The Stairway to Good Health, our Women’s Health Education Project teaches women to be health promoters in their own homes and leaders in their communities.
In 2007, Primeros Pasos began to reach out to mothers in the Palajunoj Valley whose children were already involved in our well-established Healthy Schools Project. Recognizing the importance of reinforcing healthy habits in the home, we developed The Stairway to Good Health curriculum, which empowers and encourages women to make conscious, informed decisions about their individual health and the health of their family and community.
Primeros Pasos works with six groups of women in communities throughout the Palajunoj Valley. The groups are led through three, yearlong curriculum modules to educate women about family health and personal development. They are first introduced to basic preventive health topics such as hygiene, nutrition, and first aid, which seek to improve the overall health of the entire family and build confidence in the group setting. From there, our educators begin to delve into more specific women’s health topics such as family planning, menopause, and breast cancer. During their second year, women receive workshops focused on self-esteem and community participation. These sessions integrate various solidarity and confidence building activities and feature local guest speakers. In the third year, the groups are given two options, plan and execute a project benefiting their community, or become health educators and start a new group.
Participants with good attendance also receive a health benefits card that entitles her and her family to free medical and dental services in the Primeros Pasos Clinic.