Tia Founder Featured in AZ Republic

pni1013secondacts02 (A portrait of Laura Libman, President of the Tia Foundation. She holds some of the medical supplies she will bring on her next trip to rural Mexico.(Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic)

Connie Cone Sexton, Arizona Republic Reporter, featured Tia’s Founder and CEO, Laura Libman, in a beautifully written article, “How One Trip to Mexico Changed 100,000 Lives”, as part of an ongoing series in Best Life.  The October 13, 2014 piece details the transition Libman made from aerospace knowledge engineering to International nonprofit management and the role friends and family played in mentoring and encouraging her in her new venture, or as the column is called, Laura’s “Second Act”.

Photographer Mark Henle took the above photo with Laura holding our Promotoras training manuals, entitled “Donde No Hay Doctor” (Where There Is No Doctor), published by Hesperian Foundation in multiple languages.  The Tia Foundation is proud of our founder and most especially grateful to Connie and the Arizona Republic for drawing attention to our life-saving mission!

We Did It!!! Over 100,000 People Served!

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As of Friday, October 17, 2014, we are proud to announce the addition of 14 new Promotoras (Community Health Workers)! This brings the number of people we currently serve in rural Mexico to over 100,000! We now have 261 Promotores in various parts of Central Mexico!  We could not have done it without our world-class training partner, the Community Medicine Program at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara.  More to come very soon…

Our Historic Launch is Happening Right Now!

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Upon completion of this project launch in the Municipio of Casimiro Castillo, Jalisco, Tia will be serving over 100,000 people in rural Central Mexico. Our founder, Laura Libman is in Guadalajara now, searching for some last minute items for the medical kits before heading out to field to join the brigade of doctors from Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara’s Community Medicine Program.

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Mini-Project Completed in Zacoalco de Torres

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Our last project launch, in mid-May took place in Zacoalco de Torres.  This historic town is famous for making equipales, which are handmade pieces of furniture made of leather and wood.  The Municipality of Zacoalco is an extremely poor area. Many of the kids and their families do not have shoes and can only afford to eat meat a couple of times a year. They are farmers who have little access to water. Our graduation was held at Parroquia de San Francisco de Asis and was followed by a lovely potluck, made by Promotoras and friends, at our graduation party.

On this trip we trained our youngest Promotora, Maria, who is only 14 years old but a very sharp young lady! We trained 38 new Promotores, including three more males. Now we have a total of 245 Promotores, 224 women and 21 men, serving over 90,000 villagers. Our next launch will put us over 100,000 people served! The Tia Foundation would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Roberto Martinez and Dr. Nina Castro, our brigade leaders from UAG’s Programa de Medicina en la Comunidad.

Special Mini-Project for Less than $2/person!

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Tia and PMC plan to do a mini-project together next month in the Municipio of Zacualco de Torres.  Because this area is close enough to Guadalajara, the majority of our costs are just the medical kits.  Each kit costs approximately $500 each (valued at more than $1,000 USD) and contains enough supplies for 300-500 people for a year. We need no less than 10, but are shooting for 15.  That means your donation for this project will provide permanent, sustainable care for less than $2 per person!!!!

Your donation will go farther than ever since we will not have the costs of feeding and housing our brigade of 30-40 medical students and their professors.  Simply click on the yellow “Donate” button on the right or mail a check to Tia Foundation, P.O. Box 36203, Phoenix, Arizona 85067.  Your contribution is fully tax deductible.

Our kits contain lifesaving items like physician’s grade stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, manual respirators, IV and rehydration solutions, glucometers and testing materials, medicines, bandages, antibacterials, and other items customized to the needs of each of our communities.