Though in the US the COVID pandemic is starting to take a back seat to other world events, it is still very real and current for many. It not only impacts individuals and communities through illness, but through economic setbacks as well.
Natasha Mudhar, founder of the social impact organization The World We Want, reports that “Women and girls have absorbed the brunt of the crisis, with the pandemic’s economic impact serving as just one example. Across South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, a majority of women work in the informal economy (jobs that are not taxed, monitored or protected by governments), which was the first to be affected by layoffs and pay cuts.” 1
Additionally, the pandemic has impacted girls’ educational opportunities as well. According to the World Bank, “Girls’ education goes beyond getting girls into school. It is also about ensuring that girls learn and feel safe while in school; have the opportunity to complete all levels of education; acquire the knowledge and skills to compete in the labor market; learn the socio-emotional and life skills necessary to navigate and adapt to a changing world; make decisions about their own lives; and contribute to their communities and the world… But school closures during the pandemic may have put girls at a higher risk of not returning to school, limiting their learning and future opportunities.” 2
But through it all, the women of Adelante Mujer continue on their journey to making a difference in their world. Graduates continue to treat the sick in remote areas of Nicaragua and add to the nation’s economy. Current students continue their studies and provide medical care to people in their homes, or in clinics and the hospital in Bilwi. Recently, the students have submitted their annual reports on patients they are treating. These reports remind us of the good work Adelante Mujer students do every day. We share pictures from their reports with you.
2 https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/gender/overview)
– Karen, July 2022 –
