a frightening medical emergency. "I had to have surgery on May 21st. I needed laproscopic surgery to have my gull bladder removed which is very expensive." In the past, as an hourly worker with few resources, Maura would not know where to turn to pay for the surgery. Now, thanks to Farmacia Remedios decision to enroll with VidaCard Prepaid MasterCard®, Maura got the care she needed. "I used VidaCard to pay for the office visits and a portion of the total bill." Now fully recovered, Maura praises the benefits of VidaCard "Es rapido, es facil y todos acceptan." (It's fast, it's easy and everybody accepts it).
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
VidaCard has an ambitious goal of enrolling 2,500 companies and 50,000 employees by 2012.
• 2009 is the year to prove that there is true market demand for the product and that there is a viable business model. Our pro-forma models indicate that break-even is 40,000 cards in the marketplace. A current evaluation of market demand and the sales cycle will help determine the economic viability of this venture.
• 2010 is the year to raise a second round of philanthropic capital to provide the financial resources to grow the business. In addition, we will be assessing the most efficient growth strategy to achieve our financial and mission related goals. Finally, we will need to have all partner organizations in place in order to offer a full product offering.
• 2011 will be focused on company enrollment and card issuance. With the funding, infrastructure, and growth strategy, VidaCard can aggressively drive to break-even by 2012 and have a self-sustaining revenue model.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
As a non-profit venture, adequate operating capital remains the biggest challenge to success. Capital enables the venture to have a competitive staffing levels and sales and marketing budgets to compete against well funded for-profit ventures.
Secondly, we did not anticipate the elevated coverage and importance of health care policy at both the federal and state levels this year. Pacific Community Ventures has found that the education necessary to provide while talking about a health care program in this environment to be quite a challenge and resource intensive, but also incredibly important. Many employers are taking a wait-and-see approach and are unclear about government mandates and want to know how VidaCard might fit-in with proposed health plans. Additionally, having a very simple and transparent product is, paradoxically, more difficult because it is novel in this market place. Our organization spends a significant amount of time, therefore, educating the employers about the health care landscape and health care value propositions (price & access) to a variety of benefit plans.
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$100 ‐ 1000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
Pacific Community Ventures
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
No
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Our partnerships with businesses have been and continue to be critical. Without a solid understanding of their needs, we wouldn't have been able to create a product that was so needed by them and also easy for them to use. Additionally, they continue to help inform our product development.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
Education through social marketing is critical. When done successfully, it results in the employer providing these cards for their workers and the workers having a solid understanding of the importance of accessing preventative health care. A significant measure of our success to date has been getting these cards into the hands of uninsured or underinsured workers. These workers are, in many cases, gaining access to health care for the first time. Further, for some of these cardholders, having a VidaCard is their first introduction to the financial mainstream: they are receiving a financial asset in the form of a personalized plastic card. There are a lot of ‘teachable moments’ in the VidaCard process and it is critical that we capitalize on these moments to impart as much knowledge as possible.
Partnerships—our entire model is built around partnerships; with vendors, clinics, discount networks, brokers and businesses. These partnerships need to continue to grow and solidify to ensure our success. Part of what is keeping us from being fully protected in some of these partnerships is our current lack of sales volume. Once our sales hit a critical mass, we will be able to negotiate stronger positions, terms and pricing on behalf of our members.
Without funding, we need to shut down operations and leave the market void of a solution for small businesses and their workers in having access to health care.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
I have worked in a variety of capacities in health care over the course of my career. My experience is both international and domestic and ranges from working directly with prostitutes in the Congo to educate them about the importance of condom use to strategic planning for large pharmaceutical companies wanting to protect their market share in the epilepsy treatment market. In each of my experiences, I have experienced a driving passion around providing health care to individuals that really need it. The concept of VidaCard was derived from identifying a need that existed with small businesses and trying to help them provide access to health care for their workers. The idea was to provide a flexible tool that employers could use to offer a health care benefit, and then ensure that the dollars that the employer funded on the card would go as far as possible for the workers and their families. Additionally, because the model is designed to be self-sustaining after year three, I am driven reach impact and scale that no longer depends on philanthropic funding. This value to me is central and has led me to try to make this social venture as successful as possible. My goal is to make it a going concern, competing in the private market either directly or through replicators so that the access to health care that VidaCard provides is available to as many businesses and workers as possible.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Allison Kelly is the Director of Employee OnRamp Initiatives at Pacific Community Ventures (PCV). As member of the organizations Senior Leadership Team, Allison is responsible for identifying, launching and managing initiatives in areas such as healthcare and asset building that create new opportunities for both small businesses and their lower wage employees. Allison has developed and leads PCVs innovative health care product, VidaCard Prepaid MasterCard®. In this role, she is responsible for all areas of product development, legal compliance, marketing, sales and customer service.
Additionally, Allison leads PCVs health care policy work. Funded by The California Endowment, PCVs health policy work is centered around elevating the voices of small business in the health care debate and helping to educate small business owners on health care policy legislation.
Prior to joining PCV, Allison worked in the private sector in the pharmaceutical & biotech industries doing product management and strategic planning for products in the areas of high unmet need health care such as HIV, epilepsy and organ transplantation. Allison has also worked in the public sector doing social marketing of public health products such as contraceptives and safe water tablets in developing countries, providing onsite technical assistance in Africa. Immediately following her undergraduate work, Allison was also a Peace Corps Volunteer and trainer in Mauritania, West Africa. Allison holds a BA with honors in Psychology & English from the University of Oregon and an MBA in international management from Thunderbird, School of Global Management.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Personal contact at Changemakers
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Created on 07/31/2009 by Wombtwin
It is now clear to us that the loss of a twin before birth leaves a profound psychological effect on the surviving twin – the wombtwin survivor. Few people realise that many intractable psychological problems and personality disorders may be related to the loss of a twin before birth.
Organization: Wombtwin.com Ltd
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Address
PO Box 396 St Albans Hertfordshire England AL3 6NE
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideCountry your work focuses on
Describe Your Idea
It is now clear to us that the loss of a twin before birth leaves a profound psychological effect on the surviving twin – the wombtwin survivor. Few people realise that many intractable psychological problems and personality disorders may be related to the loss of a twin before birth.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat makes your idea unique?
The psychological effect on the survivor of the loss of a co-twin before birth is a largely unexplored area of psychology and we have been exploring it since 2002. As far as we are aware, we are the first organisation in the world to work exclusively with wombtwin survivors. We have created a healing path for wombtwin survivors, in the form of 30 steps, published as an e-book, which has already proven helpful to sole surviving fraternal twins as a self-help scheme. We are working on another related scheme for sole surviving identical twins and a third for sole surviving multiples (triplets and more.) We are also planning a training course for therapists of all kinds in how to offer specific therapeutic interventions to wombtwin survivors. We have piloted several of these workshops with therapists and wombtwin survivors and with their help we are developing specialised psychodrama exercises. Some of our work overlaps with other various pre- and perinatal therapies but we focus solely on the loss of a twin during pregnancy or around birth, which makes us different. We have three published articles in professional journals so far and two publications, with three more books to come over the next three years. Therapists are beginning to diagnose wombtwin survivors, but there is widespread ignorance about the best kind of therapeutic intervention for this group. We intend to fill that gap with training courses and workshop manuals.
Research has revealed that one in eight people is a wombtwin survivor. Most of these co-twins die in the first trimester and in many cases the mother has a normal pregnancy and delivery. Consequently there are many millions of unaware wombtwin survivors around the world experiencing symptoms of psychological distress, which are often diagnosed as “personality disorders” and invariably, do not respond to psychological help. We intend to mount a worldwide public awareness campaign to put an end to this misunderstanding.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThis Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Over 1000 people have contacted us by email asking for help, which has been provided free of charge. 500 wombtwin survivors have completed our questionnaire. Our two books are being read by wombtwin survivors around the world. 300 people receive Gemini Voices, our email newsletter, 20,000 people have visited our websites and blog. We now have some individuals whose lives have been blighted for a lifetime who are now free of their psychological problems. To date our impact has been small and local but we are very new and disadvantaged by widespread skepticism from some professionals. At an individual level however these ideas are transformational and are slowly gaining ground.
Problem
The primary problem is the large number of wombtwin survivors in the world - six hundred million- and a lack of resources and manpower to reach them. (On avereage, for every twin birth there are ten wombtwin survivors born, and as 1% of the brths on the world are twins, that means that 10% of the world population consists of wombtwin survivors, with the numbers varying between countries.) We need a massive campaign to increase public awareness, backed with excellent and well-researched information.
Actions
We now have a patron and a volunteer who is rebuilding the website. We hold our second open Space event and AGM in October 2009. We seize every opportunity to increase public awareness of this issue. We are receiving regular donations. We are planning to create sister organisations in USA, Belgium, Germany and Portugal with may more to come. A new book is being prepared with three more planned.
Results
We expect to have at least three sister organisations in place by the end of 2010. We will have increased traffic to our website to 100,000 hits. We will have a presence on as many social networking sites as we can find. The new book will be published and we hope reviewed widely. We will have piloted a therapists training weekend in the UK by the end of 2010.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
2010
Money to publish new book of the Wombtwin project written by Althea. Book completed and published by June 2010.
Volunteer to revamp website and connect Wombtwin.com top as many social networking sites as possible - by Aprl 2010.
Money to pay for further analysis of 500 questionnaires. August 2010.
A volunteer Membership Secretary to increase membership.
Sister organisations created in Belgium., Portugal Ireland Germany. Money to help set them up.
Funds to create an illustrated book for young wombtwin survivors, also publication and marketing.
Venue needed for local healing groups to pilot long-term self help
2011
Funds to take Althea Hayton to the APPPAH conference in California, USA and set up West USA organisation.
Funds to take Althea across the USA to set up central and eastern USA organisations.
Funds for illustrated childrens book for Wombtwin survivors aged 9-13
Funds and financial support to Althea Hayton to write and publish The healing path paperback book.
2012
Funds and activity to get Althea onto the UK conference circuit.
Funds to create pilot training course for therapists.
Activity to seek accreditation from a local university for this course.
Funds and activity to create documentary film about wombtwin survivors.
make documentary
What would prevent your project from being a success?
A lack of manpower. At present we have few staff and need to expand, but the first step is to create the information. This depends heavily on Althea as the author of the books, so support for her is crucial. We need funds badly. A lack of funds wont stop us but will keep us very small.
How many people will your project serve annually?
1001‐10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating?
1‐5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
We would wish to have a partnership with mental health organisations, but we are not yet in a position to offer them much.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1. To increase public awareness of the existence and psychological characteristics of wombtwin survivors
2. To make good quality information available worldwide
3. To establish local membership groups in as many places as possible.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
I am a qualified counsellor and worked for seven years locally with clients of all kinds. A female client with MS was particularly resistant and difficult. I had discovered two years previously that I am a wombtwin survivor - my twin brother was miscarried - and I had discovered that this new knowledge set me on a pathway to healing and greatly improved well being. I realised that this client was also a wombtwin survivor and she was very receptive to this new idea. My supervisor was very critical and regarded the use of this idea as unprofessional. Convinced that I had something useful, I resigned and took a three year sabbatical to research this idea. In this time I was able to formulate an hypothesis that wombtwin survivors constantly re-enact the loss of their twin and this is the root of their psychological problems.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
I am the social innovator I suppose, but these ideas rest on the notion of prenatal psychology, a science that began with Otto Rank in 1924 and which has expanded enormously since ultrasound studies of un-born babies have become so common. It is now abundantly clear that our neural networks are created in embryonic life and the impression of experiences and events at that time remain as a cellular memory. Prenatal psychotherapy is in itself an innovation, but to consider that the survivors of a "vanishing twin" pregnancy experience some kind of psychological effect because their twin died is rarely mentioned in the literature. I have had to work alone on this for a long time but as a writer I can do that. I am now retired and have plenty of time and energy for the work ahead. I have created the organisation Wombtwin.com Ltd so that this work can be rooted in ways that do not depend on me. It is no longer a one-man show and the team is expanding slowly. An increasing number of healed wombtwin survivors are beginning to make their story known and are becoming evangelists themselves, much to my relief!
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
The Association of Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health
Created on 07/29/2009 by leo_hphp@yahoo.ca
Aloha, we're glad you could make it. Please, pull up a shell & take your SEED-cause i know you've been standing on your feed, all day long! 'Fir starters, i hope i one: don't bore you with grammer mistakes [test: we have to be really honest to discuss such important itsyuoes] and two: if you cud see how missing peaces land exxxtraaaa letters make DNA, AND or DAN, then you May understand what some people mean when they say BOOOOoooooHoooOo for GMO (GenModOrg) and EHYA i mean YEAH for GmO (Good/God made Optimism).
Created on 07/24/2009 by nmuuka
Organization: iEARN KENYA
more ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Address
P.O. BOX 2116-50100 KAKAMEGA
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideCountry your work focuses on
n/a
What makes your approach innovative?
Approximately 150 words left (1200 characters).
How will you sustain your solution?
Approximately 150 words left (1200 characters).
What will be the impact of your solution?
Approximately 150 words left (1200 characters).
Created on 07/22/2009 by Elizabeth
Ashoka Changemakers, in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, launched the “Rethinking Mental Health: Improving Community Wellbeing” competition. We’ll be looking for innovations that allow individuals, families, communities, and society to move past narrow perceptions of mental health and expand our understanding and collective involvement in finding solutions.
Created on 06/10/2009 by marshi
“The idea is to accelerate sustainable quality through a digitally technological inclusiveness for the poor , marginalized and vulnerable school children as a fundamental human rights for a sustained human development and equity, poverty reduction, HIV/Aids reduction, self reliance and timely global connectivity”
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideCountry your work focuses on:
What stage is your project in?
Operating for 1-5 years
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
<$10
Name Your Project
Marshi Improvement Information Technology Education and Cyber School Project.
Describe Your Idea
“The idea is to accelerate sustainable quality through a digitally technological inclusiveness for the poor , marginalized and vulnerable school children as a fundamental human rights for a sustained human development and equity, poverty reduction, HIV/Aids reduction, self reliance and timely global connectivity”
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideDescribe your idea in fewer than 50 words.
“The idea is to accelerate sustainable quality through a digitally technological inclusiveness for the poor , marginalized and vulnerable school children as a fundamental human rights for a sustained human development and equity, poverty reduction, HIV/Aids reduction, self reliance and timely global connectivity”
What makes your idea unique?
Marshi idea is not only unique but also relevant and appropriate. School children are sensitive to new ideas and have the capacity to grasp and absorb user and reader friendly ideas which they deem or perceive as closet to their hearts and mind. “bringing a live mouse into a classroom will often tease children and more often than not will raise several questions from the children”, remember, there is a semblance between a “live mouse and a microchip mouse”. At Marshi Academy, we want all pupils to differentiate between a mouse and a mouse”. The introduction of digital technological education as a mass -catch- up learning component will significantly transform the schools’ quest for quality learning environment hyperbolically relevant and appropriate.
➢ The pupils will start learning Information communication technology from nursery (age 4) up to the ladder, will access and surf the internet skills as well this an ability them to connect to the rest of globe in this fast trendy globe of super highway technology age. The concept’s reality will be witnessed where the small beds starts exchanging correspondences with newly acquired global peer friends, will improve their learning skills through self – study e-learning while taking all the advantages of e-library.
➢ The pupils will also be able to access HIV/AIDS information resources vide free access to e-resources, this will help build and improver the children’s human development equity and economics vis – a – vis self reliance preparedness, not withstanding extreme pertly reduction. This explains why the project in unique.
What is your area of work? (Please check as many as apply.)
Children & Youth
, At risk youth
, Behavioral issues
, Boys' development
, Child care
, Child exploitation
, Child protection
, Early childhood development
, Education
, Education reform
, Girls' development
, Play
, Youth leadership
, Communications
, Design
, Employment
, Food security
, Income generation
, Information technology
, Networking
, Poverty alleviation
, Social Enterprise
, Sustainable development
, Environment & Sustainability
, Environmental justice
, Sustainable design
, Waste and recycling
, Health care
, Health education
, HIV/AIDS
, Reproductive and maternal health
, Sanitation
, Sports
, Wellness
, Disability rights
, Gender equity
, Security
, Tolerance
, Vulnerable populations
, Citizen participation
, Ethics
, Social work
, Volunteerism
.
What impact have you had?
Since the inception of information communication technology education and Cyber School project ,the applications skills associated with information technology for the few and have been limited to pupils in class 6 and 7 receptively. There have been a sustainable parents and guidance support network increasing local communities and local authorities’ awareness of ICT education and Cyber School and leading to improved access to quality education, social support for these poor and vulnerable children not withstanding.
It is noteworthy that the pupils have begun comparing the mathematical calculations inachiries like calculators, mathematical tables, and manual calculators with the ones in the software tools. Many pupils who have leant basic excel and foundation data base expressly state that with the comprises and internet access at Marshi Academy, they are able to quickly solve mathematical problems without any reference the foremen tined traditional methods. Many parents within the Marshi community have since made applications to enroll their children for information communication technology education and cyber school lessons, this in spite of the very limited opportunities and have formed parents peer support groups of tens with a view to enable them contribute membership fees for their children.
Describe the primary problem(s) that your project is addressing.
The marginalized poor children, vulnerable children, street children and
Deaf children in our community have community have been excluded from access to quality education, refection and completion; this is due to their lowest socio-economic status and recurring injustice. The situation is accentuated with food poverty, lack of fees to pay for tuition and procurements of school text books required by public schools, provable learning institutions is not within their imagination to access due to astronomically high fees charged by private owners and or investors.
The greatest problem which the project is addressing is the total exclusion of the poor children, vulnerable children street children and the deaf children in the digital technological worlds this is a fundamental human rights violations for these children, it is a deliberate attempt to permanently subject them to extreme vicious cycle of poverty; because of their poor background and law – socio-economic status, the educational regulatory authorities in Tanzania have never come up with a policy of prodding free ICT education to these target population. Whereas children from upper class income families and average income earning families continues to enjoy access to schools equipped with ICT education families thus making them relevant to info age of this dynamic globe, the reverse happens to children from the lowest income earning families, this notwithstanding the children from zero income earning families; this is the hide gap! The project is therefore an earliest entry point for Marshi Academy to help Improve access, retention and completion of digital technological education and cyber school services for the poor marginalized children, vulnerable children, street children and the deaf children who are enrolled at our education institution, so as to narrow the hide gap, to allow these poor population to maximize their quality learning opportunities which will make them complete with other peer children from able families, it will help enhance and restore human rights for these targeted population.
Describe the steps that your organization is taking to make your project successful.
Marshi Academy is currently undertaking a situational analyst and needs assessment study about the feasibility and viability of Information Communication technology education and cyber schools for Mara Region in Tanzania. The study invited participation of 13 primary school heads, 16 Secondary should heads, 8 representatives from parents association,3 representatives from the civil society groups and 2 education officers from the ministry of education and vocational training in Mara region in Tanzania
The participants are activity hooding group focused participatory meetings and awareness creative for the project with our institution taking a lead in ICT and cyber school resource’s mobilization. The institution has had series of pre-planned meeting with officials, teachers and sub-ordinate staffs, school children are constantly briefed about the impending project, arrangements for class room renovations are taking shape while ICT furniture and fittings is in progress in readiness for mass catch up ICT education and cyber school lessons for immediate take off, differential peer committee levels with well defined roles have been set up to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the project. The organization is identifying ICT tools, internet tools and other needed resources and levels of personnel to take charge of training of our pupils.
The project implementation officials will hold focused and pre-planned meetings; will recruit project staffs i.e. project coordinator, ICT trainers, project accountant, project admin secretary; 2 project support assistants; project cyber café administrator and 3 cyber school assistants.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Success in Year 1:
This year will see procurement of ICT fools stationers, training manuals furniture and fittings, internet facilities; recruitment of project staff i.e coordinator, accountant and IT trainers, cyber school administrators and support staffs; designing of policies, rules and regulations governing the project running; there will be pre-planned meetings for officials and staff: followed by organized quarterly seminars and workshops; there will be publicity, awareness and advocacy for the project launch using flyers, banners, brochures and posters so the public and community be informed about the project; enrollment of students/other trances and learning process to continue including organized practical’s and theory examinations and certificates issued after every three mouth: there will be two learning sessions i.e normal (from 8.00 a.m to 4.00 p.m ) and 5.00 p.m to 7.00 p.m) from Monday to Friday; while cyber school services and other series will be pronsed as from 7.00a.m to 10.00 p.m everyday; inclusive project stakeholders and reporter submitted to all parties; these will be annual project and it in order to ensure transparency
Success in Year 2:
The project marketing and publications will continue more aggressively in years 2 with new product range introduced; the latest Microsoft windows will also be introduced to students, trainees; there will be more research to students, trainees; there will be more research and development conducted by the project staffs in order to keep pace with innovations and diversified products for customers retention and new ones, satisfaction not withstanding; there will be increased enrollments of new students, trainees and additional customers attracted to diversified project services; will ensure attractive and affordable prices which are completive to all and second to non of our competitors; students will be offered free ICT education training while school leavers will be offered free stage 1 Microsoft office training packages but will pay fees as from stage 2; will introduce bonuses to customers; entry prize a ward competitions eligible to pupils and different prize awards to commercial customers. We will procure more desktop computers and laptop for education, training and cyber case use so as to student computer ratio; this will engrave quality access to ICT for students and to others; regular monitoring and evaluation and annual and it will be upheld; all these will be our success in year 2.
Success in Year 3:
The year will begin with review of the 1st two years project development using swot analysis; we will continue to enroll more pupils and other trainees; adopt new customer retention strategies while attracting new clients; we’ll continue with introduction of new product range; latest Microsoft windows also to put on offer; this year will see many pupils gaining excellent training of trainers skills and thus becoming peer ICT (TOTS) and used by the Institution as very resourceful persons; more entry competition price awards for pupils and customers will maintained; all will be winners in different categories this will entice our project beneficiaries; there will be more community support; more collaborating partners and networks invited thus helping strengthen our organization/project.
Do you have a business plan or strategic plan? (yes/no)
We have both a business plan and strategic plan.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization? STEP 1:
The most important actions needed to grow our initiative will be ensure the following activities.
• Pre-planned meetings (officials)
• Seminars for officials and staffs (quarterly)
• Seminars for community leaders (quietly)
• Procurement of ITC tools, coevals
• Recruitment of ICT trainers and other staffs
• Advertising and social marketing of the Initiative
• Enrolling pupils, retaining and ensuring completion of studies; learning and examinations
• Daily monitoring and evaluation involving teachers, pupils and officials
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization? STEP 2:
More regular meeting and seminars to be up hold; ensuring all enrolled pupils have adequate ICT tools and learning materials; sponsoring trainers for further in-house training in order to continued offering quality services; more research and development activities to be up hold;
• Practical and theory lessons will be conducted weekly to all pupils
• Introduction of a one- stop – stop at the Cyber School will more instinctive more lively; this will be a 24 hour service with staffs waking in shifts.
• We will indent to attract more clients compounded with our new entrant diversified product range in the market is while maintaining market leadership.
• Mandatory annual and it to ensure.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization? STEP 3:
• Review of the activities of the 1st and 2nd step.
• Increased enrolment for pupils and to introduce ICT education that pays for itself.
• Pupils to be actively involved in training their peers that’s those who had been identified as (TOT’s), this will make other new pupils to learn faster.
• More pupils will also be used as peer cyber school administrators at the cyber café
• Enrollment of new local and international collaborating partners
• Ensure consistent and regular examinations to the pupils.
• Uphold mandatory crudités to help enhances greater accountability and transparently.
• Constant research and development to continue
• Release of newsletters for the schools highlighting the project activities and successes
• Develop web and hosting
• Introduce partnerships and networking
Describe the expected results of these actions.
The expected results of those actions are stated as hereunder
The poor needy orphans and vulnerable
➢ Pupils will have increased access to information communication technology education and training skills thus enhancing their digitally technological inclusiveness vis-à-vis increasing human nights for these marginalized population
➢ These children’s increased access to the cyber school services will help info we their global digital connectively thus enhances accelerated quality learning i.e e-learning; e-health recourses e-sports, e-children relevant in their sustainable child development and global knowledge sharing
➢ There will be increased institutions sustainability due to more diversified product range associated with ICT education and cyber school
➢ Increased community support through groups
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
. Our school administration some pupils had a one week tour to Kenya; to visit venin’s schools to see how fellow peer pupils learn; we visited 4 schools in 2 schools, we fund agricultural school enterprise introduced and pupils here themselves actively involved in groaning of tomatoes, vegetables and passions which they sell; these kids financed their education without compromising their quality learning. In the other 2 schools, we found school children learning computers and browsing the internet, the kinds were as small as 4 years, more interesting was the fact that these 2 schools were located in rural villages; the pupils in these schools share one computer for 20 pupils and it learning was going on with pupils very happy, we noticed these judging from their faces, questions and answers our pupils and teachers were lost for words; we could see sadness on the face of our poor pupils who felt something missing and or lost; on our return journey to Tanzania, many pupils asked us many questions then we could answer; this worked the beginning of our plans to start up this initiative; we commissioned a need assessment study lasting 21 days; prepared of business plan and a strategic plan.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
There is need to keep pace and to maintain relevance in the society we live. The globe has become rapidly trendy. Complex and intuitive, while population keeps growing daily, the resources a mind the population growth gets strained, depleted and scores; the environmental situation is even getting more challenging due to HIV/AIDS epidemic not sparing even school children, poor orphans and the like is the children across the globe is constantly subjected to neglect, Isolation child slavery, abuse and other forms of ills, malnutrition etc. Many helpless children have been denied access to quality education; excluded in the digital technology while also facing diverse forms of poverty and other economic injustice
➢ Our project envision a just and equitable society where the level ground for children irrespective of their social and economic status and background; to narrow the wide gap and to increase inclusiveness in the provision of qualitative and qualitative learning; we see our idea as the most relevant, appropriate, feasible and viable and the single innovator with multiplier benefits to this once forgotten population; the idea will help overcome all odds and create a level playing field all the pupils and other stakeholders if replicated to other schools in Tanzania
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
First heard about the change makers through the Tanzania representative
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat would prevent your project from being a success?
If you fail to plan then you must plan to fall our project is founded on a carefully
thought out plan with set goals, mission, objectives strategies and measurable indicators; our project success is pegged around the following;
➢ Financial sustainability:
We levy fees to various customized trainer clients; charge fees for diversified product range i.e. business cards, posters, flyers secretarial services’; Internet braising services; while offer tree training to our students. The prices we charge are competitive, affordable and help increase our volume of sales thus posting expected surplus to father improve the financial base of the project
➢ Market and Research development
We adopt aggressive marketing; advertisement for our many production, adopt a customer retention strategy; offer law prices and maintain high quality ICT education and cyber café services so as to concavity increase volume of trade; more enrollments for trainees/pupils and new customers; new innovation to attract more customers; this boost our sustainability so we continue with our leadership
➢ Institution capacity building training
Organized in –house training and seminars to our officials, staffs and project staffs ensure guaranteed quality service delivery this will make sure mountain relevance and appropriateness .We will train school children on ICT technical aid to become peer ICT technical aid TOTs so that we maintain our local ICT technicians as school pupils, this will technically sustain our project
Community support and Partnerships.
We enjoy optimum support from the community due to our participatory approaches in initial project design planning and implementation; the communities see this project as their 5 they have vowed to support it to the later. We endeavor to increase national and global partnerships to help improve our sustainability base. We plan to establish Marshi Community ICT Schools Trust Fund, an independent entity which will draw her leadership within this community and will manage and lobby for ICT tools, will conduct research and development and will formulate policies for ICT for schools and petition various software providers to help improve access to ICT education for school children We however see poor economic performance by our government which may farce it to introduce taxation to ITC tools; this may make procurement of ICT for schools expensive; the new software vials may also success of our project
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating? (i.e. less than a year; 1-5 years; more than 5 years)
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes, functional 12 members
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs? (yes/no)
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses? (yes/no)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideDoes your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government? (yes/no)
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Our organization is founded on the following principle tenets’, partnerships,
Networking, collaboration, volunteerism, equity among others. Our belief is that, together as one we stood, we build ourselves, streghten and maximize our diverse potentials. Partnership enhances increased sustainability, through shared experiences and efforts; there are needed resources beyond our means and through expanded partnerships, we are able to acquire these resources at a considerably faster and convenient means; so it is critically significant that we continue to build on partnership for continued accelerated sustainable development and to optimize our achievement
How many people will your project serve annually?
What is the total number of employees and total number of volunteers at your organization?
30 employees, 25 volunteers
What is your organization's business classification?
For-profit
Have you received funding from any of the following groups? (Please check as many as apply.)
None of the above.
Created: 05/29/09 by Anonymous
When it comes to reproductive health, the right approach for an independent working woman in the city is not going to work for an indigenous mother of five in a tightly knit rural village. Diana Damien knows. She has been developing strategies for teaching reproductive rights and improving reproductive health in Chiapas, Mexico, where for years, women’s health initiatives have failed.
Created on 05/29/2009 by Amelia Forrest Kaye
Chat about what it means to design for better health with your friends for the Designing for Better Health Competition!
Created on 05/27/2009 by pageks
“Pittsburgh Prayer Wheels” is a youth-driven project. A group of CAPA HS students as “Youth Voices of Pittsburgh” will involve the city’s youth in the creation of public artworks that give voice to their ideas and allow for community reflection on them.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Project
Voices of Youth Pittsburgh Prayer Wheels
Describe Your Idea
“Pittsburgh Prayer Wheels” is a youth-driven project. A group of CAPA HS students as “Youth Voices of Pittsburgh” will involve the city’s youth in the creation of public artworks that give voice to their ideas and allow for community reflection on them.Through neighborhood and virtual forums, workshops and a blog site, all youth would be invited to voice their ideas and concerns. Traveling studios and on-line submissions would permit the participants to translate their voices into visual references, or “sketches”. These “sketches” could contain symbols, words, drawings, poems, etc., and would be incorporated onto the surface of multiple rings. Referencing the Tibetan prayer wheel, these rings would be assembled to make large “prayer wheels”, will be fabricated in aluminum and recycled materials, all sustainable, and would be installed along the city’s rivers. The cylinders will rotate as they are touched, allowing for an immediate multi-sensory experience with the work and encouraging a contemplative response to the youths’ diverse ideas.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat is your idea? What makes your project innovative? Why is it important?
The goal of innovation is positive change, to make someone or something better. This project is innovative in that it infuses an Eastern Traditional Object with Contemporary Western Youth voices, with young people collaborating for positive change. In a world growing increasingly smaller, yet seemingly more divided, it is important that young people develop skills to communicate their ideas in a team setting and in a visual language, across cultures. We also hope to harness wind, water, or solar energy to power a continual rotation of the Youth Voices Prayer Wheels. As the Tibetan tradition states, the more the wheels rotate, the more positive energy is released.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat will be the impact of your idea?
Plugged in, signed on, down-loaded and thinking – this project initiates on-line and real-time collaborations between neighborhoods, schools, youth groups, artists, community members, professionals, and cultural institutions to establish a forum for the Voices of Pittsburgh Youth.
This project creates a forum for the youth of our area to voice their concerns and ideas. In many circumstances teenagers are considered to be threatening and it is imperative that they are allowed a safe, considerate, and appropriate place to state their opinions.
Through the project’s website and blogspot, anyone can analyze and respond to their opinions, ideas, voices and concerns.
The blogspot will become the arena for the dissemination of information and place for open creative dialogue. At the on-site forums and workshop the youth will make art that reflects their own take on the issues about which they are most concerned. They will create this piece. We, as adult artists, will only help to facilitate the final design.
While the Voices of Youth can develop over the Internet, it is also imperative that the participants become receptive to new ideas as well as develop their individual pursuits. The spinning prayer wheels allow for a collaborative collage of ideas. It is our responsibility as adult artists to suggest and mitigate the final results.
There can be virtual exhibitions of submitted work as well as exhibitions in related communities. We feel that we can incorporate many voices in many areas with our idea.
What will it take to launch your idea? How will you secure community support and youth participation?
We are all adjunct art instructors at CAPA High School and therefore have a very willing pool of talent to draw from. We also have built strong collaboration partnerships with The Andy Warhol Museum and The Mattress Factory.
The project will be launched by the CAPA HS “Community Art Ambassadors” who will create a website and blog for the project, send out e-vites, create Facebook events, and contact the city papers. Additionally, solicitations will be made through the Pittsburgh Public and Private Schools teacher networks.
Libraries and other safe havens would be the sites for the forums, while the traveling studio could take place at parks, youth centers (such as Sarah Heinz House), The Warhol Museum, The Mattress Factory, or schools.
The website and blog will document and record the process and disseminate the schedule of forums/workshops and will include a digital exhibition of works in progress.
The construction of the cylinders would become community events.
The $25,000 budget will cover costs of art materials, casting expenses, stipends and honorariums.
We would pursue additional funding through donations of materials.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWe are looking for ideas from people who can make them happen. Tell us about yourself or your team.
Karen Page has received many awards including an NEA Visual Arts Fellowship, a PA Council on the Arts Crafts Fellowship, and a Surdna Art Teacher Fellowship.
- MFA (Kent State University), BFA (Syracuse University)
Carley Parrish has been awarded multiple public art commissions as well as grants for staging hot metal pours with young people.
- BFA (University of NY at Buffalo)
Shannon Pultz, a member of the art collective, Art Club2000, has exhibited in NYC, Europe and Mexico.
- Previous Editor of the English edition of the art magazine, Flash Art International.
- BFA (The Cooper Union), Art K-12 certified
We are all art adjunct instructors at CAPA HS (Textiles, Sculpture, and Printmaking respectively). We bring to this project our many years of experience as teaching and exhibiting artists. Our commitment is evidenced by our daily dedication to artistic expression, education, and specifically problem-solving through the creative process as we work with and empower youth to realize their artistic voice.
Please join us for the closing reception of our students’ exhibition at Eastside Gallery, May 29 from 6-9pm.
An interview with David Bornstein, author of How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas.
Bornstein shares his thoughts about why many big ideas are little known, how everyone has the ability to be a changemaker, and what stories have inspired him the most.
Created: 04/17/09 by Anonymous
You can't solve the world's problems sitting around listening to soap operas. Or can you?
The world's population is growing by 80 million annually. In countries such as Mali, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, the average woman gives birth to between five and eight children. For the poorest families, this can lead to dire consequences and ugly choices; face starvation or give children up to human traffickers.
A bouquet of flowers can say, 'I love you,' 'I'm sorry,' or 'Get well.' If they're Fair Trade flowers they can also say, 'I care.'
