The Chiapas Project

08/17/2019

08/11/2019

08/30/2017

Dear Friends of The Chiapas Project,

I know. It's been a long time since I posted an update. My bad.

We had an excellent week of service earlier this month. Along with Joanne and me were Dr. Rob Maguire of New Hampshire, Dr. Eva Payette of Montreal, four great Univ. of Montreal dental students, medical student Jessica Cyr of Montreal, Dr. Tom Gavin of Colorado,and Samir and Arnav Madhiwalla of New Jersey. Also on board were Ernesto and Joab, veteran translators of many mission weeks.

We hit great weather (No daily downpours.) and went to three communities to provide care. We treated a lot of patients with few if any easy cases. As usual, we worked hard each day and then returned to our home for before-dinner drinks followed by Joanne's great cooking.

After the time in Ocotepec the Canadian students traveled to San Cristobal, Chamula, Palenque, and finally Playa del Carmen. They fell in love with Mexico. Joanne, Tom, Eva and Carlos' family joined me in Oaxaca and Puebla. We, too, had a wonderful time.

Joanne and I are preparing for our move to Mexico as soon as you house in NJ sells. We expect another week next August. Plan on it!

Thanks,
Dave

02/09/2012

everyone check out the new chiapasproject.org and let us know what you think!

10/27/2011

Thank you, Carlos and Kim, for all of your work on the new website and establishing this Facebook group. The Project is alive and well!

10/27/2011

Hi Everyone! Please feel free to post photos, stories, and catch up with past volunteers on this page. We will add more information soon and will give you updates on the progress of upcoming trips and the clinic that we will be building. Feel free to invite anyone who might be interested! Also, stay tuned for a new website, which should be launched in the very near future.

09/22/2011

Welcome to the Chiapas Project

The Chiapas Project seeks to provide free medical and dental care to the indigenous Zoque people of the State of Chiapas, Mexico while encouraging volunteerism and personal growth amongst young people and medical/dental professionals. Please read more in the about us section.

We invite you to use this web site to learn more about The Chiapas Project and to see how you might become involved in our work.

The Chiapas Project began in 2001 by one family in New Jersey. The Project brings teams of medical and dental professionals, students, and adult helpers to a remote Zoque town in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. Prior to the arrival of the volunteers of the Project, the 15,000 inhabitants of Ocotepec and the surrounding villages had no access to trained healthcare.

Twice each year since then, groups of volunteers travel each March and August to set up clinics and a pharmacy to meet the immediate needs of the community. Volunteers, each of whom pays their own way, have come from all over the United States, Canada, England, Chile, and Mexico.

The community of Ocotepec has agreed to give land for the construction of a full-time clinic. The Chiapas Project now moves towards its ultimate goal of providing care for chronic conditions, as opposed to only being able to treat acute illnesses, and teaching prevention, both medical and dental.

With this huge step forward comes a challange for the Project; obtaining funding for construction and staffing of the clinic. While the trained volunteers know how to provide care, none of us knows how to write grant proposals. We know that many foundations exist willing to support this effort. We simply do not know how to reach them with our story. If any readers of The Thing Magazine have such skills and are willing to give some time, The Chiapas Project, and the people of Ocotepec need the help. Please contact us at [email protected].