Health Drive on the Colombian/Venezuelan Border
Wayuu Taya Foundation - Wednesday, 9 June 2010 09:19
Two health drives were held on the border between Colombia and Venezuela, reaching 3 communities in the Mara and Guajira municipalities. The initiative was made possible with the help of several companies and organizations and was promoted by CAVECOL (Venezuelan/Colombian Chamber for Economic Integration) and the Wayúu Tayá Foundation.

Anti-parasite treatments were offered in addition to health workshops and assistance to refugees; everything with direct involvement by the following organizations: SENIAT of Paraguachon (National Integrated Service of Customs and Tax Administration), the Border Patrol; Bolivarian National Guard, doctors and nurses from the Red Cross, Sanitas Foundation of Venezuela and the Nestle’s Nutri Movil who provided nutritional evaluation, pediatric and gynecologist consultations, as well as general medicine.

1. Health Drive at the Yanama, Paraguachon School
More than 50 people from the health industry, drive facilitators and the Wayúu Tayá Foundation traveled to the Venezuelan Guajira to assist kids in the Yanama school and the Paraguachon community through a variety of workshops: Premature birth prevention, prevention of drug abuse, early detection of breast cancer, in addition to pediatric, gynecology, general medicine and nutritional assistance – (Sanitas of Venezuela and Breast assisted in promoting the above).

Community kids from the Intercultural school “Yanama”, expressed a message of love to Patricia Velázquez, president of the foundation, and asked her to visit the school.

The drives established interaction and rapport with the border communities between Colombia and Venezuela, offering medical and social assistance to the Wayúu indigenous community; benefiting 735 people divided accordingly:

• Health and Prevention Workshops: 300
• General Medicine: 50
• Pediatrics: 91
• Anti-parasite Prevention Treatment: 112
• Gynecology: 25
• Infant Nutrition: 157

2. Social Action in Tepichi Talashi
This same drive extended to Mara Municipality May 27, 2010, specifically at the Nerio Emiro Semprun “Tepichi Talashi” school of the Wayúu Tayá Foundation.

As part of the strategic alliances, we counted on the security logistics support of the government of Zulia State. Also present were the same institutions that accompanied the health drives, adding to these medical personnel from the Bolivarian Mara mayor’s office and Hydro Mara; providing children and adults all of the required medical attention, whereby a huge social impact was achieved with the student population and community in general.

• Health and Prevention Workshop: 462
• General Medicine: 50
• Pediatrics: 228
• Anti-parasite Treatment: 145
• Vaccination: 60
• Gynecology: 25
• Infant nutrition: 157

3. Jesús Redentor “Los Lechosos” School with Special Visit from Yehuda Berg, Eloisa Dudamal and Patricia Velásquez

The closing of the health drive was conducted at Jesús Redentor “Los Lechosos” School. Along with the Mara volunteers and the members of the foundation, they achieved the overwhelming success of this important social activity.

The health drive counted on the assistance of Patricia Velazquez, President of the Wayúu Tayá Foundation who was accompanied by Yehuda Berg of the Kabbalah Center and Eloisa Maturet, wife of world renown musical director, Gustavo Dudamel. They all toured the Tepichi Talashi and Jesús Redentor Schools, sharing special moments with the indigenous community of Mara municipality. The joy on children’s faces was evident in the three health drives where they received multivitamins, books, gifts and candy. Personnel from the Red Cross were in charge of painting the children’s faces.

Wayúu Tayá Foundation wished to thank all those who participated on this initiative making it a complete success!