Shelley Sherman and Susan Dicker - Nicaragua

Shelley Sherman and Susan Dicker were in Nicaragua, working with Casa Materna, a group that offers support to women with high-risk pregnancies. At the request of the Casa Materna staff, the students created an evaluation to establish a baseline for a nutrition education program. Women who live in remote villages are able to stay at Casa Materna during the final weeks of their pregnancy, so that they can deliver at a nearby hospital. The staff follow-up with the women, going into their communities to conduct health education on topics like family planning, nutrition, and domestic violence. “This work is really exciting in the context of empowering rural women, who have very little education and lead very isolated lives,” said Sherman, a maternal and child health major. “The staff at Casa Materna are doing some tremendous grass roots public health. Collaborating with them has been a privilege.”