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Exciting things are happening for
the indigenous people of the Yucatán. It all started in the small village of
Huhí and now it is growing across the peninsula!
From all
parts of Mexico’s Yucatán, village leaders are calling for A Promise
of Health to come and bring healthcare to their people. It is an
incredible response to an incredible need by the Maya people who are in dire
need of healthcare. In response, A Promise of Health has devised a
plan to extend our services throughout rural Yucatán. It is called the Medicine
Wheel Program.
The medicine
wheel was sacred to Native Americans living on the Great Plains. To them the
wheels were a place to go for spiritual renewal and prayer. To the Maya, our
Medicine Wheels are an answer to their prayers to bring health to their
people.
In each of our wheels is a cluster
of villages and small towns that can locally be served by one doctor and
assistant. The doctors live within the circle, becoming
part of the communities they serve. Each wheel represents about 50,000
people. Our doctors ride circuit, going from village to village each week.
Annually it costs $26,000 for each
Medicine Wheel. Each wheel provides medical services to five or more
municipalities. The municipalities pay $10,400 as their share from money
they receive from state and federal funds. A Promise of Health
pays the rest. In order to add a wheel, we must have enough money pledged
for a one-year commitment.
In addition to the municipality’s
share they also provide a location for the doctor to consult with patients.
Today, A Promise of Health
has 4 doctors who work in 20 communities. We serve 158,000 people who live
in rural communities in Yucatan. The majority of the people are Maya who
live in extreme poverty. Since our founding, we have treated 41,000 patients
(Nov. 2001 – June 2007)
Yet, we are far from done. In
rural Yucatán live 953,000 people, most of whom are indigenous Maya. The
average family earns less than $400 annually. According to government
statistics these communities have very high rates of poverty. It is our goal
to initiate 12 addition wheels in the next two years!
Click here to see how you can become a
Medicine Wheel Sponsor! |