September 2019: Thanks to funding from WABA (the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action), CHEERing held the first 2 of 4 training and support sessions for fathers this month, around breastfeeding and reproductive health.

Dr Tomas Andriotti (2nd from left), a Brazilian obstetrician visiting with CHEERing from Harvard University in the USA, taught the sessions at the Elna Maternity Center and Eleonas refugee camp. The sessions were ‘men only’, to provide an uninhibited environment for learning, and supported by Farsi, Arabic, and French speaking male translators at each location.

Besides learning about breastfeeding, men asked many questions about sexual health, pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Two more sessions for dads and dads to be will take place later this fall at Skaramagas and Thibas camps.

CHEERing provides weekly mother and baby nutrition related sessions at Elna Maternity Center, Eleonas, and Skaramagas camps, and regular sessions and trainings at Oinofyta and Thibas camps.

CHEERing thanks our funders, our galant translation team, and Dr Andriotti for leading the sessions.