Laura Libman

Overview

The Tia Foundation Summary To guarantee long term health of the residents of poor rural villages in developing nations the most effective way is to train local health care workers and give them the essential tools necessary to treat the most common illnesses and injuries. The key to long term solutions involves implementing a sustainable program that teaches villagers the skills they need and provides them with links to necessary resources so they can become self determining. The Tia Foundation offers the opportunity for villagers to become self determining. Our goal is to supply the knowledge and skills as well as confidence so that the villagers will care for themselves. We can then move on and replicate the process in other regions of need. Tia s mission is to provide development strategies not relief. Using our experience and resources Tia shares knowledge and links the villagers to the means to treat their most common illnesses and injuries thus engendering self confidence and respect. Our goal is to promote a health care model that is feasible affordable and sustainable. Tia provides a health and medical program in Jalisco Mexico. The program involves Using local doctors and medical student from La Universidad de Autonoma de Guadalajara to treat villagers and provide education Training heath care technicians in each village to a level where they can treat common injuries and illnesses Filling gaps in necessary pharmaceuticals and supplies Creating village emergency self insurance funds Bringing volunteer expedition doctors to perform specialty surgery and treatment Establishing and promoting health and sanitation education among the villagers Setting up a self maintaining pool of resources for training and supplies that is locally driven Instituting community and school gardens to alleviate malnutrition