PROJECT BACKGROUND:
The Rio Beni Health Project strives to improve access to primary health care for the indigenous populations living along the banks of the Beni River, a tributary of the Amazon River in northwestern Bolivia. This population has been historically under served. However, in 1997 the Rio Beni Health Project began providing regular health care in the region, in the person of a retired U.S. physician who, after traveling throughout the region and living on the shores of the Beni River, decided to investigate the possibility of doing clinical outreach in isolated indigenous villages that lacked regular health care. At present, the project’s activities consist of: (1) operating a Teaching Clinic in Rurrenabaque; (2) training health promoters in approximately 35 communities; (3) accompanying health promoters in their communities during clinical visits, traveling, either by motorboat launch or four-wheel drive vehicle; and (4) attending to public health through the application of appropriate technology (e.g. water filtration, etc.).

QUALIFICATIONS:
* Broad based medical background; a medical professional with diverse experience (MD, PA, NP);
* Experience in public health or community health;
* Experience in teaching and training with an interest in community work;
* Willingness to adapt to changing needs of the program and to learn new concepts along with the health promoters in order to fulfill needs expressed by them;
* Ability to learn and improvise in the absence of reliable labs or good hospitals;
* Ability to work with and accept the decisions of community leaders and the local health workers;
* Ability to work as part of a team and great organizational skills;
* Fluency in Spanish and an appreciation of cultural diversity;
* Training and/or experience in adult popular education highly desirable;
* An understanding of recent Bolivian history;
* Ability to work as part of a team;
* Ability to live under very basic conditions; to live simply;
* Minimum of two year commitment;
* Valid driver's license;
* Humility, flexibility, maturity, a sense of humor, responsibility and ability to motivate highly desirable.

Positions are for at least two years. Field personnel receive monthly stipends, housing and transportation to and from Bolivia.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
From a base in Rurrenabaque, health promoter training courses will be continued which will include the following activities:
* Planning and teaching health courses to health promoter candidates from the Rio Beni communities;
* Supervise health promoters in their consults, especially with emergencies and in learning new skills;
* Support and collaborate with local health committees;
* Administration and coordination with health promoters;
* Manage central stockroom of medications and supplies, including purchasing and distribution for the project;
* Coordinate with other local groups working with health and attend meetings regarding health;
* Support community public health activities;
* Communicate regularly with the Concern America home office;
* Submit written quarterly to Concern America's home office.

For more information visit Concern America at http://www.concernamerica.org or call 1-800-CONCERN (266-2376).