Iniciativa 2020 Edit

Two nurses from Iniciativa de Paz accompany Jazimirio Figueron, ninety years old, as he prepares to cross the river and return home.

Jazimirio's wife died of complications related to emphysema during Hurricane Maria, in 2017. As the river was raging and overflowing, no one was able to reach them for days.

Important items on top of a patient’s tv monitor.

In underprivileged neighborhoods of San Juan, volunteers of the program Operación Compasión await for injecting drug users who will receive medical attention and the opportunity to exchange syringes.

David Reyes Baerga, an occupational therapist at the PITIRRE center briefs patients on communicating with illustrations about their current state of mind on one half of a blank page, and their ideal one on the other.

A nurse of Iniciativa de Paz listens to a new patient, Marguerita, explaining how she lost four children in a three-year span to Hurricane Maria, the contraction of meningitis in jail, and a hit and run under investigation.

Raphi Torres, outreach worker of the harm reduction program Punto Fijo.

Following a bad fall, ninety-eight years old Maria Dolores who lives in the remote village of Utuado, has been bedridden for over 20 years.

Iniciativa Comunitaria’s nocturnal outreach program tours San Juan every week. Tonight they stop under a highway bridge to offer food and comfort to an elderly homeless man.

The staff of Iniciativa de Paz converses with Maria Dolores, offering care, warmth, and support which she rarely receives. Her daughter suffers from mental health issues, making her barely able to care for Maria.

An exhausted volunteer drifts in and out of sleep, as Operación Compasión’s van is headed home at 5.30 am, after a full night touring San Juan and caring for its homeless population.

The team of Operación Compasión makes a pit stop at a local chapel for a moment of meditation, half way through their night route schedule.

A visiting nurse from Spain volunteers to clean and bandage sores resulting from opioid injections, such as Fentanyl.

A young volunteer joyfully converses with her peers inside the van of Operación Compasión.

“Somos un gran abrazo.” We are a big embrace.

October 2018.

“Iniciativa Comunitaria is a nonprofit organization, founded in Puerto Rico in 1992, to provide education on alternative HIV/AIDS treatments. They have since consequently grown and their various branches include harm reduction, medical and rehabilitation programs, as well as an International health brigade which has reached over 46 distressed communities in Latin America and Africa since its creation in 2000.

Iniciativa Comunitaria’s founder, Dr. Vargas Vigot, or as his team lovingly calls him, “Chaco” said that his work was “really all about love” after I told him about my intense, yet positive experience with his organization. I was honored to witness their teams organically open up to those they care for, who so often find themselves stigmatized and socially excluded.

I was most impressed by the unfading resilience and strengthened bond of the Puerto Rican community that occurred after hurricane Maria. Thanks to the Momenta Worshops, the organization that allowed me to work with Iniciativa Comunitaria, I developed a higher understanding of the importance to carefully document the hard, passionate work of those who choose to serve, walking our world with eyes wide open.”

To learn more about the programs photographed above:

Punto Fijo

Punto Fijo is a harm reduction program for injecting drug users in the communities of the San Juan metropolitan area, which aims to reduce HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C transmissions.

Raphi, Nobel and Antonio make weekly rounds in their old Pontiac car providing sterile syringes, condoms, medical supplies, and friendly conversations to injecting drug users. Antonio, a long time recovered user and Punto Fijo’s embodiment of a success story, explained how he cares for these men and women as family. He also shared that more than half the regular participants went missing after the devastation brought on by hurricane Maria. “They just stopped showing up. I think my people died.” he sadly stated.

Operación Compasión

Operación Compasión is a program made possible by the hard work of volunteers who deliver food, medical care and STD prevention kits to the homeless population of San Juan. They run weekend and night routes, often led by Inciativa Comunitaria’s founder, Dr. Vargas Vidot.

‘Chaco’, as lovingly called by all staff and volunteers still fervently serves marginalized communities of Puerto Rico, while working a full time job as senator. He believes in unconditional love and provides just that to all he encounters. During the night rounds he still leads from dusk til dawn, he patiently trains and educates volunteers on how to be open, mindful and compassionate towards all participants. It was special to hear him talk about the way the street speaks, “La calle habla”, and how we all should aim to get a feel for the energy of the participants.

Iniciativa de Paz

Iniciativa de Paz is a Puerto Rican based, international health brigade, which has reached over 46 distressed communities in Latin America and Africa since its creation in 2000.

Little did they know, they would soon be needed at home. Since the hurricane, they have been providing care and support in Puerto Rico, reaching some of the most remote communities. They tour the Island weekly, checking-up on cases they have been following, and to this day still find people in pressing need for help and support.

PACTo

PACTo is a collaborative project amongst Iniciativa Comunitaria, Columbia University and the University of Puerto Rico’s School of Medicine. They seek to create healthier communities and help HIV patients gain access to care and treatment.

With their mobile clinic, PACTo’s team tours some of the highly impoverished communities of the island and provides testing for Hepatitis C and follow up care amongst registered patients.

PITIRRE

PITIRRE is a center that provides mental health and medical care, as well as education for drug users in need and at high risk of contracting or having the condition of HIV/AIDS. Offering programs such as counseling, psychotherapy, support groups, health services and neutral spiritual guidance, they open their doors to citizens in need and with poor access to health care.