Volunteers with the Maternity Health Program in Argentina will be working in a clinic in Posadas, a beautiful subtropical city framed by exuberant vegetation and reddish land. The capital of the province of Misiones in Argentina, Posadas is a port on the upper Paraná River bordering Paraguay. The lovely architecture of Posadas’ old buildings take you back to the time of the Jesuit Missions, and the river coast provides an ideal place to relax.

Despite all of its natural beauty, Posadas faces many problems due to extreme poverty and a lack of resources. The healthcare system in Misiones is less sophisticated than in most developed countries, and less advanced even than in  the urban parts of Argentina. There are very few hospitals in Misiones, and those that do exist are overcrowded and understaffed. Local families often travel to Buenos Aires for routine care and operations. But despite its challenges, the Posadas clinic continues to give the best possible service. The doctors and nurses are caring and intelligent, and do whatever it takes to ensure their patients are treated properly. Many local women get pregnant unexpectedly and lack the resources—money, clothing and the education—to support a new child. A significant number of babies are also born underweight, and need a place where they can be fed until their mothers recover from giving birth.

As a volunteer with our Maternity Health Program, you will have the option to work with doctors and nurses in a state-operated clinic, assisting in their program, “Dar A Luz” (To Give Birth). You can also work with the mothers who will give birth and take care of the babies in the feeding room. Volunteers may also put together nutrition, health, hygiene, and/or motherhood workshops for the mothers during their hospital stay. The Maternity Health Program in Misiones is an ideal program for medical students, professionals, or anyone with a strong interest in public health.

As a volunteer you can:
Assist healthcare professionals as they make medical
    calls and conduct check-ups for new mothers and their
    babies
Deliver workshops to underprivileged mothers
    concerning motherhood, hygiene, and healthcare
Shadow doctors and nurses, and assist them in the
    maternity room
Help doctors and nurses in the feeding room to ensure     babies gain the weight necessary to be stable
    enough to go home with their mothers
*Project accepts women volunteers only.

Project Length:	Start Dates:
Minimum: 2 weeks Maximum: Unlimited	The first and third Monday of every month.
Project Cost:	Cost Includes:
2 weeks: 3 weeks: 4 weeks: Each additional week: *Prices do not include Spanish classes or lodging. Approximate cost of hotel: US $40 to $100 per night. Each week of group Spanish classes in Buenos Aires with host family lodging and two meals per day (breakfast and dinner):	Airport pick-up and drop-off On-site orientation and program training Host family stay, including daily breakfast     and lunch In-country support Transportation between project sites Volunteer donation
	Accommodations:
	Hotel within walking distance to the project.
Schedule:	Requirements:
Volunteers will work about 20-25 hours a week. Typical hours are Monday through Friday from 7 to 11:30 a.m. Free time will generally be in the afternoon and on the weekends.	Intermediate level of Spanish. We highly recommend that volunteers add at least one week of Spanish instruction in Buenos Aires before beginning your volunteer adventure in Posadas.