Previous Grants Costa Rica 2009
After Diagnosis Manual
Project Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Project Leader and Organization: Anna Arroba, AMES
Project Year: 2009
Focus Area: Support for Breast Cancer Patients
Project Description: The Association for Women’s Health (AMES) utilized their project funds to develop content, design and print 2,500 manuals for women diagnosed with breast cancer. The manual focuses on dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis, managing personal relationships, and taking care of oneself from an integral and holistic health perspective. The manuals were distributed among hospitals, health centers and local NGOs to be made available to breast cancer patients.
Awareness Campaign for Limón
Project Location: Limón, Costa Rica
Project Leader and Organization: Julie Anderson, ASOLUC
Project Year: 2009
Focus Area: Education and Outreach
Project Description: A group of CFTC participants from the remote, low-resource city of Limon used the training, support and inspiration they received from the Global Initiative to start Limon’s first NGO dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer. The organization, the Limon Association United against Cancer (ASOLUC), received a Global initiative Community Grant and implemented a media campaign on breast cancer awareness which included production of bilingual radio spots for a three-month campaign, breast cancer awareness messages spread in the community via mobile loudspeakers, a 5-week breast cancer awareness TV campaign, and creation of a breast cancer hotline. In addition ASOLUC led breast health workshops and distributed informational breast health materials. The educational campaign reached 560 women of the community and has allowed ASOLUC to build a volunteer base of 63 people.
Because I Care
Project Location: Alajuela, Costa Rica
Project Leader and Organization: Marjorie Duran, Resurgir Foundation
Project Year: 2009
Focus Area: Education and Outreach
Project Description: The goal of this project was to implement a breast cancer and breast self-awareness educational campaign for women in three communities in the province of Alajuela. Through information sessions and health fairs the project brought the breast self-awareness message to 316 people. Through clinical evaluations made available at these events, 330 women were screened via clinical breast exams and 250 women received pap smears.
Migrant Outreach through Theater
Project Location: Several communities, Costa Rica
Project Leader and Organization: Francella Alfaro, Humanitarian Foundation
Project Year: 2009
Focus Area: Education and Outreach through Theater
Project Description: The Humanitarian Foundation developed a breast cancer play focused on vulnerable audiences, such as migrant workers and the uninsured and promoted early detection, empowerment and breast self-awareness. The play used interactive techniques and is an innovative tool to reach the large migrant and uninsured population working on rural coffee plantations, and who have limited access to education and services. Over a period of seven months the play was presented more than 30 times reaching upwards of 700 people including indigenous communities, urban marginalized and middle-class audiences.
Incarcerated Women’s Project
Project Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Project Leader and Organization: Flora Retana and Rita Sanchez, Ross Foundation
Project Year: 2009
Focus Area: Education and Outreach
Project Description: The Ross Foundation developed a breast cancer education program for incarcerated women at the Buen Pastor Women’s Prison, the largest women’s jail in the country. As a result of this project 535 incarcerated women participated in breast cancer information and screening sessions. All workshop attendees received a clinical breast exam and 135 received further screening. Prior to the project, less than 20% of the inmates had any knowledge about breast cancer, and after, more than 80% had gained some degree of awareness. Additionally, several prison staff and inmates were trained as multipliers of the information sessions in order to make the project sustainable. The Ministry of Justice expressed an interest in continuing and expanding this program to other facilities.
Rehabilitation for Mastectomy Patients
Project Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Project Leader: Blanca Rosa Boza, HOMACE
Project Year: 2009
Focus Area: Education and Awareness; Support for Breast Cancer Patients
Project Description: HOMACE developed an education program at the Women’s Hospital in San Jose to rehabilitate and integrate post-mastectomy patients into their new realities, as no such post-mastectomy programs had existed. The program addressed breast cancer education for women and their families, healthy lifestyles, and physical difficulties and techniques to overcome them. The project worked with 34 post-mastectomy patients in discussion groups which gave a space for the patients to discuss their most pressing needs. In addition, the project provided breast self-awareness education to 123 people. The group has received a donation of land at the hospital in order to build a space for their program.
Social Entrepreneurs and Breast Self-Awareness
Project Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Project Leader and Organization: Sonia Leandro, ADESTRA
Project Year: 2009
Focus Area: Education and Outreach
Project Description: A breast cancer education campaign directed at the network of ADESTRA, a non-profit which provides member loans for women with micro-businesses. The organization has benefited 115 micro-businesses to date, and gives special attention to women heads of households. The project provided funds to reproduce breast self-awareness educational materials for 2,500 women.
Training of Trainers
Project Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Project Leader and Organization: Ana Cecilia Fuentes, Fundacion Esperanza
Project Year: 2009
Focus Area: Education and Awareness
Project Description: Fundacion Esperanza, an organization which works with victims of domestic violence and which provides support to women and families, conducted breast cancer awareness trainings for 16 leaders and 3 implementers who volunteer with their organization. Once trained, these leaders replicated this training in their communities. The leaders reached 655 women in San Jose through breast cancer awareness presentations and distribution of breast cancer materials.