Fogo a Sorrir

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Fogo a Sorrir

Cabo Verde
Organization type: 
nonprofit/ngo/citizen sector
Budget: 
$10,000 - $50,000
Website:
http://www.mundoasorrir.org
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

The Oral Health Specialist has a very important role in order to provide all information necessary for proper oral hygiene of an individual. Such initiatives greatly increase the information provided in clinics allowing the whole population to absorb, understand and adopt habits that are part of the routine of their day-by-day life. Oral Health Campaigns have as a primary objective the provision, free of charge, of the Service of Awareness, Information and Education, performing preventive procedures on oral health promotion.

About Project

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

The Fogo Island, which is the fourth largest island of Cape Verde, has a high incidence of oral diseases in the population and also malnutrition, especially among children. The high consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs and the prevalence of risk behaviors, especially among youth between 15 and 24, are also determinants of health of the population of the island. The Fogo Island has only one service where dental treatments are performed for a population of about 32,000 inhabitants. Unfortunately, and as a result of factors such as poor road conditions, lack of public transport, lack of information and lack of resources, the number of people who have access to this service is very limited. Tooth decay and gum disease are avoidable through preventive care and low cost. It is fundamental to raise awareness, information and education of oral hygiene practices, the acquisition of healthy habits and feeding behavior, as well as the use of fluoride. This initiative, besides wanting to raise awareness of the Right to Health, is also intended to convey that the prevention of cavities and periodontal diseases is much simpler and more effective than treatment. Thus, we consider that the performance of MAS should be based on the level of implementation of measures for prevention and oral health promotion, since only a change of mentality and habits of hygiene and nutrition can lead to long-term results.
Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

The main activities of this project are the appointments in the dental hospital S. Francesco involving several basic areas of dentistry, including oral health campaigns aimed at the younger population, aged 6 to 12 years, with the objective to stimulate hygiene habits that will become extremely important for their oral health.
About You
Organization:
Mundo a Sorrir
About You
First Name

Joana

Last Name

Dias

Twitter
Facebook Profile

http://www.facebook.com/mundoasorrir

About Your Organization
Organization Name

Mundo a Sorrir

Organization Phone

931653608

Organization Address

Rua Círiaco Cardoso 265-C

Organization Country

, PO

Country where this project is creating social impact

, XX

How long has your organization been operating?

More than 5 years

Is the project that you are entering related to this organization?

Yes

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Innovation
What stage is your project in?

Operating for 1‐5 years

Tell us about the community that you engage? eg. economic conditions, political structures, norms and values, demographic trends, history, and experience with engagement efforts.

The health infrastructure of the Health System in Cape Verde corresponds, in general, to the needs of local populations and includes two central hospitals and 3 regional hospitals. By the end of 2011, another two units will be completed and similar facilities are being planned in Mosteiros (Fire) and May (completed in 2011). The health sector has about 300 doctors and 420 nurses, which corresponds to one doctor for 2,203 inhabitants and one nurse per 1,033 inhabitants. All the islands have at least two physicians (data 2006). The major endemic diseases are common in a country of dry tropical climate: acute respiratory infections, the highest incidence from February to May due to the winds that blow during this period, diarrhea, mainly derived from the consumption of unwashed food or water; common child pathologies include tuberculosis, malaria, once considered eradicated, comes in less than a hundred cases a year, imported by a strong migration coming from the West African countries, but the proactive approach of the General Director of Health, tracking the disease to the arrival of flights from the African continent, has allowed the rapid identification of individuals with the disease, thus preventing their spread.

Share the story of the founder and what inspired the founder to start this project

The World a Smile - Portuguese Dentists in Solidarity Association (MAS) was established in July 2005 with the aim of bringing together the largest possible number of dentists who voluntarily adhere to a social projects in the area of Oral Health. Its main objective is to promote health and wellbeing of disadvantaged communities. In 2006 it was awarded the status of an NGO (Non Governmental Organization for Development). Since 2005, MAS has provided assistance at the St. Francesco Hospital on the island of Fogo in Cape Verde, with the ultimate aim of reducing the dental needs of this population so in need.
Testimony of a volunteer from September 2010: "Much could be written about my visit to Cape Verde. Although a strong professional content is undeniable, the emotional experience that accompanied my daily work is what made this trip a milestone in my career professionally and personally. The call to people of the island and its most pressing needs greatly appreciated the scope of this trip to Africa, and stressed the urgency in solving some problems that remain, despite our efforts, lingering after our return home. It is therefore important to reflect on what value has been generated through our action, while not forgetting what remains to be done. "

Social Impact
Please describe how your project has been successful and how that success is measured

Since 2005, the World Smile organization sends volunteer dentists for this project, and the excellent working conditions in S. Francisco hospital allow you to perform all kinds of dental treatments and several dentists and dental hygienists have participated in the project more than once. .A partnership with the hospital has been maintained over the past six years and is updated each year. The success of this project is measured by the number of patients and treatments, patient satisfaction (return to the hospital for consultations to continue treatment) and satisfaction of dentists and dental hygienists who volunteer, repeating the experience of volunteering annually.

How many people have been impacted by your project?

1,001- 10,000

How many people could be impacted by your project in the next three years?

More than 10,000

Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact

Major milestones of growth involve sending four hygienists and dentist every month, where they will treat about 1200 patients and conduct health promotion in schools.

Task 1

Dental appointments and treatments in the S. Francisco hospital.

Task 2

Health promotion in schools through classroom teaching

Task 3

Topical applications of fluoride and fissure sealants in children on the island and implementation of daily tooth brushing in schools.

Identify your 12-month impact milestone

The projected impacts are consultations for the treatment and prevention in 2000 patients, conducting daily health promotion in schools and implementation of this daily tooth brushing regimen.

Task 1

Dental appointments and treatments in the S. Francisco hospital.

Task 2

Health promotion in schools through classroom teaching

Task 3

Topical applications of fluoride and fissure sealants in children on the island and implementation of daily tooth brushing in schools.

How will your project evolve over the next three years?

The rise of new challenges will also increase the population benefited from our health care, both treatment and prevention. The result is a better estimate of oral health in this target population as well as a new motivation for learning to care for the future.

Sustainability
What barriers might hinder the success of your project and how do you plan to overcome them?

The major barriers at this project are actually the lack of volunteers. With the growth of the project there is also the rise of new challenges and we intend to overcome these obstacles by providing financing.

Tell us about your partnerships

As an example, at this point in the course of the project we have the support of a private clinic that paid for trips every month for a year for nine dentists and 4 dental hygienists, where they will be volunteering for a month, happening with the project throughout the year

Explain your selections

We have the support of foundations in Africa and Portugal and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Fundraising and other campaigns.

How do you plan to strengthen your project in the next three years?

We plan to strengthen our project through partnerships with local councils and by increasing Marketing and Fundraising campaigns.

Challenges
Which barriers to health and well-being does your innovation address?
Please select up to three in order of relevancy to your project.

PRIMARY

Limited human capital (trained physicians, nurses, etc.)

SECONDARY

Health behavior change

TERTIARY

Lack of access to targeted health information and education

Please describe how your innovation specifically tackles the barriers listed above.

Regarding the existence of scarce human capital in terms of dentists and dental hygienists in Cape Verde, we address the barriers discussed in the sense that we send volunteers throughout the year, trying to reach the largest number of patients. As for the change in health behaviors, we try to take action to promote health and prevent oral diseases in schools, working with the youngest population in order to provide health education and complement lack of access to this important knowledge.

How are you growing the impact of your organization or initiative?
Please select up to three potential pathways in order of relevancy to you.

PRIMARY

Enhanced existing impact through addition of complementary services

SECONDARY

TERTIARY

Influenced other organizations and institutions through the spread of best practices

Please describe which of your growth activities are current or planned for the immediate future.

The growth activities for our project are based on agreements with local associations and institutions.

Do you collaborate with any of the following: (Check all that apply)

NGOs/Nonprofits, For profit companies, Academia/universities.

If yes, how have these collaborations helped your innovation to succeed?

These collaborations and partnerships have helped in the development of our projects both in terms of human and material resources (more specifically with the collaboration of private companies), as in the replication of our project methodology to enhance our actions through support from other NGOs.