Sharing books that help people take the lead in their own health care and improve community health
The Hesperian Foundation is a non-profit publisher of books that help people take the lead in their own health care and organize to improve community health conditions. Simply written, heavily illustrated, and developed collaboratively, Hesperian’s books are designed so people with little formal education can understand, apply and share health information. Hesperian’s first book, Where there is no doctor, is considered one of the world’s most accessible and widely used community health books.
Seven books can now be completely downloaded from the site:
- Where There Is No Doctor – updated in '06
- Where Women Have No Doctor – updated in '06
- A Book for Midwives – 2005 edition
- HIV Health and Your Community – updated in '06
- Helping Children Who Are Deaf – new in 2004
- Helping Children Who Are Blind
- Ayudar a los niños ciegos
- Where There Is No Dentist – updated in '06
- Donde no hay dentista – 2006 edition
The books address underlying social, political, and economic causes of poor health and suggest how groups can improve health conditions in their communities. Hesperian's global network includes lay health workers, trainers, and health educators who take part in preparing and distributing books, ensuring information is practical, useful, and culturally appropriate; doctors, nurses, midwives, physical therapists, pharmacists and other professionally trained health care providers who ensure information is accurate; and community leaders and organizers who provide feedback and share information about health issues in their communities.
Hesperian concentrates on developing new and revised publications to respond to pressing health concerns, and ensuring publications reach those who need them most. Its multi-faceted distribution strategy includes a royalty-free "open-copyright" policy encourages organizations to reproduce, translate and adapt materials for distribution on a not-for-profit basis; low prices for people in developing countries, and special funds that support distribution, translation, and creative community education.
Hesperian's Gratis Fund, entirely run by volunteers, recognizes that often those who most need the books are least able to afford them. In 2004, 1,985 books were shipped to 63 countries and to US communities. An average 200 requests for free books are received each month, from religious leaders, community health workers, school teachers and others desperate for resources.
In 1997, Hesperian began a Translations Fund that provides seed grants to enable groups to translate and produce sample Hesperian materials, which they can then use to secure additional funding from larger donors. Hesperian provides electronic versions of the texts and illustrations, and limited technical advice. Hesperian’s books have been or are being translated into more than 120 languages from Haitian Creole to Kiswahili to Dari to Tibetan to Quechua. (All of its books are produced in English and Spanish.)
The Creative Education Fund (CEF) gives one-time-only grants to small, grassroots organizations in poor countries that encourage participants to use Hesperian publications to develop original and creative health education activities that will benefit women. CEF supported projects include using puppets to expand the skills of traditional birth attendants (India); a running race for women with hurdles that represent barriers they face to safer sex (Kenya); a question and answer poetry contest on HIV/AIDS prevention (Ethiopia); easy-to-read, illustrated pamphlets on mental health (Nepal); and radio plays about power relationships between men and women and how this affects sexual health (Haiti).
Hesperian Foundation, 1919 Addison Street, Suite 304, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA. Email.
This story is adapted from materials on the Hesperian Foundation website
Share your thoughts about your health information needs and get a free health book!
(Posted March 11, 2009 on Afro-Nets)
Where There Is No Doctor is a health care manual for health workers, clinicians, and others involved in primary health care delivery and health promotion programs around the world, published by Hesperian Foundation.
An independent consulting team is conducting market research to develop a new version of the book to better meets the needs of health care workers around the world. Your feedback will help create the new version.
Completing the survey is voluntary. You can skip any questions that you do not want to answer. You will be asked general questions about what kind of health information you need, where you look for health information, and your opinions of “Where There Is No Doctor”, if you have used the book in the past. We are interested in hearing from people who have used “Where There Is No Doctor” in the past and from people who have not used the book.
Your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous. The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete.
The surveys can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate language or cutting and pasting the appropriate url address into a new web browser:
Provide your contact information on the final page of the survey and you will receive a complimentary copy of a Hesperian publication of your choice! Your contact information will be kept separate from your responses to this survey and will be used solely to send you your book.
If you have any questions about the survey, please email
Thank you very much for your participation.
The Independent Consulting Team
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