It is something that we are familiar in our own country: poverty goes hand in hand with malnutrition and poor hygiene conditions, thus compromising health and shortening life expectancy. Children growing up in these conditions are hardest hit. In the poverty-stricken district of Laderas, a suburb of Lima, Peru-Gruppe-Heubach e.V. has been addressing these issues for more than 21 years. We have already substantially supported 2 of the group’s projects to specifically help the poorest of the poor.
Another important project for 2017 and 2018 focuses on health. Decaying teeth, gum disease, tooth positions that cause problems and caries are a particular burden on children and young people. However, a visit to the dentist to remedy these ills is the beyond the means of their parents.
Margarete Müller-Bull Foundation therefore funds a shuttle service to the “tooth fairy”, the cost of treating young patients and pre- and post-care with monitoring of treatment and costs by a German dentist. A lady dentist in Lima is now treating Laderas’ children and holds a local surgery once a quarter to give parents advice. She pays for her travel expenses and the necessary medication and bills Peru-Gruppe-Heubach e.V. monthly on submission of the receipts. All patient records and related bills are managed online so that a dentist appointed by the Peru group can supervise and assess the treatment performed. Preventive measures like fluoridation are performed locally to avoid dental issues and dental care articles are issued.
A project with impact: more than 500 children were and are being treated effectively in this way. The project began in 2015. By the end of October 2017 356 children completed treatment, 35 are still being treated, and another 56 are on the waiting list. Photo documentation in the patients’ records (before/after) not only shows the treated and thus healthy teeth again, but also the sparkling smiles of the children in thanks for this help.