Kimberly Vasquez - León, Nicaragua

Representing YSPH in front of a beautiful waterfall in Matagalpa, Nicaragua.

Career goal: Program development, evaluation and management

Internship outline: This summer Kimberly Vasquez worked with a research team in an HIV clinic at a public hospital in León, Nicaragua and participated in community service. The team conducted a mixed methods study to determine the clinic’s baseline HIV antiretroviral medication adherence and assessed self-reported barriers and facilitators to antiretroviral medication adherence. The group also taught health education classes at a high school in a nearby rural town with high rates of teenage pregnancy.

Value of experience: This experience inspired me to pursue program evaluation and management, since in Nicaragua I witnessed a huge lack of infrastructure for the evaluation of public health programs and interventions.

Best moment/experience: The tremendous love and gratitude from my patients. Many of them had never had the opportunity to discuss their HIV status with anyone. They were grateful to have the chance to express their worries and dreams. They constantly told me it felt good to have someone care about their lives.

Funding source: Down’s Fellowship

Kimberly Vasquez

A qualitative interview with an HIV patient who is also the leader of the clinic’s HIV patient advocacy group.

In front of the HIV clinic’s posters. The one I’m holding says, “Before pointing out and discriminating, your finger should point towards solidarity towards those people who live with HIV/AIDS”. I quickly realized that stigma against HIV positive individuals is a big problem in Nicaragua.

Every morning I was greeted by this colorful mural outside of the local hospital. The mural is titled, "HIV/AIDS affects the whole world...Protect Yourself to Prevent This." I am pointing to the most important message of the mural: "Get Tested Today!"

First day at work! My team and I are showing off our colorful scrubs. I am holding up a bag of rice because our participants were at first compensated with food packages that included rice, beans and oil. Imagine carrying these heavy packages in 95 degree weather!

After our first successful health education class with our youngsters.

Having fun on the top of Basilica Catedral de León Nicaragua, the largest cathedral in Central America.

Relaxing while showing my YSPH pride on top of the Basilica Catedral de León Nicaragua.

Representing YSPH in front of a beautiful waterfall in Matagalpa, Nicaragua.

This summer I witnessed the most incredible sunsets in my life. This one occurred after a short rainstorm in one of the beaches in León, Nicaragua.

You can appreciate the beauty and grandeur of the Basilica Catedral de León Nicaragua, the largest cathedral in Central America.