IMIF’s New Mobile Dentistry Unit and Visit from Halifax Volunteer Dentist
We were fortunate enough to have Dr. Dan MacLellan come to Bolivia this past month to work with the IMIF staff with the task of getting the foundations new mobile dentistry unit working and have the foundations dentists trained to use it in the field.
The mobile dentistry unit is an amazing addition to the dental services that the foundation currently provides and is currently the only unit of its kind in Latin America. The unit is produced by Aseptico founded in 1975. Aseptico manufactures dental units for the military so that they can provide dental care wherever their base camps are located. Aseptico also participates in a number of outreach programs by donating equipment to aid projects in Kenya, Ghana, and Thailand as well as in the United States.
Currently there are two IMIF dental clinics in the field, one being in Colquencha and one in Aucapata. These dentil clinics contain modern equipment and are both staffed with full time dentists. Due to the geography of the municipality of Aucapata many children and adults are not able to access the clinic due to long distances where the majority of the population depends on walking to get from community to community. This makes it difficult for the foundations dentists to reach all of the population in the municipality of Aucapata or to encourage students to travel the clinic to seek treatment. As a result the foundation has looked for a way to be able to bring the much needed dental services to the various communities and this is where the new mobile dentistry unit comes in.
The mobile dentistry unit is basically a state of the art dental clinic in a box. It is fully equipped with drilling tools, suction, air and water, x-ray machine, dental chair for the patient and dentist, all of the tools that a fully equipped dental clinic would have in an urban area. Having this piece of equipment will allow the foundations dentists to reach the most remote schools to provide treatment rather than waiting for the students to seek treatment in a faraway clinic only when they experience severe pain. This will not only expand the amount of children treated but will enable them to work more in depth on restoring the children’s teeth to a healthy state and educating on hygiene to maintain healthy teeth rather than solely performing extractions to alleviate extreme pain and prevent infection.
Upon Dr. MacLellan’s arrival the IMIF team worked tirelessly assembling the unit in order to practice set up and take down as well as to become familiar with its functions, create protocols and user guidelines. To our surprise after much trial and error the unit was not able to function at the altitude of La Paz which sits at about 3,600m above sea level. After many Skype calls to the factory, help from our local technician and UPS parts delivery we were still without luck and unable to get the main piece of the unit up and running.
Although the main unit wasn’t functioning in La Paz the IMIF team travelled to Aucapata to attend to patients and test the unit at different altitudes. At 2,700m in Aucapata the unit still was unable to build enough pressure to power the hand tools but when the unit was tested again in the town of Rosario at 1,300m the pressure gage was showing a reading. Although the main unit was not able to be used during the trip the dentistry team showed great flexibility and were able to compromise and treat a number of patients in the schools we visited during our time in Aucapata. There the dentists were able to try out the dentist chairs, x ray, along with the other tools to do check-ups, sealants, and extractions. We were also able to see how portable the unit actually is and how many people it requires to carry all of the parts into the schools.
It was an amazing site to see a group of people hike in carrying a whole dental clinic with little effort and within no time at all have everything set up and ready to treat patients. Throughout our time in the field we were able to visit 3 different schools in the municipality of Aucapata; Karcapunko, Charaj, and Huayllani. There the dentists performed extractions, necessary x-rays, and sealants.
As the dentists completed their set up and got to work with treatment we also conducted an art activity with the kids where we provided canvas bags to paint. The bags were provided to us by CATI a local children’s shelter in La Paz that the foundation often works with. The bags were made by recovering parents of the children who attend the shelter and contained drawings with a dental hygiene theme. The kids loved the activity; it was an excellent way to distract them from the unpleasant experience of having a tooth extracted!
This new addition to the dentistry team will play an instrumental role in reaching the IMIFs dental program goals. Situations like these are perfect examples of the challenges faced when doing development work in rural areas. We are confident that the mobile unit will be up and running shortly and will be crucial to the betterment of children’s dental health in rural Bolivia.
Vanessa Sykes
November 2013
We were fortunate enough to have Dr. Dan MacLellan come to Bolivia this past month to work with the IMIF staff with the task of getting the foundations new mobile dentistry unit working and have the foundations dentists trained to use it in the field.
The mobile dentistry unit is an amazing addition to the dental services that the foundation currently provides and is currently the only unit of its kind in Latin America. The unit is produced by Aseptico founded in 1975. Aseptico manufactures dental units for the military so that they can provide dental care wherever their base camps are located. Aseptico also participates in a number of outreach programs by donating equipment to aid projects in Kenya, Ghana, and Thailand as well as in the United States.
Currently there are two IMIF dental clinics in the field, one being in Colquencha and one in Aucapata. These dentil clinics contain modern equipment and are both staffed with full time dentists. Due to the geography of the municipality of Aucapata many children and adults are not able to access the clinic due to long distances where the majority of the population depends on walking to get from community to community. This makes it difficult for the foundations dentists to reach all of the population in the municipality of Aucapata or to encourage students to travel the clinic to seek treatment. As a result the foundation has looked for a way to be able to bring the much needed dental services to the various communities and this is where the new mobile dentistry unit comes in.
The mobile dentistry unit is basically a state of the art dental clinic in a box. It is fully equipped with drilling tools, suction, air and water, x-ray machine, dental chair for the patient and dentist, all of the tools that a fully equipped dental clinic would have in an urban area. Having this piece of equipment will allow the foundations dentists to reach the most remote schools to provide treatment rather than waiting for the students to seek treatment in a faraway clinic only when they experience severe pain. This will not only expand the amount of children treated but will enable them to work more in depth on restoring the children’s teeth to a healthy state and educating on hygiene to maintain healthy teeth rather than solely performing extractions to alleviate extreme pain and prevent infection.
Upon Dr. MacLellan’s arrival the IMIF team worked tirelessly assembling the unit in order to practice set up and take down as well as to become familiar with its functions, create protocols and user guidelines. To our surprise after much trial and error the unit was not able to function at the altitude of La Paz which sits at about 3,600m above sea level. After many Skype calls to the factory, help from our local technician and UPS parts delivery we were still without luck and unable to get the main piece of the unit up and running.
Although the main unit wasn’t functioning in La Paz the IMIF team travelled to Aucapata to attend to patients and test the unit at different altitudes. At 2,700m in Aucapata the unit still was unable to build enough pressure to power the hand tools but when the unit was tested again in the town of Rosario at 1,300m the pressure gage was showing a reading. Although the main unit was not able to be used during the trip the dentistry team showed great flexibility and were able to compromise and treat a number of patients in the schools we visited during our time in Aucapata. There the dentists were able to try out the dentist chairs, x ray, along with the other tools to do check-ups, sealants, and extractions. We were also able to see how portable the unit actually is and how many people it requires to carry all of the parts into the schools.
It was an amazing site to see a group of people hike in carrying a whole dental clinic with little effort and within no time at all have everything set up and ready to treat patients. Throughout our time in the field we were able to visit 3 different schools in the municipality of Aucapata; Karcapunko, Charaj, and Huayllani. There the dentists performed extractions, necessary x-rays, and sealants.
As the dentists completed their set up and got to work with treatment we also conducted an art activity with the kids where we provided canvas bags to paint. The bags were provided to us by CATI a local children’s shelter in La Paz that the foundation often works with. The bags were made by recovering parents of the children who attend the shelter and contained drawings with a dental hygiene theme. The kids loved the activity; it was an excellent way to distract them from the unpleasant experience of having a tooth extracted!
This new addition to the dentistry team will play an instrumental role in reaching the IMIFs dental program goals. Situations like these are perfect examples of the challenges faced when doing development work in rural areas. We are confident that the mobile unit will be up and running shortly and will be crucial to the betterment of children’s dental health in rural Bolivia.
Vanessa Sykes
November 2013
2013 Ivar Mendez Art Competition Awards
This year’s opening of the Ivar Mendez Art Competition exhibit was a complete success with around 150 guests in attendance. The gallery was bustling with excitement to announce the winners of this year’s competition in the categories of Painting, Drawing and Printmaking. The night started off with a welcome speech from Yumey Noriega the Regional Director of the Foundation. We also had the pleasure of hearing a member of the competition jury, Jose Bedoya speak on behalf of the group of judges on the selection process and the importance of competitions such as this one for young artists. Yumey Noriega also presented a wonderful message from the president of the foundation Dr. Ivar Mendez as he was unable to attend.
It was such a delightful experience to participate in the development of the art competition from the receiving of student art work, observing the judging of the entries and finally the lead up to the art exhibit at the Costumbrista Gallery this past week. This annual event holds an important place in the fine arts community in La Paz. It encourages young artists to continue their post-secondary studies and to use their artistic talents to encourage dialogue within society resulting in better human relations. This year’s theme, “Migration and Identity” was very well expressed by the participants and has given the opportunity for students to create a space for communication on topics relevant in Bolivian society. Giving young artists opportunities to submit their work for critique and have their work exposed in a professional gallery is fundamental to their professional development as artists.
During the opening ceremony we also had the pleasure of hearing from Javier Fernandez, the Foundations Cultural Assessor. He spoke about the Iskanwaya Artist Exchange which took place in the municipality of Aucapata in April of this year. Nova Scotia’s own Joy Laking participated in this project along with two local artists, Javier Fernandez and Mario Conde. The Exchange consisted of various art workshops with local children as well as artistic excursions to the Iskanwaya ruins. Iskanwaya is a pre-Columbian sacred site, situated on a mountain ridge above the Río Llica, approximately 300 km north of La Paz. In its extension and its age, Iskanwaya surpasses Machu Picchu in Peru, but is much less preserved. The Artist Exchange has enabled talented artists to connect and share their knowledge and skills with rural Bolivian communities and also learn from these remote areas and let these beautifully abundant areas influence their work. This was made evident at the exhibit opening.
I look forward to the coming weeks as we plan for the other rural art programs the Foundation runs in the coming year. Through these programs, we are witnesses to the fact that expression and creativity are a crucial part of human development and must be encouraged among youth all over Bolivia and around the world.
Vanessa Sykes
November 2013
2013 Ivar Mendez Art Competition Awards
We are half way through the preparations of the 2013 Ivar Mendez Art Competition Awards. This year will mark the 7th consecutive competition that the foundation has supported. We have received 34 beautiful art pieces from student artists all over the country. The three categories are drawing & Print Making, painting, and sculpture. The jury which is made up of 6 professional Bolivian artists have made their selections for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize as well as a few honorable mentions.
This year’s theme was Migration and Identity which led to some really interesting pieces depicting the various experiences or interpretations of the artists. We are now preparing for the Exhibition which will be held from November 13th through December 8th at the Museo Costumbrista in La Paz, Bolivia. A reception will be held on Wednesday November 13th at 7pm announcing the winners in the three categories.
There will also be works displayed from the Artists Exchange Iskanwaya Project which was held in Aucapta in April, 2013. Two resident artists; Javier Fernandez and Mario Conde along with Nova Scotia’s own Joy Laking participated in this program. These artists also led a series of workshops in rural schools throughout the municipality of Aucapta.
It has been a pleasure to be a part of this year’s competition. I have enjoyed very much meeting the student artists as well as viewing their entries. The foundation and participants of this year’s competition look forward to November 13th to be able to showcase the wonderful artwork that has made up this year’s competition. If you are in La Paz, please join us as we showcase and celebrate the artists and their work!
Vanessa Sykes
October 2013
We are half way through the preparations of the 2013 Ivar Mendez Art Competition Awards. This year will mark the 7th consecutive competition that the foundation has supported. We have received 34 beautiful art pieces from student artists all over the country. The three categories are drawing & Print Making, painting, and sculpture. The jury which is made up of 6 professional Bolivian artists have made their selections for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize as well as a few honorable mentions.
This year’s theme was Migration and Identity which led to some really interesting pieces depicting the various experiences or interpretations of the artists. We are now preparing for the Exhibition which will be held from November 13th through December 8th at the Museo Costumbrista in La Paz, Bolivia. A reception will be held on Wednesday November 13th at 7pm announcing the winners in the three categories.
There will also be works displayed from the Artists Exchange Iskanwaya Project which was held in Aucapta in April, 2013. Two resident artists; Javier Fernandez and Mario Conde along with Nova Scotia’s own Joy Laking participated in this program. These artists also led a series of workshops in rural schools throughout the municipality of Aucapta.
It has been a pleasure to be a part of this year’s competition. I have enjoyed very much meeting the student artists as well as viewing their entries. The foundation and participants of this year’s competition look forward to November 13th to be able to showcase the wonderful artwork that has made up this year’s competition. If you are in La Paz, please join us as we showcase and celebrate the artists and their work!
Vanessa Sykes
October 2013
The half-way point: My experiences interning at the Ivar Mendez International Foundation in La Paz, Bolivia.
The first few weeks
We arrived in July, to La Paz, Bolivia to begin a 6 month internship with the Ivar Mendez International Foundation an internship program organized by the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency. Three months in we are nicely settled, have travelled to the field a number of times and are starting to dig our hands into the projects and processes here at the foundation.
For the readers who are new to the work of the foundation The Ivar Mendez International Foundation works to increase the quality of life of children and the communities they live in, in the Bolivian Andes. The foundation currently does this through a breakfast program, a dental program, and an arts program. The foundations goal is to provide the neccesary conditions so that kids can dream and believe they can be anything. The foundation believes that by supporting kids with necessary nutrition, health services and creative thinking programs kids can reach their limitless potential and be agents of change in their communities.
Our role here as interns is to enhance the monitoring and evaluation systems used in the foundation to ensure that programs are meeting their goals and objectives. I have been working with the data collected for the Nutrition and Art Programs as well as developing new methods for collecting qualitative and quantitative data for both programs. The valuable project management skills that I am acquiring are applicable to any field of work. With the help of Yumey Noriega the Regional Director of the foundation we have reviewed the project development and monitoring tools that the foundation uses. I have acquired useful tools that will serve me well in the future.
Aucapata
In late August I traveled with the IMIF staff to Aucapata. The truck was stocked full of the Foundations quinoa nutrition bars as well as our own food and supplies since it is difficult to buy these items there. Throughout the 5 days we delivered the months’ supply of the bars to 14 of the 26 schools most of which were easy to access with the help of the foundations truck. At each stop I was able to collect updated class lists that would enable me to fill in the gaps of the data for the past three years for the nutrition program. The first schools we visited were at a higher altitude. The highest elevation we reached during our trip was 5300m at which point I was out of breath sitting down!
The school that had the most impact on me was Karcapunko, a one room school house with less than 10 students attending the day we visited. Before starting this internship I was working as a pre-kindergarten teacher in Santa Cruz, Bolivia so I have an idea as to what to expect in a classroom of young children but I have never seen children so quiet and reserved before. I had to beg them to smile for the picture I took outside of their classroom. The kids were happy to receive a morning snack and they enjoyed the bars as we quickly distributed them to the teacher and then we were on our way.
When you first arrive to Aucapata its beauty is breathtaking. It seems odd at first that there are more animals in the streets than people but if you walk through the plaza at the right time you can come across a number of members of the community.
While in Aucapata we were able to do some maintenance on the Foundations house which serves as a place for dentists and volunteers to live while working in the field, as well as a space for the Art programs to take place. A garage door was installed by two members of the community so that the truck can be parked in the back yard.
We also did some maintenance and cleaning in the house as little creatures tend to invade when there is a lack of activity! The house is well equipped and quite comfortable which will make it much easier for future volunteers and dentists to spend time working in the area. I had a great time reviewing the living room “art gallery” in the house which is where all of the art projects are displayed that the kids of Aucapata made when Joy and Jim led art workshops there.
I think the most compelling moment for me was when two kids approached me while I was walking through the plaza and asked me where Joy was and when she was coming back. I knew who they were referring to because I had the privilege of meeting Joy Laking, at her home in Nova Scotia before travelling to La Paz to talk about her experiences with the art programs run through the foundation. They proceeded to convince me to talking Joy into returning to Aucapata as soon as possible so they could continue with the art activities that they had enjoyed so much. It was wonderful to see the impact that the creative processes Joy introduced has had on the kids and how they were anxiously awaiting Joys return to continue create more with art.
Over the past three months I have been looking at monitoring and evaluation processes to measure the impact of development projects and I think that the moment in the plaza was a clear sign of the positive impact that the art program is having on the community of Aucapata. I believe creativity is such an important part of personal development and encouraging that creative side is crucial to excelling and assisting children in being agents of change within their community; something that the Foundation is committed to supporting, and a value that I also share.
After travelling to Aucapata the names and data I had been working with day after day in the office suddenly took on new meaning. When I update information for Karcapunko, Cotacucho or Yanahuaya among the other 26 schools I now have an image of the students, the teachers, the school and its surroundings. The information I process is much more than mere numbers, it represents people and this has given a whole new meaning to the work I am doing.
Progress and next couple of months
Currently we are working on setting up a new information system, a data base which will allow easier input and management of data. The information system will be available on the cloud and will allow enhanced communication between the Foundation in Bolivia and the Foundations supporters in Canada and provide equal access to the status of projects, information collected and the reports. We have a couple of intense weeks coming as this project gets underway but I am confident that it will improve and enhance the functioning of the Foundation.
October looks like it will be a busy month with the Ivar Mendez Art Competition starting the 1st of October. This is a national competition for fine arts students between the ages of 18 -30 to have the opportunity to exhibit their work and share their talents and artistic vision. This year the theme is Migration and Identity. This event highlights the importance of cultural expression as an integral part of human and societal development.
There will also be Canadian dentists visiting at the end of October to help with the training of the IMIF dentists on the new mobile dentistry unit. With the generous support from the Harrison Cooper Foundation, IMIF acquired a portable dental unit to support its dental program. This will enable the dentists to enter the more remote communities and provide the dental care needed. Currently, children from neighbouring communities who want to visit the dental clinic have to walk multiple hours to receive care. This new mobile unit will vastly expand the outreach of the dental program.
Reflecting at the half way point…
Although we are half way through our internship there are still many things to take in and learn. The following are some of the challenges that I have encountered when delivering programs in remote communities.
1. The delivery of supplies due to transport, roads, storage and perishability are all key factors when administrating a nutrition program.
2. Communication with teachers is also difficult since none of the communities have access to internet. Hand written reports are the norm and I have had to remind myself to be patient in understanding the technological limitations.
3. Things happen slower and there are often road blocks (literally and figuratively) when it comes to delivering programs under different municipalities or jurisdictions.
I feel so fortuante to be able to witness the work of the foundation first hand and be a part of strengenthing and improving its procedures. The IMIF team here in La Paz has been nothing but supportive from day one and I look forward to accomplishing our goals and setting new objectives as we continue our journey together.
Vanessa A. Sykes
October 2013
The first few weeks
We arrived in July, to La Paz, Bolivia to begin a 6 month internship with the Ivar Mendez International Foundation an internship program organized by the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency. Three months in we are nicely settled, have travelled to the field a number of times and are starting to dig our hands into the projects and processes here at the foundation.
For the readers who are new to the work of the foundation The Ivar Mendez International Foundation works to increase the quality of life of children and the communities they live in, in the Bolivian Andes. The foundation currently does this through a breakfast program, a dental program, and an arts program. The foundations goal is to provide the neccesary conditions so that kids can dream and believe they can be anything. The foundation believes that by supporting kids with necessary nutrition, health services and creative thinking programs kids can reach their limitless potential and be agents of change in their communities.
Our role here as interns is to enhance the monitoring and evaluation systems used in the foundation to ensure that programs are meeting their goals and objectives. I have been working with the data collected for the Nutrition and Art Programs as well as developing new methods for collecting qualitative and quantitative data for both programs. The valuable project management skills that I am acquiring are applicable to any field of work. With the help of Yumey Noriega the Regional Director of the foundation we have reviewed the project development and monitoring tools that the foundation uses. I have acquired useful tools that will serve me well in the future.
Aucapata
In late August I traveled with the IMIF staff to Aucapata. The truck was stocked full of the Foundations quinoa nutrition bars as well as our own food and supplies since it is difficult to buy these items there. Throughout the 5 days we delivered the months’ supply of the bars to 14 of the 26 schools most of which were easy to access with the help of the foundations truck. At each stop I was able to collect updated class lists that would enable me to fill in the gaps of the data for the past three years for the nutrition program. The first schools we visited were at a higher altitude. The highest elevation we reached during our trip was 5300m at which point I was out of breath sitting down!
The school that had the most impact on me was Karcapunko, a one room school house with less than 10 students attending the day we visited. Before starting this internship I was working as a pre-kindergarten teacher in Santa Cruz, Bolivia so I have an idea as to what to expect in a classroom of young children but I have never seen children so quiet and reserved before. I had to beg them to smile for the picture I took outside of their classroom. The kids were happy to receive a morning snack and they enjoyed the bars as we quickly distributed them to the teacher and then we were on our way.
When you first arrive to Aucapata its beauty is breathtaking. It seems odd at first that there are more animals in the streets than people but if you walk through the plaza at the right time you can come across a number of members of the community.
While in Aucapata we were able to do some maintenance on the Foundations house which serves as a place for dentists and volunteers to live while working in the field, as well as a space for the Art programs to take place. A garage door was installed by two members of the community so that the truck can be parked in the back yard.
We also did some maintenance and cleaning in the house as little creatures tend to invade when there is a lack of activity! The house is well equipped and quite comfortable which will make it much easier for future volunteers and dentists to spend time working in the area. I had a great time reviewing the living room “art gallery” in the house which is where all of the art projects are displayed that the kids of Aucapata made when Joy and Jim led art workshops there.
I think the most compelling moment for me was when two kids approached me while I was walking through the plaza and asked me where Joy was and when she was coming back. I knew who they were referring to because I had the privilege of meeting Joy Laking, at her home in Nova Scotia before travelling to La Paz to talk about her experiences with the art programs run through the foundation. They proceeded to convince me to talking Joy into returning to Aucapata as soon as possible so they could continue with the art activities that they had enjoyed so much. It was wonderful to see the impact that the creative processes Joy introduced has had on the kids and how they were anxiously awaiting Joys return to continue create more with art.
Over the past three months I have been looking at monitoring and evaluation processes to measure the impact of development projects and I think that the moment in the plaza was a clear sign of the positive impact that the art program is having on the community of Aucapata. I believe creativity is such an important part of personal development and encouraging that creative side is crucial to excelling and assisting children in being agents of change within their community; something that the Foundation is committed to supporting, and a value that I also share.
After travelling to Aucapata the names and data I had been working with day after day in the office suddenly took on new meaning. When I update information for Karcapunko, Cotacucho or Yanahuaya among the other 26 schools I now have an image of the students, the teachers, the school and its surroundings. The information I process is much more than mere numbers, it represents people and this has given a whole new meaning to the work I am doing.
Progress and next couple of months
Currently we are working on setting up a new information system, a data base which will allow easier input and management of data. The information system will be available on the cloud and will allow enhanced communication between the Foundation in Bolivia and the Foundations supporters in Canada and provide equal access to the status of projects, information collected and the reports. We have a couple of intense weeks coming as this project gets underway but I am confident that it will improve and enhance the functioning of the Foundation.
October looks like it will be a busy month with the Ivar Mendez Art Competition starting the 1st of October. This is a national competition for fine arts students between the ages of 18 -30 to have the opportunity to exhibit their work and share their talents and artistic vision. This year the theme is Migration and Identity. This event highlights the importance of cultural expression as an integral part of human and societal development.
There will also be Canadian dentists visiting at the end of October to help with the training of the IMIF dentists on the new mobile dentistry unit. With the generous support from the Harrison Cooper Foundation, IMIF acquired a portable dental unit to support its dental program. This will enable the dentists to enter the more remote communities and provide the dental care needed. Currently, children from neighbouring communities who want to visit the dental clinic have to walk multiple hours to receive care. This new mobile unit will vastly expand the outreach of the dental program.
Reflecting at the half way point…
Although we are half way through our internship there are still many things to take in and learn. The following are some of the challenges that I have encountered when delivering programs in remote communities.
1. The delivery of supplies due to transport, roads, storage and perishability are all key factors when administrating a nutrition program.
2. Communication with teachers is also difficult since none of the communities have access to internet. Hand written reports are the norm and I have had to remind myself to be patient in understanding the technological limitations.
3. Things happen slower and there are often road blocks (literally and figuratively) when it comes to delivering programs under different municipalities or jurisdictions.
I feel so fortuante to be able to witness the work of the foundation first hand and be a part of strengenthing and improving its procedures. The IMIF team here in La Paz has been nothing but supportive from day one and I look forward to accomplishing our goals and setting new objectives as we continue our journey together.
Vanessa A. Sykes
October 2013
IMIF INTERNS VISIT COLQUENCHA
Recently we had the opportunity to travel with the IMIF team to Colquencha, Bolivia. Colquencha is a town in the province of Aroma about 68km (2 hours) from La Paz and sits at an altitude of 4100m. Upon arrival we met up with Dr. Cynthia Araoz and Dr. Juan Pablo Miranda, two of the dentists that work with the foundation. Dr. Juan Pablo is new to the foundation and will be working in the field both in Colquencha and Aucapata. We were introduced to the dental clinic which is located inside the town’s medical clinic. We were pleasantly surprised how modern and well equipped the dental clinic was. During our visit we witnessed 3 young patients be treated.
We later headed out to visit the three schools in the area; Colquencha Central, Escuela Murillo and Escuela San Francisco. The first image as we entered the first school was of course a group of children playing soccer during recess. At each school we met with directors and teachers and had the opportunity to meet some of the students benefitting from the dental program.
In each classroom the ‘dental hygiene kits’ provided by the foundation were lined up along the wall. These kits are provided to each student with the effort to encourage them to practice good dental hygiene which will maintain the dental work that has been provided to them thus far, as well as prevent future dental health issues. Each kit includes toothpaste, toothbrush, a cup, and hand towel as well as hand soap for washing up.
The visit gave us the opportunity to see if any materials needed to be refilled and to check the condition of the toothbrushes, etc. and replace what was necessary.
One of the more challenging aspects of the visit to Colquencha was the fact that the town was without water and with the news that this situation would continue until the end of august. This makes it difficult for the children to brush their teeth while at school and bottled water needs to be brought into the dental clinic from elsewhere.
It was an informative and worthwhile visit and was encouraging to finally put faces to names after working with codes, data and excel files for a number of weeks at the office. We look forward to our next trip to the field in the coming weeks!
Vanessa Sykes
July 2013
Recently we had the opportunity to travel with the IMIF team to Colquencha, Bolivia. Colquencha is a town in the province of Aroma about 68km (2 hours) from La Paz and sits at an altitude of 4100m. Upon arrival we met up with Dr. Cynthia Araoz and Dr. Juan Pablo Miranda, two of the dentists that work with the foundation. Dr. Juan Pablo is new to the foundation and will be working in the field both in Colquencha and Aucapata. We were introduced to the dental clinic which is located inside the town’s medical clinic. We were pleasantly surprised how modern and well equipped the dental clinic was. During our visit we witnessed 3 young patients be treated.
We later headed out to visit the three schools in the area; Colquencha Central, Escuela Murillo and Escuela San Francisco. The first image as we entered the first school was of course a group of children playing soccer during recess. At each school we met with directors and teachers and had the opportunity to meet some of the students benefitting from the dental program.
In each classroom the ‘dental hygiene kits’ provided by the foundation were lined up along the wall. These kits are provided to each student with the effort to encourage them to practice good dental hygiene which will maintain the dental work that has been provided to them thus far, as well as prevent future dental health issues. Each kit includes toothpaste, toothbrush, a cup, and hand towel as well as hand soap for washing up.
The visit gave us the opportunity to see if any materials needed to be refilled and to check the condition of the toothbrushes, etc. and replace what was necessary.
One of the more challenging aspects of the visit to Colquencha was the fact that the town was without water and with the news that this situation would continue until the end of august. This makes it difficult for the children to brush their teeth while at school and bottled water needs to be brought into the dental clinic from elsewhere.
It was an informative and worthwhile visit and was encouraging to finally put faces to names after working with codes, data and excel files for a number of weeks at the office. We look forward to our next trip to the field in the coming weeks!
Vanessa Sykes
July 2013
An Interview with the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC)
Vanessa Sykes is currently a CIDA funded intern with the Ivar Mendez International Foundation in La Paz, Bolivia (June 2013- February 2014) . ACIC asked Vanessa a few questions so the world could get to know her a bit better.
What got you interested in international development work?
I would say my trip to Guatemala after my first year of univeristy with Breaking the Silence Network through the Tatamagouche Centre.
What are you most excited about your international placement and why?
I’m excited to see the programs in action and to look closely at how they have been functioning over the past 5 years and see their impact and to see if changes and improvements can be made in the future!
What is your favourite quote?
"If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it.
A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." - Roald Dahl
A positive attitude can go a long way!
If you had to describe the organization you are working with in one sentence, what would you say?
“When I grow up, I can be anything!”
June 2013
Vanessa Sykes is currently a CIDA funded intern with the Ivar Mendez International Foundation in La Paz, Bolivia (June 2013- February 2014) . ACIC asked Vanessa a few questions so the world could get to know her a bit better.
What got you interested in international development work?
I would say my trip to Guatemala after my first year of univeristy with Breaking the Silence Network through the Tatamagouche Centre.
What are you most excited about your international placement and why?
I’m excited to see the programs in action and to look closely at how they have been functioning over the past 5 years and see their impact and to see if changes and improvements can be made in the future!
What is your favourite quote?
"If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it.
A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." - Roald Dahl
A positive attitude can go a long way!
If you had to describe the organization you are working with in one sentence, what would you say?
“When I grow up, I can be anything!”
June 2013
Ivar Mendez International Foundation Interns 2013-2014
We are pleased to announce that Meagan Hancock and Vanessa Sykes will be joining the Ivar Mendez International Foundation (IMIF) team as Canadian International Development Agency youth interns coordinated through the Atlantic Council of International Cooperation (ACIC). Both Meagan and Vanessa are excited to contribute to the work of the foundation and will be spending 6 months in La Paz to evaluate and monitor the existing programs.
Vanessa and Meagan recently attended the ACIC’s annual symposium in Fredericton, NB which highlighted a number of hot topics including the CIDA-DFAIT merger as well as the importance of engaging youth in international cooperation. Attendees considered how youth can contribute to Canada’s role in international cooperation and how organizations and institutions in Atlantic Canada can work with youth to make this happen. This year the keynote speaker was, Julia Sanchez, President-CEO of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC).
Meagan and Vanessa depart for Bolivia in mid-July and we look forward to hearing from them throughout their experience working with the foundation. We wish them both safe travels and the best of luck!
June 2013
We are pleased to announce that Meagan Hancock and Vanessa Sykes will be joining the Ivar Mendez International Foundation (IMIF) team as Canadian International Development Agency youth interns coordinated through the Atlantic Council of International Cooperation (ACIC). Both Meagan and Vanessa are excited to contribute to the work of the foundation and will be spending 6 months in La Paz to evaluate and monitor the existing programs.
Vanessa and Meagan recently attended the ACIC’s annual symposium in Fredericton, NB which highlighted a number of hot topics including the CIDA-DFAIT merger as well as the importance of engaging youth in international cooperation. Attendees considered how youth can contribute to Canada’s role in international cooperation and how organizations and institutions in Atlantic Canada can work with youth to make this happen. This year the keynote speaker was, Julia Sanchez, President-CEO of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC).
Meagan and Vanessa depart for Bolivia in mid-July and we look forward to hearing from them throughout their experience working with the foundation. We wish them both safe travels and the best of luck!
June 2013