Partnerships for Health in a Rwandan Genocide Survivors Village - The Rwanda Health and Healing Project and Barefoot Artists

Barefoot Artists addresses education, development, arts and health, to “work with poor communities around the globe to help people heal and thrive through self expression and action”. The Rwanda Health and Healing Project consists of two programs, a Genocide Survivors Village Transformation and creation of a Genocide Memorial Park. A team of Thomas Jefferson University medical, nursing and public health faculty and students has been working with Barefoot Artists in a community-oriented health project in the Rugerero Survivors Village in Western Rwanda to integrate public health programs into Barefoot Artist's philosophy. A Village Transformation, using banners and painting of culturally relevant murals on homes, fostered the development of trust with the survivors, leading to a comprehensive community assessment. This assessment 1) documented the needs through key informant interviews and focus groups; 2) identified health resources currently available; and 3) reviewed community health needs in context of the unique social and political history of Rwanda. Based on this assessment, the Jefferson team created a Health and Hygiene Train-the-Trainer program; conducted a nutrition assessment and treatment program for 150 village children; developed an HIV education program; implemented a malaria prevention program; and initiated an income generating cooperative. The team partnered with the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of Engineers Without Borders to improve village health and hygiene through a rain water collection and latrine construction project. The team partnered with Rwandan medical students working with the Rwanda Village Concept Project to expand health services in the village and develop a multidisciplinary exchange program. .