Fourteen students from Selkirk College’s nursing program will be travelling to Guatemala in the spring to learn more about grassroots community health projects in that country.
Their first major fundraising event is a festive Guatemalan beans and rice dinner to be held at 6 p.m., Friday, December 2 at Nelson’s United Church on Silica Street.
Groups visiting Guatemala in past years went to urban area free-trade zones, highland villages where community health and well-being is being affected by Canadian mining operations, and also the remote northeastern jungle region of the country, where government health services are almost non-existent.
Students who participated in the practicum last year will present their impressions at the dinner. Their stories bring to life the incredible resilience, capacity, and creativity of the Guatemalans they encountered, who are actively confronting the formidable challenges to health that they face.
Said one student of the experience, “One important thing I feel is have gained from this practicum is being able to believe in people’s abilities, and trust that individuals will make the right choice for themselves. I also believe I have deepened my belief in myself as a health care provider.”
The dinner will bring together simple food, good company and a common purpose. Cost is $10 at the door, and children are welcome.