Gaden Relief Projects

Helping Tibetans preserve their unique culture.

Minutes

Zadoh Committee Meeting – Vancouver
May 2, 2004

Present: Evan Zaleschuk (chair), Helen Weiss (host), Marianne Rev, Sharon Gretzinger, Didi Zasep, Deborah Simpson (recorder)

1. Business arising from the previous minutes

1.1 Maternal and child health survey written by Helen

Helen received a bit of feedback on the survey questions over email, and we discussed and suggested a few changes at the meeting. Helen will make the changes and send out the updated survey. Rinpoche intends to use this survey on this summer's trip. We thought that the main responders would be either a) female citizens of the area, b) health care providers, c) administrators. It would be important to identify what group the responders fall into on the survey. In terms of who will administer the survey, we thought that it depends on who the responder is, i.e. if it is an administrator, Rinpoche could ask the questions but it is a local woman Candace or Annelly with a female translator would be better. It was thought that Didi would be a perfect person to conduct the survey with the local women. Robbie or Candace, with translator could ask health care providers.

1.2 Books

Where Women Have No Doctor, and Disabled Village Children, Helping Health Care Workers Learn, and Midwifery books have arrived. If anyone would like to borrow these books, contact Deborah. Dirty Padma books are being processed with help from Lu, a friend of Evan's.

1.3 Communication with Jinpa

Haven't received emails back from Tashi or Anne. A priority for our committee is to facilitate the process of getting young adults from the Zadoh area into the Jinpa health care worker and midwifery trainings. Perhaps we could give Rinpoche a list of questions that he could give to Tashi as a starting point. Questions brainstormed were:

  • 1. Have you trained anyone from the Zadoh area before?
    • a) If so, who?
    • b) Do you know if and where they are practicing as health care providers?
    • c) Do they have the necessary equipment, such as wound care supplies?
  • 2. When is the next training and how many people from Zadoh area could participate a) in the basic training? b) in the midwifery training?
  • 3. What could we do to support Jinpa's training programs?
    • a) give money
    • b) provide equipment
    • c) provide specialty trainers/teachers
    • d) provide resources material

Evan will ask Rinpoche if he thinks that this questionnaire would be helpful. Sharon will write a draft cover letter and sent to the group for feedback.

1.4 Email from Surmang

Marianne summarized Lee Weingrad's email (from Surmang clinic). He emphasized that we need to identify local stakeholders, focus on health promotion not primary care, focus on qualitative issues rather than quantitative, maternal and child health is the key to the restoration of culture, poverty and lack of education are the biggest causes of health problems. He also mentioned that ALSO is providing health care training in Yushu for trained health care professionals, and that doing a needs assessment properly is expensive and time consuming, (theirs cost $1000. and took 4 months).

Questions: Could Candace provide a clinic for women this visit? Didi would be a good ally in this initiative as the women trust her, understand the culture and speak the language.

Marianne was trying to get hold of Dr. Jane Bishop who has experience is this area. Jane recently responded to Marianne, and Marianne has sent her reply to the Zadoh list.

1.5 Gyawa

Didi reported that the plan this year for the senior's residence in Zadoh is to build a "soup kitchen". Didi's vision for the future is to have a health care clinic at the residence that would serve the whole community. Richmond Burnett High School is supporting the building of a school in Zadoh. This is a very exciting project.

2. New Business

2.1 Zadoh Trip 2004, questions and thoughts

  • Would Didi be able to overlap with Candace to do some work specifically around women's health needs?
  • Can we hire more translators (female preferably) for this trip? We have heard that the Rokpa girls are not available.
  • Are there medical practitioners already in Zadoh i.e. local nurses that could use our support?
  • As all health care initiatives seem dependent on local health care providers, we are hopeful that this summer, contact can be made with Tashi (Jinpa) regarding the training, and potential students will be identified.
  • As per Ron Greenberg's suggestion at the "Big 4 " meeting, I am taking all the "actions " from the minutes and listing them here:
    • 1. Helen to make changes to the maternal and child health questionnaire and send it out to the Zadoh list.
    • 2. Evan to continue working on the "Dirty Padma" books; Deborah to return CD to Seva office; outstanding item, donation to Cynthia for use of the books of $150.00 as previously decided.
    • 3. Evan to discuss proposed questionnaire for Tashi with Rinpoche.
    • 4. Sharon to write cover letter for questionnaire (if Rinpoche approves) and send to group for feedback.
    • 5. Pursue the use of Didi's services if dates allow.

3. Next meeting

Friday, June 18, 7:00 in WR. Who would be able to go at this time?

[Minutes prepared by Debprah Simpson]