WELLSHARE INTERNATIONAL
122 W FRANKLIN AVE SUITE 510, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55404 www.wellshareinternational.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MISSION OF WELLSHARE INTERNATIONAL IS TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY HEALTH AROUND THE WORLD. WELLSHARE INTERNATIONAL FOCUSES ITS RESOURCES WHERE IT CAN HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON THE HEALTH OF UNDERSERVED AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THIS INCLUDES REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS IN MINNESOTA, WHERE ITS HEADQUARTER OFFICE IS LOCATED, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN UNDER-RESOURCED COUNTRIES. WELLSHARE INTERNATIONAL WORKS IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO ENSURE THAT THEIR JOINT EFFORTS ARE DEFINED BY LOCAL NEEDS AND ARE SUSTAINABLE. BECAUSE OF ITS EXTENSIVE OVERSEAS COMMUNITY-HEALTH EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING 36+ YEARS OF WORK IN EAST AFRICA, AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND CENTRAL AMERICA, WELLSHARE IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO WORK BOTH DOMESTICALLY IN MINNESOTA AND THE U.S. WITH THE IMMIGRANT, REFUGEE, AND OTHER UNDER-SERVED COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY. OVER THE PAST 19 YEARS IN MINNESOTA, WELLSHARE HAS WORKED ON PUBLIC HEA

DOMESTIC PROGRAMMING EVIDENCE-BASED EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY HOME VISITING WELLSHARE COMMENCED A NEW EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY HOME VISITING PROGRAM IN MAY 2019. USING THE PARENTS AS TEACHERS MODEL, WELLSHARE PARENT EDUCATORS PROVIDE SUPPORT TO FAMILIES TO: -HELP PARENTS UNDERSTAND CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVE PARENTING SKILLS, -IDENTIFY DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS EARLY, -PROVIDE COMMUNITY-BUILDING AND KNOWLEDGE OF RESOURCES, AND, ULTIMATELY, -IMPROVE CHILDREN'S SCHOOL READINESS. IN THE CURRENT PROGRAM, WELLSHARE WILL REACH 72 SOMALI FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN PRENATAL TO 5.9 YEARS WITH TWO YEARS OF PROGRAMMING. COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS - BRIDGING THE CULTURAL DIVIDE IN 2019, WELLSHARE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER ("CHW") PEER NETWORK PROGRAM. THE CHW PEER NETWORK WAS CREATED BY WELLSHARE IN 2005 AND REACHES A STATEWIDE GROUP OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS SERVING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. WELLSHARE HOSTS A MODERATED NETWORK MAILING LIST AND PROVIDES IN-SERVICE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO CHWS. THE NETWORK SENDS OUT ELECTRONIC (EMAIL) UPDATES INCLUDING CHW JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS, TRAINING INFORMATION, AND ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED BY CHWS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. EACH YEAR, WELLSHARE SURVEYS CHW MEMBERS ABOUT THEIR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE TRAININGS THAT ARE MOST RELEVANT TO THEIR WORK. BASED ON SURVEY RESULTS, WELLSHARE HOSTS QUARTERLY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAININGS FOR CHWS IN THE PEER NETWORK. CURRENTLY THE NETWORK REACHES OVER 600 CHWS, EMPLOYERS, AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS. IN 2019, WELLSHARE HOSTED FOUR LUNCH-AND-LEARNS. EAST AFRICAN SMOKE-FREE PROGRAM WELLSHARE INTERNATIONAL'S TOBACCO-FREE COMMUNITIES EAST AFRICAN SMOKE-FREE PROGRAM, FUNDED BY THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ("MDH"), AIMS TO REDUCE THE HARM CAUSED BY TOBACCO AND SECONDHAND SMOKE AMONG SOMALI AND EAST AFRICAN CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND YOUNG ADULTS. ESTABLISHED IN 2013, THE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.TO COMPLETE A COMMUNITY-BASED ASSESSMENT TO STRENGTHEN MINNESOTA AFRICAN-AMERICANS' (SOMALI/EAST AFRICAN) COMMUNITY CAPACITY AND INVOLVEMENT AROUND TOBACCO CONTROL THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 2.TO INCREASE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS' AWARENESS OF THE HOOKAH PROBLEM IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL THROUGH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. 3.TO DEVELOP KEY LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE SOMALI TOBACCO/HOOKAH PROGRAMMING. 4.TO WORK WITH SOMALI/EAST AFRICAN YOUTH TO INCREASE THEIR FOCUS ON HEALTHY BEHAVIORS TO PROMOTE BOTH PREVENTION AND CESSATION EFFORTS (CIGARETTES AND HOOKAH). 5.TO DEVELOP A PEER-TO-PEER OUTREACH MODEL WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO INTEGRATE A "CALL IT QUITS" REFERRAL PROCESS. 6.TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SOMALI/EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL PROTECTED BY SMOKE-FREE AND COMMERCIAL TOBACCO- FREE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR POLICIES. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING FOR EAST AFRICAN YOUTH - 'THE YOUNG ACHIEVERS' THE YOUNG ACHIEVERS, A WELLSHARE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR EAST AFRICAN YOUTH, OFFERS A CONSTRUCTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR SOMALI YOUTH TO LEARN, BE CREATIVE, INTERACT WITH POSITIVE ADULTS, LEARN SKILLS TO PREPARE THEM FOR EMPLOYMENT, AND PREPARE THEM FOR HIGHER EDUCATION BY WORKING FOR THEIR COMMUNITY ON PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES. THIS PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND FRANKLIN LIBRARY. THE GROUP IS YOUTH-LED AND OUR SOMALI STAFF MENTORS THE YOUTH TO DEVELOP CREATIVE PROJECTS IN ORDER TO SEND POSITIVE MESSAGES TO THEIR EAST AFRICAN PEERS. EAST AFRICAN AND KAREN REFUGEE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM WELLSHARE'S SPACING PREGNANCIES PROGRAM FOR EAST AFRICAN AND KAREN COMMUNITIES ("SPEAK") INITIATIVE INCLUDES TWO PROJECTS: THE SOMALI CHILD SPACING PROGRAM AND THE KAREN FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM. USING A COMMUNITY- BASED, CLIENT-CENTERED APPROACH, SOMALI AND KAREN COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WORK WITH THEIR COMMUNITY, INVESTED STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS, AND LOCAL PROVIDERS AND PROFESSIONALS IN HOPES THAT SOMALI AND KAREN COMMUNITIES IN MINNESOTA WILL: 1.HAVE GREATER ACCESS TO AND UPTAKE OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESOURCES, INCLUDING CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS; 2.RECEIVE MORE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE HEALTH AND FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES; 3.EXPERIENCE INCREASED SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING THEIR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH GOALS; AND 4.PARTAKE IN BETTER REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES, INCLUDING REDUCED UNINTENDED PREGNANCY. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: -INDIVIDUAL, SMALL GROUP, AND COMMUNITY DIALOGUES AND EDUCATION FOCUSED ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND HEALTH ACCESS; -HEALTH CARE REFERRALS, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO FAMILY PLANNING; -THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESOURCES, INCLUDING PRINTED MATERIALS AND MULTIMEDIA; -COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH YIELDING EVIDENCE-BASED RESULTS TO INFORM FUTURE PROGRAMMING; AND -EDUCATIONAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONALS. IN 2019, THE PROGRAM HAD SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY IMPACT. MORE THAN 240 SOMALI MEN AND WOMEN RECEIVED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INFORMATION AND SERVICES THROUGH INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS AND SMALL GROUP EDUCATION SESSIONS. IN NOVEMBER, WELLSHARE HELD A COMMUNITY EVENT WITH MASJID DAR AL-HIJRAH, ISLAMIC CIVIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA IN THE CEDAR-RIVERSIDE AREA, AND IMAM SHARIF MOHAMMED TO TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF FAMILY PLANNING AND ISLAM, AND CONVENED 20 COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM THE CEDAR-RIVERSIDE AREA. MORE THAN 40 KAREN MEN AND WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN KAREN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY CLASSES AND GATHERINGS EMPHASIZING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SKILL-BUILDING UTILIZING INTERACTIVE LESSONS RANGING FROM HOW TO ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ANATOMY AND CARE AND FAMILY PLANNING OPTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES TO COMMUNICATING ABOUT SEXUALITY WITH ADOLESCENT CHILDREN. PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCIES IN FAMILY PLANNING, REPRODUCTIVE ANATOMY, AND HEALTH CARE NAVIGATION/ACCESS UPON COMPLETION OF THE CLASSES. WELLSHARE ALSO FORGED A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ROSELAWN CLINIC IN ST. PAUL TO COORDINATE POST-PARTUM HOME VISITS TO SPEAK WITH NEW MOTHERS ABOUT FAMILY PLANNING OPTIONS IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR POSTPARTUM APPOINTMENTS AT THE CLINIC. WE HELD SIX HOME VISITS IN 2019. (ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LOCAL KAREN COMMUNITY IS COORDINATED IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KAREN ORGANIZATION OF MINNESOTA.) STAFF FURTHER PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST EIGHT CONFERENCES OR HEALTH FAIRS REACHING MORE THAN 500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND LED ONE TRAINING ENGAGING 20 HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONALS TO PROVIDE MORE CULTURALLY INFORMED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE. ADDITIONALLY, SPEAK PROGRAM STAFF DISTRIBUTED OVER 820 PROGRAMMATIC AND HEALTH EDUCATION MATERIALS. STRENGTHENING OPTIMAL HEALTH FOR SOMALIS (SAFETY NET) PROGRAM WELLSHARE'S STRENGTHENING THE SAFETY NET FOR SOMALIS PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN JULY 2016 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SMILEY'S FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC. THE PRIMARY AIM OF THIS PROGRAM IS THAT SOMALI PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (PATIENTS AT SMILEY'S FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC) WILL ACHIEVE OPTIMAL HEALTH AND INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR FOUNDATIONAL STABILITY, ACCESS TO RESOURCES, AND SELF-EFFICACY. THE OVERALL APPROACH UTILIZES A DIVERSE PATIENT CARE TEAM WITHIN A CERTIFIED HEALTH CARE HOME TO ENGAGE SOMALI PATIENTS TO ACCESS APPROPRIATE AND TIMELY CARE AND DEVELOP SELF-EFFICACY ACCORDING TO THEIR SPECIFIC HEALTH NEEDS. WELLSHARE EMBEDDED A WELLSHARE SOMALI CHW FULL-TIME WITHIN THE CLINIC AS AN INTEGRATED PART OF THE CARE TEAM TO BUILD PATIENT CAPACITY TO HANDLE THEIR OWN ILLNESSES THROUGH SELF-MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROVISION OF RELEVANT COMMUNITY RESOURCES. DURING 2019, THE TEAM SUCCESSFULLY REACHED SOMALI PATIENTS ACROSS THE LIFESPAN WITH CRITICAL INFORMATION, CARE, AND COORDINATION. MORE THAN 200 PATIENTS WERE PROVIDED WITH REFERRALS TO APPROPRIATE DENTAL CARE OUTSIDE OF THE CLINIC; MORE THAN 210 PATIENTS RECEIVED ENHANCED COORDINATION OF SERVICES FROM THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER; AND MORE THAN 240 PATIENTS RECEIVED EDUCATION ABOUT HOW TO NAVIGATE THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CONFIDENTLY. ADDITIONALLY, 20 PATIENTS PARTICIPATED IN GROUP EDUCATION INCLUDING CLASSES ABOUT MANAGING CHRONIC DISEASE, PREVENTING DIABETES, DISCUSSING PREVENTATIVE HEALTH, AND LEARNING ABOUT AUTISM. MINNESOTA FEMALE GENITAL CUTTING PREVENTION AND OUTREACH IN 2018, MDH PROVIDED ONE-TIME GRANTS TO FOUR ORGANIZATIONS WITH CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IMPACTED BY FEMALE GENITAL CUTTING (FGC), SUPPORTING COMMUNITY-LED EFFORTS TO EDUCATE AND INFORM COMMUNITIES OF THE HEALTH RISKS AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA INFLICTED BY FGC PRACTICES AND THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES ASSOCIATED WITH FGC. IN 2019, WELLSHARE INTERNATIONAL CONDUCTED ONE-ON-ONE AND SMALL GROUP OUTREACH WITH WOMEN AND GIRLS, SPEAKING WITH OVER 130 FEMALES ABOUT THE HEALTH RISKS OF FEMALE CIRCUMCISION, EMOTIONAL TRAUMA OF FEMALE CIRCUMCISION, AND THE LAWS AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES RELATED TO FEMALE CIRCUMCISION. IN COLLABORATION WITH MASJID DAR AL-HIJRAH, ISLAMIC CIVIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA IN THE CEDAR-RIVERSI

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING TANZANIA 'SURVIVE AND THRIVE GROUPS- AND 'TOGETHER FOR HEALTH' PROJECTS WELLSHARE INTERNATIONAL CONTINUED TO WORK IN BARIADI DISTRICT AND BARIADI TOWN, TANZANIA, IN 2019. WITH FUNDING FROM HEALTH EVILLAGES AND THE LAFFERTY FAMILY FOUNDATION, WELLSHARE CONTINUED ITS "TOGETHER FOR HEALTH" PROGRAM THAT UTILIZES VIDEO TECHNOLOGY ON IPADS TO DELIVER HEALTH EDUCATION MESSAGES THROUGH HEALTH WORKERS FROM HOSPITAL/CLINICS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (WHO WORK AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL) TO IMPROVE HEALTH KNOWLEDGE, ACCESS TO CARE, AND QUALITY OF SERVICES. IN 2019, WELLSHARE HAD 92,208 CLIENT CONTACTS (70,926 FEMALES, 21,282 MALES). WELLSHARE ALSO SCREENED 264 WOMEN FOR CERVICAL CANCER; 34 SCREENED POSITIVE, OF WHICH 17 WERE DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND WERE REFERRED FOR TREATMENT. WORK WITH SURVIVE AND THRIVE/VILLAGE COMMUNITY BANKING ("VICOBA") GROUPS CONTINUED WITH SUPPORT FROM INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS, THE LAFFERTY FAMILY FOUNDATION, AND THE MORTENSON FAMILY FOUNDATION IN 2019. WELLSHARE ASSISTED 11 ACTIVE GROUPS AND SUPPORTED 327 SURVIVE AND THRIVE GROUP/VICOBA MEMBERS IN HEALTH EDUCATION, SMALL-BUSINESS SKILLS TRAINING, AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO IMPLEMENT A VILLAGE COMMUNITY-BANKING MODEL. AN ADDITIONAL 12 GROUPS WERE REFORMING OR NEW. FINDINGS FROM A SURVEY OF SURVIVE AND THRIVE GROUP/VICOBA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED: 70% OF PARTICIPANTS VS. 34% OF CONTROLS BELIEVED "MY LIFE WILL BE BETTER IN THE FUTURE-; 93% OF PARTICIPANTS VS. 69% OF CONTROLS INDICATED "I CAN CONTROL MY FINANCES-; AND, 76% OF PARTICIPANTS VS. 39% OF CONTROLS THOUGHT "MY CHILDREN WILL HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR A BETTER LIFE THAN ME." UGANDA FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM WELLSHARE INTERNATIONAL'S ADVANCING COMMUNITY-BASED ACCESS TO INJECTABLE CONTRACEPTIVES PROGRAM (2014-2019), FUNDED BY USAID/JSI THROUGH ADVANCING PARTNERS & COMMUNITIES ("APC"), WORKED TO SCALE UP ACCESS TO COUNSELING AND CONTRACEPTIVE CHOICE IN IGANGA, BUGWERI, AND KUMI DISTRICTS OF UGANDA. IN 2019, WELLSHARE ALONG WITH DISTRICT AND APC PARTNERS: -CARRIED OUT SCIENTIFIC IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH TO ASSESS ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY-BASED SELF-ADMINISTERED INJECTABLE CONTRACEPTIVES. RESEARCH FINDINGS ARE CURRENTLY IN PUBLICATION BY FHI 360. -DISSEMINATED FINDINGS AT EVENTS INCLUDING: -A MEETING WITH DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS FROM THE BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION AND THE CHILDREN'S INVESTMENT FUND FOUNDATION AND DELEGATES FROM MYANMAR, KENYA, AND ZAMBIA. -A SITE VISIT TO CHILDFUND ZAMBIA TO ASSIST IN ADVOCACY PLANNING FOR COUNTRY-LEVEL INTRODUCTION AND SCALE-UP OF COMMUNITY-BASED EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVES. -THE APC NATIONAL DISSEMINATION MEETING WHERE WELLSHARE SHARED SELF- INJECTION AND EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION RESULTS ALONG WITH BRIEFS, PROTOCOLS, AND JOB AIDES DEVELOPED OVER THE LIFE OF PROJECT. OVER THE LIFE OF PROJECT, WELLSHARE CONTRIBUTED TO 271,468 COUPLE-YEARS OF PROTECTION.

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