CARE FOR CAMPESINOS

Various Farmworkers. Photo courtesy of campesinossinfronteras.org.

Campesinos toil in the dark hours of early morning and into Arizona’s mid-day blistering heat.

A major struggle for these seasonal farmworkers is accessing proper healthcare. The work environment coupled with the health risks of the Hispanic race, create an unhealthy situation in desperate need of care.

But there is a glimmer of hope, Campesinos Sin Fronteras, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing health, housing and social services as well as advocacy for migrant workers and their families. The organization, established in 1997, also aids low to moderate income individuals in Yuma, Ariz. and rural communities like, Somerton, Ariz. and San Luis, Ariz.

"Most of them do not have access to medical services because they can’t afford health insurance,” said Hilda Lopez, executive assistant for the organization. “We go out and promote healthy lifestyles or we do health fairs where we give free medical services.”

Farmworkers typically suffer from stress and bone and joint problems from the demanding physical labor, she added.

“Because of the situation that they work in and because most of them don’t speak English, that creates a lot of stress for them and stress brings along a lot of other health issues,” Lopez said.

Campesinos spend hours laboring in the fields; a trade foreign to the average American. Despite the imbalance of labor, there is an even greater imbalance in access to vital healthcare.

Campesinos Sin Fronteras offers several programs to combat this disparity.

The Campesinos Diabetes Management Program assists individuals or the family of an individual afflicted with type 2 diabetes, Lopez said. It provides education about care and self management.

A volunteer with the The Campesinos Diabetes Management Program. Photo courtesy of campesinossinfronteras.org.

The organization also offers preventative programs such as, Alma, Corazon y Vida, or Soul, Heart and Life, which encourages healthy lifestyles choices to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Campesinos Sin Fronteras also offers housing services like, the Home Ownership Counseling Program which provides information and assistance to low-income, first-time home buyers.

This organization could not operate without the, “Promotores.” Promotores are employees and volunteers who serve as the link between the community and the resources.

A volunteer with Alma, Corazon y Vida. Photo courtesy of campesinossinfronteras.org.

These individuals are fluent in Spanish and work in community centers, churches, schools and even the fields to improve the health status of the community and eliminate health disparities.

The need for health care among campesinos, migrants and individuals living along the border is often ignored.
Campesinos Sin Fronteras fills in the gap between what is deserved and what is given.

Campesinos Sin Fronteras works with various community organizations, faith-based groups and local governments to provide care for more than 10,000 people each year, according to their Web site. The organization is funded through various state and federal grants.