Help Rachel empower and educate teenage girls in Guayaquil, Ecuador

Who We Are // GlobeMed at Cornell

Founded in 2010, GlobeMed at Cornell is one of 32 GlobeMed chapters working to improve the health of people living in poverty around the world. We partner with Centro de Atención Integral para Adolescentes (CEPAIPA) In Guayaquil, Ecuador  to improve access to high quality health education, youth empowerment programs, and basic health care for the community.

Our Partner // Centro de Atención Integral para Adolescentes (CEPAIPA) In Guayaquil, Ecuador

CEPAIPA is small community center and health clinic located in a high school in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The Center was built in 2004 as an initiative, led by Dr. Alexandra Tamayo (the director of CEPAIPA), to provide health services and resources to the youth of the community. The purpose of the organization is to improve the health of the community by providing basic care and counseling for students at the school.

CEPAIPA empowers the students themselves to become agents of change by training them to act as youth health promoters, young leaders who serve as role models and educate other students about health issues affecting their community. The students take part in developing the health education curriculum, help staff the Center, and educate their peers through innovative and creative programs. The organization's ultimate mission is to provide adolescents with high quality care and a strong community of support.

Our Project // $3,500 for health education and economic empowerment for vulnerable adolescent girls

GlobeMed at Cornell and CEPAIPA have collaboratively developed a project, which consists of three components, to address a few prominent issues within the community.

1. CEPAIPA Awareness Campaign ($1000): an awareness campaign led by CEPAIPA to advertise and promote the work and services of the organization throughout the greater community

2. Community Health Education Program ($1800):

a. Teenage Girl Empowerment (youth health promoter training):train 25 teenage girls to deliver a health education curriculum to 75 younger girls (each trainee will be partnered with 3 younger girls to mentor)

b. Community Health Forums: a series of eight public health forums led by CEPAIPA's staff and local community leaders. Topics will include nutrition, physical health, HIV/STD prevention, mental health, maternal health, drugs/alcohol abuse.

3. Income-Generation Program ($700): 25 teenage girls (youth health promoters) and 75 younger mentees will be provided the training and materials for craft/jewelry making. The project will serve to empower the girls financially and will support other community-building activities.