We are a non-governmental organization that accompanies, assists and defends the rights of hospitalized children and adolescents with chronic pathologies, as well as their families and women caregivers.
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Prepara Familia's Director
The Prepara Familia organization was born in 2008, beginning the close accompaniment, assistance and support for children and adolescents hospitalized and with chronic pathologies. From the first visits of a small group of volunteers to the J.M de los Ríos Hospital, the lack of assistance to mothers who traveled from all over the country to the institution was evident. Many arrived in the capital with no family, no money, and no place to stay. The work of Prepara Familia began by offering clothing, phone cards to call, and emotional support to women who care for sick children. As he began to frequent the hospital, other needs became unavoidable. The nurses expressed that the most needed services were those that attended to serious chronic pathologies: neurosurgery, urology and nephrology, all located on the 5th floor. “There were leaks in the walls and sewage. The nurses told us that the donations were not reaching the children who were there,” recalls Katherine Martinez (director of Prepara Familia). Within three days, the team collected donations of sofa beds for moms who slept on the floor. “The women slept on newspapers under the cribs. They cared for their children on the 5th floor of the José Manuel de los Ríos Children's Hospital. It was the first time they had seen something like this in a hospital. They were part of a support and training group that was going to pray, sing and give gifts to children as social work. From that Christmas of 2007, they decided to stay.” The more we talked with the women caregivers, we realized that they were in a serious situation of vulnerability, not only in terms of inputs but also in terms of accompaniment, opportunity, and awareness of their rights. Therefore, it became evident that our assistance work had to go further, dictating and organizing training programs in women's human rights, tools for the prevention of violence against women, and training workshops in (Constitution, Lopnna, Organic Law on the Right of Women to a Life Free of Violence, etc).
We also started the program called "At the Foot of the Bed" through which the women caregivers of the J.M de Los Ríos Hospital are trained to learn a simple trade (goldsmithing, jewelry making, bows, makeup, hairdressing, cell phone repair , etc). Thanks to the support of private companies, which pay the fees of the facilitator and the workshop materials, women can start a business in the hospital context in which they operate. Due to the complex pathologies of the children, they must remain at the foot of the bed, so we adapted these workshops to their context and created a label called "Mothers of JM" so that they can sell their creations in the market in favor of a solidarity cause.
In 2011, thanks to donations from some individuals and companies, the remodeling of the neurosurgery room was carried out. New air conditioners were installed, the bathrooms were totally renovated and lockers were installed for the staff. Sofa-beds for the mothers, chairs and various required furniture were also purchased. The more we talked with the women caregivers, we realized that they were in a serious situation of vulnerability, not only in terms of inputs but also in terms of accompaniment, opportunity, and awareness of their rights. Therefore, it became evident that our assistance work had to go further, dictating and organizing training programs in women's human rights, tools for the prevention of violence against women, and training workshops in (Constitution, Lopnna, Organic Law on the Right of Women to a Life Free of Violence, etc).
The organization acquires its own legal personality and, as the health situation in the country worsens, the documentation and advocacy process begins at various levels to protect the rights of children and their families. The more we talked with the women caregivers, we realized that they were in a serious situation of vulnerability, not only in terms of inputs but also in terms of accompaniment, opportunity, and awareness of their rights. Therefore, it became evident that our assistance work had to go further, dictating and organizing training programs in women's human rights, tools for the prevention of violence against women, and training workshops in (Constitution, Lopnna, Organic Law on the Right of Women to a Life Free of Violence, etc).
In 2015, the government reduced the budget for the health sector and the shortage of medicines and equipment worsened. In the J.M the lack of resources was not from one day to the next. That year the donations were insufficient. There was a lack of antibiotics and catheters to fight infections, low, medium and high pressure valves to distribute the cerebrospinal fluid of children with hydrocephalus. Several alliances were essential for growth: the Stella Matutina childcare school offered a space to serve as a collection center; the Accompanying in Hope group of the Cesap Social Group began supporting children in terms of food; and additionally, graduates of their “accompanying in pain” program supported the female caregivers. The mothers of the patients confessed to the team that they were afraid to report for fear of reprisals against their children and themselves within the hospital. But in 2016 they agreed to something unprecedented: they accompanied Prepara Familia to a demonstration in Plaza Altamira Sur, called by the organizations Codevida (patients with chronic health conditions) and Acción Solidaria (patients with HIV). Donations in Prepara Familia increased after that protest, the cases of the mothers were reviewed by the media.
Between May and December 2017, 12 children from the Nephrology Service died due to a lack of antibiotics to treat a hospital-acquired bacterium. The youngest of them was three years old. That year the international efforts formally began. In July of that same year, the health situation was denounced before the IACHR in hearing No. 163, with emphasis on the case of the children who died from the infectious outbreak and the irregular supply of antibiotics in the nephrology unit. On December 21, 2017, together with the organization Cecodap, Precautionary Measures were requested before the IACHR for the children in the nephrology unit of the Hospital J.M de Los Ríos. These were granted on February 21, 2018. In October 2018, an extension was requested for 13 more Hospital services. The organization also attended hearings in various periods of the IACHR on health, food, and disability. Between May and December 2017, 12 children from the Nephrology Service died due to a lack of antibiotics to treat a hospital-acquired bacterium. The youngest of them was three years old. That year the international efforts formally began. In July of that same year, the health situation was denounced before the IACHR in hearing No. 163, with emphasis on the case of the children who died from the infectious outbreak and the irregular supply of antibiotics in the nephrology unit. On December 21, 2017, together with the organization Cecodap, Precautionary Measures were requested before the IACHR for the children in the nephrology unit of the Hospital J.M de Los Ríos. These were granted on February 21, 2018. In October 2018, an extension was requested for 13 more Hospital services. The organization also attended hearings in various periods of the IACHR on health, food, and disability. Consequently, working groups were convened three times in May (Dominican Republic), October (United States) 2018, and February (Bolivia) 2019 to review compliance with the measures. Prepara Familia in each of them presented evidence of total contempt by the State.Several alliances were essential for growth: the Stella Matutina childcare school offered a space to serve as a collection center; the Accompanying in Hope group of the Cesap Social Group began supporting children in terms of food; and additionally, graduates of their “accompanying in pain” program supported the female caregivers.
The mothers of the patients confessed to the team that they were afraid to report for fear of reprisals against their children and themselves within the hospital. But in 2016 they agreed to something unprecedented: they accompanied Prepara Familia to a demonstration in Plaza Altamira Sur, called by the organizations Codevida (patients with chronic health conditions) and Acción Solidaria (patients with HIV). Donations in Prepara Familia increased after that protest, the cases of the mothers were reviewed by the media.
In February 2019, our director: Katherine Martinez was recognized by Amnesty International for her work as a human rights defender. In March of that same year, he received the Human Rights Award from the Canadian Embassy in its tenth edition "for his determined and dedicated fight to make visible the conditions and needs of children and defend the rights of patient children and adolescents." and relatives of the Hospital J.M de los Ríos”. In the month of June 2019, the women caregivers, doctors and the organization Prepara Familia met with Mrs. Michelle Bachelet and the technical team of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner. In the Country Report presented in July 2019, by the Office of the High Commissioner before the Human Rights Committee, the risk situation of the J.M de Los Ríos Hospital and the impact of the Emergency on children are denounced. hospitalized, with chronic pathologies and waiting for a transplant, thanks to the reports sent by our organization. On August 21, 2019, the IACHR granted the extension of the precautionary measures to 13 more services of the Hospital. In the Update Reports of the United Nations High Commissioner at the end of September, December 18 and March 2020, the risk situation of children hospitalized and awaiting transplants at the Hospital continues to be made visible. JM de Los Ríos. In October 2019, Prepara Familia received the Monsignor Pellín award for being one of the organizations that "have made innumerable contributions to the restitution of human dignity in the country." That same month, as petitioners of the precautionary measures, we went to Washington for the fourth meeting of the Working Group convened by the IACHR to review compliance with the precautionary measures granted on 02.21.2018 and extended to 13 more services on August 21, 2019. . In February 2020, because the Venezuelan State prohibited the visit of the IACHR rapporteurs, the victims, mothers, doctors, nurses, and adolescents with chronic pathologies met by video conference with the rapporteurs, accompanied by of our organization. We continue to support children and adolescents (NNA) in emergencies, documenting and making visible the situation experienced by hospitalized NNA, with chronic pathologies and with female caregivers, and sending the respective update reports to the IACHR and the United Nations System United.
In February 2020, because the Venezuelan State prohibited the visit of the IACHR rapporteurs, the victims, mothers, doctors, nurses, and adolescents with chronic pathologies met by video conference with the rapporteurs, accompanied by of our organization. We continue to support children and adolescents (NNA) in emergencies, documenting and making visible the situation experienced by hospitalized NNA, with chronic pathologies and with female caregivers, and sending the respective update reports to the IACHR and the United Nations System United. In December we inaugurated Ponte Poronte nutritional center, thanks to the support of the embassy of France. We began to implement a healthcare protocol created by Susana Raffalli, through which children get to overcome malnutrition. The center has three spaces: a screening room, three consultation cubicles, waiting room, breastfeeding room and a storage unit. In 2020 we also provided the medical association of the JM de los Ríos Hospital with COVID relief supplies: such as 11,600 disposable face masks, 1,600 gallons of disinfectant gel and 11,600 gloves. Women caregivers were also provided with COVID relief supplies. We organized concerts in front of the JM de los Ríos Hospital to bring entertainment to the hospitalized children during the hard isolation months.
We successfully treated 585 children and 101 women in the facilities of Ponte Poronte nutritional center. On June 30th we participated in a IACHR hearing in which a group of adolescent patients denounced the human rights violations they experienced, among many they pointed at the suspension of organ transplant operations in Venezuela as the main tragedy they experienced. We began to organize "last chemo" parties at the nutritional center for recovering cancer patients, aswell as birthday parties for the other patients.
We inaugurated a psychological-social unit in which a social worker, two lawyers and two psychologists provided their services to the children going through the healthcare protocol at Ponte Poronte. They would provide assistance as needed to these vulnerable families to complement the nutritional treatment they were getting at the center. There we also offered educational courses on healthy upbringing strategies for parents. 170 people attended educational courses about nutrition, healthy eating habits and breastfeeding, at the Ponte Poronte nutritional center. On the documentation side, we released Vilomah, a documentary short film which tells the story behind a tragedy which claimed 12 lives at the JM de los Ríos Hospital. It won both national and international awards at various film festivals. We also released a podcast series called "Las voces de la emergencia" in which we interviewed the heroes who are still fighting for a better Venezuela.
a 30-year-old lawyer graduated from the Rómulo Gallegos University, is an example of temperance. She has accompanied and continues to accompany two very close kidney patients at the Dr. José Manuel de Los Ríos Children's Hospital in Caracas. This story begins with the pregnancy of her son Daniel Laya, who was already detected in the womb as having posterior urethral beards, which would affect the kidneys.
Recognized by Amnesty International for her work as a human rights defender. In March of that same year, he received the Human Rights Award from the Canadian Embassy in its tenth edition "for his determined and dedicated fight to make visible the conditions and needs of children and defend the rights of children and adolescent patients. and relatives of the Hospital J.M de los Ríos
Andrés Fernández passed away in August 2019 at the age of 16. This teenager studied until the third year of high school and had dreams and goals that, due to the complications of his health condition, could not be realized.
His 35-year-old mother, Vicky Fernández, said that a host of circumstances intervened in the boy's death that could have been overcome, but the deficiencies of the Dr. José Manuel de los Ríos Children's Hospital led to a large extent to the tragic outcome.
Judith Bront, 45 years old, and her husband Miguel Becerra, 51, have gone through a long process of hope, anguish, and pain due to the kidney disease suffered by their son Samuel, who died on May 11, 2017.
We develop care, accompaniment, training and empowerment Programs for Women Caregivers in the hospital.
We develop care, assistance, training and follow-up programs for hospitalized children and children with chronic pathologies.
We defend the rights of hospitalized children and women caregivers in national and international instances.
The Prepara Familia organization was born in 2008, beginning the close accompaniment, assistance and support for children and adolescents hospitalized and with chronic pathologies.