January 30, 2024 Dear friends of Bienestar, Warm greetings to you! It is with great pleasure that we send this report of Bienestar’s project activities over the past year. In spite of the challenges that our partner communities have faced, it has been an encouraging year with significant achievements, and wonderful examples of creativity, foresight, and generosity.
Solar Lights Project ... $14,360 One of the most exciting achievements this year was being able to partner with another community-based group in Nuevo Horizonte to purchase and install solar streetlights throughout the community. For context, electricity in Guatemala is 2.5 times the cost of electricity in BC, and yet their income is easily onetenth of ours. And so, when the cost of streetlights became impossibly expensive a number of years ago, they quite simply had to turn them off. Over time they have increasingly recognized the absence of streetlights as a source of a number of challenges: in a very hot climate, an optimal time to be physically active and to socialize is in the evening, and if it is pitch black, all of that is lost. This has led to further isolation, a more sedentary lifestyle, and greater potential for problem behaviours both within the home and community at large. With the new lights, the streets are safer, and people are much more inclined to visit with their neighbours, get some exercise, take an evening class, or go to the clinic with a health problem that’s of concern. This week we received a WhatsApp video of a group of young people playing soccer under the lights, something impossible just a month ago! Already people are reporting how much better they feel about the community and their place in it. The solar street light project also serves as a model for further community deliberation on the viability of using solar power in other ways, so important in this time of rapid climate change. Their resources are limited, and they refuse to boldly move in a new direction without first experimenting, and so this project is offering some very helpful insights. Solar Streetlight installation by community volunteers
We at Bienestar are deeply gratified by the way that you – our donors – came forth in such numbers and with outstanding generosity to help achieve the fundraising goal for the project! It was a win-win proposal reflecting issues that are important to all of us and clearly caught our collective imaginations. From small house gatherings to 100+ of you showing up for a beer and burger event to watch a live feed from Guatemala with the community turning on the new lights – funds were raised, and it was fantastic to witness your enthusiasm and concern for the wellbeing of others. Thank you!
Scholarships ... $5,375 As in years past, Bienestar provided scholarships to young people studying at the Junior High school and Secondary training program levels. The funds help with the cost of books, uniforms, technology and in some cases transportation, and make a significant difference in their families’ lives. All 10 scholarship recipients were successful with their scholarship program commitments and studies at year’s end. 2023 Scholarship recipients Importantly for us, the Scholarship Program is much more than students receiving financial support; it’s also about developing their leadership capacities and instilling values related to community service. The underlying principle is that each recipient assumes a distinct role as a youth leader in the community. Their leadership activities over the year have engaged people of all ages throughout the Cooperative, extending and multiplying the effect of Bienestar’s programs.
For example, with mentorship from the Diabetes Health Promoters, they co-led the weekly kids’ clubs. They actively participated in the daily exercise program, and in the healthy cooking sessions with their mothers at the women’s club. All these initiatives are broadly oriented to health and well-being, with targeted education on nutrition, healthy sense of self and stress management, and physical activity, key factors to chronic disease prevention, in particular diabetes.
Exercise club - Forest walk Exercise program - Forest walk
Motivations for Health Workshop for Scholarship recipients & their families
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Diabetes Health and Wellness Project ... $17,900 The diabetes health and wellness project is now in its 8th year. It has been a priority for the community since 2014 when Selkirk Nursing students carried out a community-wide assessment and discovered that approximately 14% of the adult population had type 2 diabetes. This was significantly higher than the national prevalence rate of 9% that was reported by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in the Central and South America Region Atlas reports. According to the IDF, the latest national prevalence rate has risen to 13.1%, the 2nd highest rate in the region, while rates in Nuevo Horizonte appear to have remained stable. As importantly, the majority of people living with diabetes (PLWD) in Nuevo Horizonte are within target range for blood pressure. A significant number are showing decreasing A1Cs (a measure of average blood sugar over 3 months) and are losing or maintaining weight. People are becoming more aware of the importance of healthy diets and are now starting to make changes. There continues to be good overall adherence to medications and foot care. Despite the progressive nature of diabetes, to date there have been negligible complications such as foot ulcers or progression of chronic kidney disease. We assert that these promising results are a result of a comprehensive community-based approach to diabetes prevention and self-management, increasing recognition of the role that reducing intake of ultraprocessed foods plays in maintaining health, and the steadfast accompaniment by the Diabetes Health Promoters within the community.
PLWD Foot care clinic
Monthly biometric assessment with Fasting Blood Sugar testing
From the outset, those with diabetes have been very clear -- the emphasis should not be on them, but rather on the young people in the community in order to delay or prevent diabetes and other chronic diseases. And so, the primary focus, since day one, has been on prevention. Bienestar currently funds and supports three trained part-time Diabetes Health Promoters who work closely with the PLWD. They make regular home visits, assist with procurement of and adherence to low cost, quality medications, and liaise with the diabetes specialty medical team. They also facilitate health and wellness clubs
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with PLWD, women, youth, and children where they encourage peer support and health education. The clubs are a major hit, especially for the women, youth, and children attracting on average 12 – 24 participants. The diabetes health promoters also undertook the following in 2023: ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Facilitated an exercise program Monday – Thursday. Liaised with the local nurse when providing programming, in particular school health programs. Initiated a community-wide campaign on the health risks of ultra-processed foods. Organized and carried out follow-up of annual (and as needed) medical consultation with the diabetes speciality team. Provided a Healthy Living education program at the Elementary school and initiated a new Healthy Living program at the Middle school. Engaged in outreach activities with biometric assessment at the International Women’s Day event and Healthy Living workshop with the Los Patos women’s group. Organized healthy cooking classes on themes around family eating habits, impact of ultraprocessed foods, and integration of affordable, locally available healthier foods. In 2023 at their suggestion, they reduced their hours of work and welcomed a new, younger member, who is being mentored for the purpose of improving program excellence and succession planning. They are excited to work with Heidy as she is a qualified elementary school teacher who brings an invaluable set of skills, critical analysis, and enthusiasm to her work with the kids and youth.
Primary School health program - rainbow of fruits
Senior Kids’ Club - preparing a healthy snack
Overall, one of the real successes and strengths of the Project is that it is viewed as welcoming, respectful, and inclusive. People report a sense of being cared for, gaining new knowledge, and feeling that it has helped them to better support their health, and be more hopeful.
Senior Kids’ Club relaxation session
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Elementary School Healthy Living program - rainbow of fruits
We genuinely salute the Diabetes Health Promoters and their solid commitment to the project. We want to make special mention of Dejando Huella (Leaving Footprints), one of the women’s groups in the community that continues to voluntarily oversee the student scholarship program and coordinate engagement with the diabetes Health and Wellness program. Bienestar would also like to make a very special shoutout to all of the volunteers who work on the Board, have assisted with fundraising events and donor outreach, and who work on program development. We would like to acknowledge retired Diabetes Educator Jean Charman from the West Kootenays who spends countless hours doing research, on-line mentorship with the Guatemalan team and in person
Junior Kids’ Club –Kid's Focus on members G&D support, healthy snack,snack & active play Senior Kid's Club members enjoying a relaxation session healthy Junior Kid'sSenior Club – focusClub on growth andpreparing development, healthy snack, physical activity, and health education
in the Cooperative. Her passion, commitment, stewardship, and creativity have immeasurably added to the program.
Ultra-processed foods campaign banner @ community store "Do you know the amount of sugar they put into your drinks?"
Bienestar participants relaxing at a local waterfall
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Diabetes Health Promoters Outreach
Blood pressure and blood sugar assessment @ International Women's Day event - mentorship of Blood pressure & blood sugar testing with sharing of health info @ International Women's day event – scholarship recipient Magali Ordonez Quinich Mentorship of scholarship recipient Magali Ordonez Quinich
Healthy Living workshop with Los Patos Community Women's group
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Support for People Living with Diabetes
People Living with Diabetes Club Meeting
Diabetes Health Promoter home visit - focus on self-management concerns, medication review, and foot assessment
Our team of Donors ... you! We could not do any of this without your ongoing support, and we thank you hugely. 100% of your donations go to Guatemala; any travelling expenses for Bienestar-related work from Canada to Guatemala are voluntarily assumed by the individuals involved. And so, we thank them, too. We would be delighted if you would consider joining our family of regular monthly donors, even if it is a modest amount of $10. While $10 or $20 may be doable, the annual equivalent can be daunting. Recall that thanks to our other key team member – the Nelson United Church – all donations receive a tax receipt, returning a minimum of 20% of your donation to you.
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Donations can be made on our website, https://www.bienestarcanada.ca/ where you’ll find details of our work. For a full menu, click on the three parallel lines at the upper right of the Home Page. We welcome your questions and comments. And again, thank you for joining us in this important work. We all find ourselves in very troubling times, and so the importance of standing and working together is paramount. In gratitude and solidarity, Mike (for the Board) Bienestar Board of Directors Bienestar Board Members Mike Chapman Judith Fearing Teeka Ferguson Joe Woodward
Alyssa Franklin Cheralynne Kennedy Mary Ann Morris
The delightful faces of the children of tomorrow – A Healthier Future for All
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