Mid-Year Report on the Health Leadership Development Initiative
On Saturday, May 14, 2011, Phelps Stokes launched the first session of the Health Leadership Development Initiative sponsored by the Merck Co. Inc. This two-year program targets Afro-Colombian high school students in Cali and Quibdó who have demonstrated an interest in studying public health at university. In April , Ms. Kelly Macias, traveled to Cali, Colombia on behalf of Phelps Stokes to conduct a train-the-trainers workshop for the individuals Phelps stokes had identified to be facilitators for this program. Two trainers from Quibdó traveled to Cali to attend the training. Also in attendance were representatives from the departmental government of Antioquia who are interested in replicating this program with students there. The training was extremely successful and the facilitators are equipped with the information they needed to implement a successful program.
Twice a month on a Saturday through the end of October, the students will gather for a day of leadership training, interspersed with sessions on Health Disparities within the Afro-Colombian Community, Issues of Race and Identity, and Afro-Colombian History. On the first day of the program 26 students in each city showed up accompanied by 18 of their parents. The parental involvement in the program orientation ensured familial buy-in and demonstrates the support within the community for this program.
Phelps Stokes was able to secure additional monies from the Mayor’s office of Cali and Quibdó to double the number of students in each city that would be able to participate in this program, bringing the total number of participants to 52. The program provides the participants with a transportation stipend and lunch to facilitate participation among a cross section of young people from throughout each city and surrounding areas. The participants have also identified and started working on their service learning projects which will provide them an opportunity to give back to their communities. Below is a list of the schools with students participating in each city:
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List of Schools with Students Participating in Quibdo
| Jose Del Carmen Cuesta |
| Pedro Grau Y Arola |
| Miguel Vicente Garrido |
| I.E. Antonio Ricaurte |
| Roberio Velasquez |
| Matias Trespalacios |
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List of Schools with Students Participating in Cali (Agublanca)
| Monsenor Ramon | Marroquin II |
| Potrerogrande | Potrero Grande |
| La Anunciacion | Alirio Mora Beltran |
| Humberto Jordan Mazuera | Ricardo Balcazar |
| Carlos Holguin Mallarino | Comuneros i |
For information about this topic, visit www.cali.gov/publicaciones.
