Eva Presnall |
| Country of Service |
| In Peace Corps Paraguay, Crisis Corps Dominican Republic |
| Dates Served |
| 1997 - 1999 |
| Volunteer Position |
Rural Health Extensionist (Paraguay)
Site Manager for sanitation project post Hurricane George (Dominican Republic) |
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| Description of main volunteer activities: |
Peace Corps Paraguay
• Initiated community wide health campaign based on locally recognized needs: sanitation, hygiene and parasite prevention, dental health, nutrition, growth and development of infants, maternal and infant mortality and morbidity
• Organized and taught health day camps in six rural elementary and high schools
• Trained teachers to incorporate health education into curriculum, creating a sustainable local health program
• Organized Mothers’ Clubs to create a forum for my adult education classes focusing on the primary issues related to maternal and infant mortality and morbidity
• Mobilized fundraising for and initiated projects to provide running water for three communities
• Liaised with government organizations to establish and support community environmental sanitation commission
Crisis Corps Dominican Republic
• Created local environmental sanitation commissions in each of ten rural communities for the sustainable promotion of hygiene and the installation of 180 sanitary latrines in the wake of Hurricane George
• Trained community leaders how to build and maintain a sanitary latrine through group workshops
• Supervised worksites and distribution of building materials provided through a grant from the Ford Foundation
• Supervised monthly food distributions to families of community sanitation workers
• Food was donated by USAID and distributed by UN World Food Program as incentive for local involvement
• Organized and taught classes on hygiene, parasite prevention, and sanitation to women and children |
| How Peace Corps service influenced decision to go into nursing and future plans: |
| It was the basis for my decision to enter the field of healthcare. Through my experience as a health educator and community organizer, I knew that I wanted to return to school to gain additional skills and credentials that I could utilize for a career in serving underserved populations internationally. |
| Impact of RPCV Fellows experience: |
| It allowed me to become plugged into the Baltimore community more rapidly. I was able to begin my volunteer work almost immediately. As a student in the accelerated program, I probably would not have had the time to initiate volunteer work so early in my program of study. |
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