WOMEN'S CENTER PROGRAM
The goal of the center is to provide health education and psychosocial support for Khmer women, by Khmer women, with Khmer women program advisors.
Prenatal Care
The wish of every woman is to have a healthy, normal, full term pregnancy, and give birth to a healthy, normal birth-weight baby. All aspects of pregnancy and childbirth, including birth spacing in the future, will be discussed. Women will learn what to expect during a pregnancy, how to recognize possible problems, and gain support and knowledge from the experiences of others in the group.
Mother and Child Wellness.
The emphasis of this group will be on the early years following an infantÕs birth, its development and the mother's care of her child.
Nutrition
The health benefits of good foods will be discussed and participants given an opportunity to plan a healthy diet with foods available to them. This is especially important for pregnant women and children.
Safe Water and Good Hygiene
With knowledge, women may influence village decisions concerning the installation of wells and filtering systems, which can help in the control of anemia and diarrhea.
Disease Prevention and Immunization
The focus of this group will be on prevention, recognizing the symptoms of illness and understanding curative possibilities. Information will be given to aid in the prevention of many chronic diseases with specific information concerning serious illnesses and immunizations.
Well Being and Happy Mind
Meditation, Art therapy, rituals, story telling, individual and group counseling will be included in this psychotherapy program. The group is designed to help women gain understanding and coping skills for feelings of sadness, grief and loss.
Referrals
The health education and psychosocial support provided by the WomenÕs Center is one part of a community of services. Other organizations offer on-going support for problems including physical and sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS, and addiction. These programs are able to offer long term support and address specific issues in great depth. Therefore, an important part of the program will be referrals to the services the center has identified, researched and is able to recommend.
Program Summary
These brief program descriptions reflect the concerns of Khmer women and show an interconnection between good prenatal care, normal infant/child development, good health practices and disease prevention. Stress, often experienced by mothers as caretakers of their familyÕs health, is addressed in the psychosocial Well Being group.
Advisors
Khmer women, empowered through their role as advisors, will review the program on a regular basis. Their suggestions and recommendations will ensure that the program consistently meets the needs of the women who come to the Center for services .