Women centre IXCHEN - Campaigning, counseling and medical care  

1. Basic activities and goals

IXCHEN is a centre which focusses on helping women to come up for their rights in the ‘machista’ Nicaraguan society, where men normally are the dominant gender. Major issues addressed are: domestic violence, family planning, health and cancer prevention.

The office serves all day as a consultation centre, where women from the whole region arrive to get some help in handling their often very personal problems. Also, for the cancer prevention program, visits are made to more rural areas, although the funding of this program is in danger at the moment. Ixchen is located a little outside of the Leonese city centre, but very well located right at the central bus station, so that women of rural areas can easily visit the centre for help.

2. History

Ixchen, founded in 1989, is a foundation operating in the entire country from around 10 offices. It was founded by a female ex‐politician, who understood the need for specific help and information for women. Since then, the foundation’s activities have expanded rapidly.

3. Organisation

Apart from the director, an attorney (for help during law suits in case of domestic violence), a psychologist/social worker, a General Practitioner, a gynaecologist, a nurse, a lab assistant, a secretary and two security workers are working at the center in León. Most workers are female.

4. Tasks of the volunteer

The centre is open from 7.00 AM to 14.00 PM and the work has often to do with informing and educating local women who often only have very basic education about topics such as birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and supporting them in the things they have experienced such as domestic violence. Due to the large number of women that visit the centre, there is often too little time for good personal care. A background in social work or nursing is very helpful for volunteers, and advanced knowledge of Spanish is definitely necessary. Volunteers should also have the capacity to be open to understanding and respecting cultural differences, which can be quite shocking sometimes. For example many Nicaraguan rural women are really convinced that their men have the right to beat them and to have relationships with several women at the same time.

Some examples of activities that could be part of the work are taking basic vital signs, giving advice on  family planning and sexually transmitted diseases; assisting during intake, writing and administrating patient dossiers; preparing and equiping rooms for intake and examination; and assisting the doctor, nurse and/or social worker when asked.

Volunteers should be of female gender to reduce the distance with the patients and to stimulate an open interaction ‘between women’. As already said, your level of Spanish language has to be advanced to perform the tasks.

Info box:

Location: León, Nicaragua

Duration: Minimum 1 month

Special qualifications needed: yes

Costs: none, the trouble-free package is optional

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Not included

Includede: Placement in the project; if you opt for the trouble-free package the whole range of services which is part of the trouble-free package is included

Not included: Travel to Nicaragua, health insurance, visa

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