World Relief Durham (WRD) hosted their first ever Women’s Health Event for Refugee and other Immigrant women to learn more about healthcare in the U.S. and healthy habits. “Even as a woman from the U.S., I was not taught about women’s health in detail until adulthood.” Our Health and Wellness Senior Specialist, Julleah Fink, shared in preparation for the upcoming event, “Many of our ladies have had limited access to healthcare and adequate hygiene supplies during the resettlement process. My aim is to help women understand reproductive health for their current stage in life – from their monthly cycle and perinatal care to menopause and menstrual disorders.”
The event was broken into three main sections; Childbirth in the U.S., Menstrual Health and a craft time making Cycle Beads. WRD partnered with Welcome Baby’s Outreach Coordinator, Evelyn, to discuss the sensitive topic of childbirth in the U.S. and what newcomers need to know about the healthcare system.
“…we have all these families from different parts of the world and that they are here; they’re part of our community and that we have to work together…. I am very thankful that World Relief and Welcome Baby are partnering together to facilitate parenting programs and talk to families about them and all the resources and the support they can get from both agencies.”
Evelyn, Welcome Baby
WRD’s very own volunteer, Karissa, lead the session on menstrual health and how women can best take care of themselves.
This is a really great opportunity to educate a larger group of women on something that is so important and not talked about in many cultures, including the western world….That is why today is important…being able to teach about women’s health and the importance that we each uniquely are designed a little bit differently… with variety!
Karissa, World Relief Durham Volunteer
The Durham Woman’s Club ended the enlightening event with a craft time in which women could create cycle beads, which are beaded bracelets with a bead to match each day of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Lynn, President of the Durham Women’s club, expressed why they were interested in helping this event, saying; “We are really a civics club, so our main purpose is to try to enhance our community through education… civic engagement and outreach… health and wellness… so it is great to collaborate together!”
The impact from this event has been immeasurable in the lives of WRD’s clients and we are thankful for the organizations and individuals that have chosen to partner with our team.
Are you interested in planning, hosting, donating or volunteering at an event like this? We invite you to join in by emailing wrddevelopment@wr.org or donating below.