Nursing Education for Perupecha Indians, Mexico
Many impoverished communities in Mexico lack regular access to basic health care.
The problem is especially pronounced in indigenous communities, which are among the poorest in the hemisphere. Their plight is marked by:
- Higher rates of preventable disease
- Higher rates of preventable deaths
- Lower life expectancy at birth
In Zacapu, Mexico, the Foundation with the assistance of the Frees Foundation provides scholarships to the Stella Marris School of Nursing, which trains skilled nurses to serve impoverished Mexican communities.
Through the Perupecha Project indigenous women from communities in Michoacan, Mexico, learn basic 
nursing skills such as:
- Hygiene
- Nutrition
- First Aid
- Community Health
The training includes a period of community service:
- School health education activities;
- Community health education;
- Vaccination campaigns;
- Early detection of common diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure & cervical cancer.
Stella Marris graduates return to their communities and often serve as the only regular health care providers available.
