Confirmed cases of Dengue Fever now number in the thousands in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, though some estimate suspected cases as high as 25,000+ and the season is far from over.  Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever cases, the more serious strain, comprise more than ten percent of all reported cases.  During a normal 52 week year, Jalisco sees an average of less than 2,000 cases.  Unfortunately, cases are popping up in areas that do not normally see Dengue activity.

There is no cure and no vaccine to prevent Dengue.  The best defense is to eliminate places where mosquitoes like to breed, properly apply mosquito repellent, and use screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering homes.  Any standing water containers should be removed and cleaned to eliminate the mosquito eggs and larvae.

Tia staff (Laura and Kate)  currently in Mexico liberally applies strong mosquito repellent and follows all the recommended guidelines.  Our Community Health Workers (Promotoras) also have received thorough education, thanks to UAG’s PMC brigades,  in preventative measures as well as how to care for Dengue patients and how to identify when a patient needs escalated care.  Our partners at UAG’s clinics, hospitals and PMC brigades are working tirelessly to offer excellent care to all those afflicted.

We hope that our friends here in Mexico at UAG, Global Vantage, ITESO, etc.  recover quickly and stay well!

As of Wednesday, August 5, 2009, the Tia Foundation is registered as a non profit organization in Mexico. The news came a month after official papers were submitted, making Tia now officially known as Fundacion La Tia in Mexico!

This registration enables us to accept tax deductible donations from Mexican citizens and employ full time staff in Mexico, as well as receive other benefits available only to registered non profits. In addition to these substantial benefits, being registered in Mexico makes Tia eligible for several international grant programs, and will greatly increase the credibility of Tia in Mexico.

Thank you to all of our board members in Arizona for their support during this process. And a very special Thank you and Welcome to our new Mexican board members: Monica Garibay Fernandez del Valle, Antonio Dominguez Perez and Eduardo Barron!

Tia’s President, Laura Libman, will be taking a six week medical leave of absence beginning Monday, August 10th.  During this time, Wynona Heim will serve as Acting Director of the Tia Foundation. Wynona began her career with Tia as an intern during the summer of 2008 before going on to complete her Masters in Global Affairs and Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in December.  While at Thunderbird, Wynona was active in the International Development Association, and emphasized international economic development during her studies.

She has further increased her expertise in our practices by serving on the fundraising committee for the past year, and being an all around volunteer resource for Tia.  She brings with her not only an outstanding educational background, but two years of experience as a rural Emergency Medical Technician, and an additional five years of administrative and IT/data management experience prior to her Masters degree.

Although Laura will be severely missed during this time, Tia is lucky to be left in the very capable hands of Wynona Heim.

Tia Foundation President Laura Libman, along with five other alumni, was recognized at the Thunderbird School of Global Management’s Homecoming Weekend on March 5-8, 2009. Laura received the Global Citizenship Award as recognition for her outstanding work towards social justice. She is extremely grateful for this acknowledgment of her passion and work towards sustainable development practices.

Homecoming award winners, from left, Edgar Sanchez Wilke ‘03, Robert Dudley ’79, Laura Libman ’05, Rich Mackney ’77, Bernadette Martin ’84 and Harry Cockrell ’73 stand with Thunderbird President Ángel Cabrera, Ph.D.  You can read more about the winners in the Summer issue of Thunderbird Magazine.

Laura Libman, Tia’s President and Founder, was a featured guest last week on Horizonte. In addition to explaining the work and mission of Tia, Laura discussed the role self-development plays in the reduction of cross-border immigration and how the H1N1 Virus has affected Tia’s project schedule.

You can view Laura’s interview online at: http://www.azpbs.org/horizonte/detailvid.php?id=577

Horizonte, Eight’s weekly public affairs program, focuses on Arizona issues through a Hispanic lens and is hosted by José Cárdenas, senior vice president and general counsel of Arizona State University.