Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS) Community Health Program

Egypt

The mission of CEOSS is to promote the sanctity, equity and harmony of life. It seeks to nurture moral and spiritual awareness, enhance a sense of belonging, promote respect for diversity, combat injustice, address conflict, and advance social justice for individuals and communities. As part of this mission, CEOSS's Development Sector works to raise awareness in the grassroots communities of both their problems and their resources, and motivate them toward self-reliant action in the direction of development and progress by providing the necessary mechanisms and stimulus. This involves empowering the communities and enhancing the institutional capacities of existing local organizations and creating new ones to promote the process of change, including the practical application of development programs and models designed to bring about an overall improvement in educational, health, environmental and economic living standards.

The Community Health Unit implements a variety of preventative health programs and curative medical activities, at the request of participating communities, that target the priority health needs and education of poor rural and urban populations, especially women and children. CEOSS's preventative health programs and interventions include: family planning education and clinics; nutrition education for younger mothers; campaigns for healthful home improvements and personal hygiene; mother and child vaccination campaigns; first-aid training for community volunteers; bilharzia analyses; clean water hookups; latrine construction in needy households; and awareness-raising about causes of disability and avoiding risky behavior. The Health Unit supports curative medical treatments for poor, afflicted populations in participating communities suffering from bilharzia, malnutrition, skin diseases, reproductive ailments, lack of eye care and the need for eyeglasses. People with early signs of disabilities are treated to minimize symptoms and halt their progression if possible.

The major emphasis in all interventions is enhanced health awareness and education. Public meetings with films, presentations by physicians and staff, and panel discussions are held frequently in participating villages and metropolitan quarters. Books, pamphlets and posters are distributed widely. Local volunteers are recruited, trained and supported by CEOSS staff to reinforce priority health education messages during their frequent visits to neighboring households. Volunteers organize residents for regular community clean up and child vaccination campaigns. Local leaders and representatives of the community and Area(Street/Quarter) Committees identify poor households needing CEOSS and community assistance to construct latrines or obtain clean water in their homes.

In 8-month classes led by local volunteers and CEOSS staff, older girls, young women and pregnant or lactating mothers are taught proper maternal and child care and critical nutrition and health topics. They learn to take simple, effective measures to prevent and treat diarrhea and dehydration, malnutrition, endemic diseases, anemia, and parasitic worms.

CEOSS has implemented health programs in Middle Egypt since the 1950's and in metropolitan Cairo since the mid-1980's. Improved health is essential for greater personal initiative - in both education and enterprise - among so many poor in rural and urban communities. CEOSS is assisted in its work by PC(USA) Extra Commitment Opportunities funds (Acct.# 862608).

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