November 13, 2007

The Possibilities are Endless

Since February of 2006, HHI has provided 59 trainings, for 711 women, who are directly bettering the care they provide to more than 5,688 orphaned or otherwise vulnerable children.  During this time we have learned volumes and we have found the interest and need for education in early childhood development and nurturing care-giving to extend far beyond orphanages.

HHI has been recognized for our impressive results and now government groups and international NGOs are seeing the possibilities for applying our model for training and care as a way to strengthen and streamline their own early child health programs. They have visions of using our model in refugee camps, conflict zones, resettlement communities, and in countless other arenas.  Now HHI is responding to their requests by designing our own materials and creating a way to distribute our model - and then HHI really will "change the world".

 HHI's First Annual Trainer's Conference  

In October, our new partners at Portland State University, joined all of our HHI Trainer's in India for a week of training and learning with our Trainer's from Orissa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.  Together we all reviewed the new and expanded materials, incorporating all the lessons learned.  We had fun designing our lessons to easily mold to different cultures, using local songs, dance, games and stories.

Christine Chaille, Indhu Thomas, Sujatha Balaje holding Palak, Tapaswini Panda, Delsini Scaria & Frank Mahler

After this time of knowledge sharing, the new curriculum is in the final stages of design.  By the end of 2007, HHI anticipates having the new Trainee’s Booklet, our first Trainer’s Manual and a short instructional film on baby massage.  The written materials will be translated into Tamil, Malayalam, Oriya and Hindi, while the DVD will have dotSUB technology to allow it to be subtitled in 200+ languages.