Summary
Organization name
CU Peru
other names
CU Peru
2011
Tax id (EIN)
27-4665428
Category
International, Foreign Affairs & National Security
Address
1031 33rd Street Suite 174Denver, CO, CO 80205
Denver County, CO, US
PE
Our program is designed and implemented by students from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. They work year round on creating a relevant and comprehensive curriculum and provide in-person trainings to volunteer community health workers two times per year.
Testimonials
"I feel incredibly lucky that at the age of 23 I have found something that I am passionate about & that I could do every day for the rest of my life with a smile on my face. I had the honor of teaching community health workers from Amazonian villages about vital signs (temperature, pulse & respiratory rate) & ways to treat back pain with yoga exercises. Then I was able to visit one of the villages in the jungle which really put it all into perspective & further made me appreciate all of the different walks of life that exist on this planet. Although these people may be seen as less fortunate to some, there was always an abundance of smiles, hugs, and laughter. I absolutely cannot wait to do this kind of work for the rest of my life." Christin Miller, Student Member of CU Peru
Mission
To improve the health of individuals living in the rural villages of the Peruvian Amazon through education and training for community health workers.
Background Statement
Beginning in 2008, medical students from the University of Colorado initiated research projects within the Amazon River basin based on reports from the Peruvian Ministry of Health that regional disparities in under five mortality rates continued in the Amazonian jungle despite improved access to healthcare in other regions of Peru.
After a capacity/needs assessment from 2008 - 2010 it was confirmed that healthcare needs in the Amazon River basin were far greater than the current healthcare system was capable of addressing. Consistently, members within these communities requested specific aid: medical education, clean water programs, and infrastructure development. Remoteness and poverty had prevented prior initiatives from addressing these primary concerns.
Upon returning to the University of Colorado, the medical students partnered with
students from other healthcare disciplines and worked in a collaborative effort to
develop a basic first aid and preventative health curriculum specific to the needs of these remote communities.
While defining the program goals, this student group agreed that local community health workers
(CHW's) were the ideal collaborative partner because the CHW is respected within the community, positioned to receive and disseminate information, and eager to learn.
Trainings began in the summer of 2010. These initial efforts were successful and well received by the CHW's, as well as the local government and other healthcare professionals. To facilitate further development of CHW trainings and secure a sustainable, reciprocal collaborative with Amazon River basin communities, in 2011 this interdisciplinary group of students founded Comunidades Unidas (CU) Peru.
Media gallery
Organization Data
Denver, CO, CO 80205