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Abstract

Here is presented a retrospective review of the Charis Project’s Family Engagement Program (FEN) as it existed in 2014-2017. FEN was a program of women’s health education, nutrition supplements, and family visitation. The education program consisted of a 12-week course on nutrition, maternity, and sex education taught individually and in groups, focusing on pregnant Burmese migrant laborers, but including approximately 20 percent male participation. The nutrition supplements consisted of 5 kilograms of fresh vegetables and 12 eggs weekly to pregnant mothers, from course onset to about six months after childbirth depending on family needs. Family visitation took place during food deliveries, and focused on individual counselling and family stability. The program served 39 families from 2014-2017. FEN did not reduce neonatal mortality (due to a miscarriage and severe congenital birth defect), but resulted in all surviving infants being born normal weight and surviving to the end of 2019, representing a significant improvement over the 25.6 percent low birth weights reported for Kayin State, Myanmar.

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  • Alternative title

    • The Impacts of Community-Based Health Education on Birth Outcomes

  • Journal title

    • International Social Science Review

  • Volume

    • 96

  • Issue

    • 3

  • Date submitted

    19 July 2022

  • Keywords
  • Additional information

    • Acknowledgements:

      Wayland Blue holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley, and is completing an M.A. in International Relations and Conflict Resolution from the American Public University System. He is currently the director of research and evaluation for Shade Tree Foundation. Donald Derrick holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of British Columbia and is currently a Sr. Lecturer at the University of Canterbury, affiliated with the New Zealand Institute of Language, Brain, and Behavior. Carrien Blue is completing a B.S. in Public Health from University of the People. She is a co-founder of The Charis Project, a US non profit corporation that protects children by supporting vulnerable families.