In Feb. 2009, we spent one week in Chirijox, a lovely Mayan town, teaching 29 traditional midwives our hands-on course. It was great to see the positive impact of our trainihg, through the smiling faces of the women as they demonstrated their newly acquired knowledge and skills. Our second week , we taught an “obstetrical emergency” course to 2 doctors and 32 nurses in the Nahuala area. These were people who were trained in Guatemala and had a good knowledge base but had very little practical hands-on training. They found the course to be invaluable. It was also a great opportunity to have discussions about the important role that the traditional midwives play and the importance of mutual respect as well as to encourage problem solving in their specific situations. Gloria, our Mayan team member, was very dynamic in sharing her story and in her teaching. We hope that our couse will help to bridge the gap and bring more equality to the Mayan people. In speaking with a public health nurse about our traditional midwife training, she stated, ” This project must continue! I have seen a great improvement in the skills and confidence in the women you have taught.” We have been asked to return to Guatemala in 2010 and teach our course to traditional midwives in Sta. Catarina Ixtahuacan.
