Para mover al mundo primero muévete tu | Catalina Escobar | TEDxLasAguas

Summary

Catalina Escobar's inspiring journey begins with the tragic loss of her son, JuanFe, which led her to tackle the alarming infant mortality rate in Cartagena, Colombia. Drawing from her business background, she created the JuanFe neonatal unit, drastically reducing mortality rates. Recognizing the deeper issues of poverty and teenage pregnancies, Escobar developed a transformative program to break the cycle of poverty by empowering young mothers. Through education, support, and employment opportunities, the JuanFe initiative has successfully helped thousands of young women regain control over their lives, offering them a brighter, more independent future.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker, Catalina Escobar, shares her deeply emotional experience with the death of her son JuanFe and the tragic death of another baby in Cartagena.
• 😀 Catalina witnessed the stark disparity in healthcare and poverty in Cartagena, where many children were dying from preventable causes due to poor access to healthcare.
• 😀 Motivated by her son's death and the suffering around her, Catalina left her career in business to tackle infant mortality in Cartagena using an entrepreneurial approach.
• 😀 In 2000, Cartagena had the highest infant mortality rate in Colombia, with 51 deaths per 1,000 births, more than double the national average.
• 😀 Catalina studied successful infant healthcare models in Anaheim, California, which led her to develop the JuanFe neonatal intensive care unit in Cartagena.
• 😀 The JuanFe initiative was built and operated with less than 600 million pesos, yet reduced Cartagena's infant mortality by 79%.
• 😀 Catalina discovered that the root cause of poverty in Cartagena was deeply tied to teenage pregnancies, with 30% of births coming from adolescent girls.
• 😀 The organization addresses not only healthcare but also the broader social issues, such as breaking the cycle of poverty and providing education and opportunities for teenage mothers.
• 😀 The JuanFe program empowers girls through three phases: basic healthcare, education, and skills development, leading to economic independence.
• 😀 By focusing on both sexual responsibility and stable income generation, Catalina’s program has achieved remarkable success, with 95% of the girls planning their pregnancies responsibly and 76% either studying or working.
• 😀 Catalina’s work continues to inspire and has led to the expansion of the JuanFe model to other regions and countries, as it addresses the global issue of teenage pregnancies and poverty.

Q & A

What motivated Catalina Escobar to start working on neonatal mortality in Cartagena?

Catalina Escobar was deeply moved by the high neonatal mortality rate in Cartagena, which she witnessed firsthand through her voluntary work at a public hospital. Her personal loss of her son, JuanFe, who died tragically, further inspired her to take action against infant mortality.

What was the neonatal mortality rate in Cartagena when Catalina Escobar began her work?

In the year 2000, Cartagena had the highest neonatal mortality rate in Colombia, with 51 children dying per 1,000 births, which was twice the national average.

What were the four key factors that contributed to the success of Anaheim, California, in reducing neonatal mortality?

The four key factors that contributed to Anaheim's success in reducing neonatal mortality were: high-tech equipment, highly skilled medical professionals, medical protocols, and a system to ensure that financial accounts were paid.

How did Catalina Escobar adapt the practices from Anaheim, California, to Cartagena?

Catalina brought the knowledge and practices she learned in Anaheim to Cartagena, adapting them to the local context. She established the JuanFe neonatal intensive care unit, which helped reduce infant mortality in the city by 79%.

What were the challenges Catalina faced when trying to fund the JuanFe neonatal intensive care unit?

Catalina faced significant challenges in securing funding for the JuanFe unit. Many people doubted her idea, especially since she had just lost her son. Despite being considered 'crazy' by some, she eventually managed to raise the necessary funds.

What other issue did Catalina Escobar uncover while working with neonatal care in Cartagena?

While working on neonatal care, Catalina discovered that many of the children who died were from extremely poor families. She realized that the root of the problem was not just infant mortality but also the poverty cycle that affected these families.

How does teenage pregnancy contribute to the cycle of poverty in Colombia, according to Catalina Escobar?

Teenage pregnancy is a major factor in perpetuating poverty because young girls who become pregnant often drop out of school, which limits their opportunities and future potential. This leads to a cycle where their children are born into poverty, continuing the cycle.

What percentage of the girls Catalina works with at JuanFe have been sexually abused?

According to Catalina, 40% of the girls at JuanFe have been sexually abused. However, she points out that many of these girls get pregnant not just due to abuse but because they live in extreme poverty, which often leads to sexual violence.

What is the intervention model that Catalina Escobar created to help break the poverty cycle?

Catalina created a 360-degree intervention model, focusing on empowering adolescent mothers by providing them with education, medical care, and vocational training. The goal is to break the cycle of poverty by offering them the tools to become self-sufficient and avoid subsequent pregnancies.

What were the key components of the program that helped reduce teenage pregnancies and empower adolescent mothers?

The program included providing adolescent mothers with basic needs like nutrition and medical care, as well as empowering them through education, skills training, and vocational opportunities. It also provided financial independence, which is critical in breaking the poverty cycle.