Bianca Perri

Health Education for Maternal Beneficiaries of Oportunidades—Puebla, Mexico

This summer I spent 13 weeks doing my GFE in Puebla, Mexico with a national development program, Oportunidades.  Serving over 5 million families, Oportunidades is a national cash-conditional transfer program targeting the extreme poor.  Launched in 1997, Oportunidades promotes long-term economic development for families living in extreme poverty by providing families financial incentives for education, nutrition, and health.  Although the incentives benefit the entire family, Oportunidades focuses on females and therefore the cash incentives are directed to maternal beneficiaries.

To promote health, Oportunidades requires attendance in monthly health education sessions by mothers.  These health education classes cover 35 preventive health topics (e.g., vaccinations, diarrhea, respiratory infections, newborn care, etc.).  Attendance is a condition of receiving the financial incentive.

The objectives of my study were to: (1) observe the interactions between the health educators and mothers and document in detail what happens; (2) learn the perspectives of the health educators (doctors and nurses) on the health education sessions; and (3) learn about the mothers’ perspectives regarding the health education sessions.  To accomplish these objectives, I conducted a qualitative study in which I used direct observations, conducted semi-structured open-ended interviews with health educators and community members, and led focus groups with maternal beneficiaries.

My GFE was a wonderful opportunity for professional and personal growth.  I explored more of Latin America (an area in which I hope to continue my career), improved my Spanish (with no translator assistance, I was motivated to improve quickly), observed the operations of a large-scale human development program, and witnessed firsthand how community health operates in rural impoverished areas.  Although my GFE in Mexico only lasted a summer, I learned lifelong lessons from the generous people who shared their lives, language, history, kitchens, and homes with me.

Awards made possible by: The Eugene J. Gangarosa Fund,
The Anne E. and William A. Foege Global Health Fund,
and The O.C. Hubert Charitable Trust.