Brookline-Quezalguaque Sister City Project – Summer Practicum in Nicaragua
Program Information
Company Name: Brookline-Quezalguaque Sister City Project, Inc.
Organization Description/Mission Statement: 30th year of partnership between Brookline and Quezalguaque, a rural township in western Nicaragua
Program Description:
Last year students, in concert with the neighboring medical school the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua, (UNAN) León, faculty and students, surveyed Quezalgauqiue’s adolescents on their sexual knowledge, attitudes and behavior. They discovered a lack of knowledge around HIV which has a small but rising incidence in Nicaragua. They also worked with the local health center, teachers, parents, and town government & regional Ministry of Health to help build pertinent sexual education in the community. In Summer 2018, we plan to increase education around HIV and reach out to adolecents who missed last year’s program, because they had dropped out of high school. Another group we hope to target are adolescents (boys and girls) who have had a child. The group will continue its work with the different community sectors involved in reproductive health education. Two to three US-based public health professionals will accompany the group for the first of the 6 weeks students are in Quezalgauque. In addition to ongoing supervision with the US professionals, the group will work under the direction of UNAN’s Dr. Ugarte, a renowned expert in adolescent health, and alongside medical students from UNAN Leon.
Preferred and/or Required Skills: Good Spanish skills, knowledge of epidemiology and public health campaigns, works well with many people, ability to be flexible, willingness to live and work in a rural environment without many resources
Estimated Start Date: Late May 2018
Estimated End Date: 6 weeks later
Estimated Days/Hours: 6 weeks minimum
Number of Students Requested: 4-6
How to Apply: Email Peter Moyer at petermoyer@comcast.net to set up an interview. Please include a copy of your resume in the email.
Application Deadline: ASAP – Interviews will be conducted in early February
Supervisor Name: Peter Moyer MD and Kea van der Ziel
Supervisor Email Address: petermoyer@comcast.net
Supervisor Phone Number: Peter 617-592-3313; Kea 617-935-2940
Notes/Comments: The final project is not solid, but will be worked out with the Boston team and the Nicaraguan health officials in the spring. Speaking with past participants might be a help to applicant
