COMMUNITY VIEW AND FUTURE

Recupera Chile advocates for the participation of the community of Dichato in the reconstruction process, especially in incorporating the view that the community has of its future into any recovery or development plans.

 

Early childhood development and childcare play an important role in the future of the communities, because of its dual purpose:

• It will improve the quality of the education that children receive

• It will allow women to have some free time to devote to economic activities that will raise the standard of living

 

PARTNERSHIPS

Health and infant education and program development exist thanks to the collaboration between the network of health and education centers of Tomé commune; Universidad de Concepción through the School of Medicine and Education; and Boston Children´s Hospital of Harvard University.

 

Recupera Chile has worked with the communities to launch community-based activities that strengthen social supports, education, and health. The fact of working with local schools and health centers, as well as with regional services and universities, has permitted Recupera Chile to provide case management services to hundreds of individuals who were impacted by the disaster.

 

In Dichato, the tsunami destroyed around 80% of the buildings and killed 12 people. This town is a coastal village of 3.057 inhabitants (Census, 2002), and part of Tomé´s commune located 37 kilometers north of the city of Concepción.

 

METHODOLOGY

Recupera Chile has taken a holistic approach to post-disaster interventions for children and has identified local school as the best site for interventions. The collaboration of the school principal, teachers and Recupera Chile have focused on four areas:

• Mental Health

• Physical Health

• Language and Literacy

• Love of the Sea

 

Each summer, Recupera Chile has offered  community-based programming in conjunction with schools to provide safe play activities for the children and the topics of the learning activities have included:

• Nutrition

• Nautical Education

• Computer Training

• Literacy Training

 

The children have also had opportunities for art, music, and sports. The parents and teachers have been offered trainings on child behavior, nutrition and literacy.

 

HEALTH SUPPORT

• Sponsored eye screenings to 471 children, detecting vision difficulty in 67 and providing eyeglasses to 31 children with serious concerns. Also, conducted training for parents to help with their children’s acceptance of the lenses. 

 

• Sponsored hearing screenings to 470 children, providing interventions for 22 children with hearing problems.

 

• Sponsored dental screenings to 213 children. 

 

• Coordinated kinesiology sessions to children and parents in the school and obtained grant funding for on-going kinesiology consultation from the municipality.