Epifania "Fani" Cotos Duran
Epifania "Fani" Cotos Duran
Epifania "Fani" Cotos Duran is a Peruvian nurse active during the 1980's. She worked at a community House affiliated with the Anglican Church in Pamplona Baja Peru.[1]
Epifania states she is “motivated to keep expressing my love for children and families who face challenging conditions. I am proud to help prevent health complications, support parents in caring for their children, and bridge them to state health services.” [2]
Anglican Mission in Perú
Perú is traditionally Roman Catholic. [3] In 1973 Bishop Bill Flagg (bishop) started an Anglican Church Ministry in Perú. The Anglican Church was concentrated in three major cities, the capital Lima, Arequipa, and La Paz. [4] David Evans (bishop) succeeded Bishop Bill Flag was the Bishop of Perú when Epifania was working at the Anglican community House.
Epifania worked at the Anglican community House in Pamplona Baja, Lima, Perú. The mission was:
MISSION OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST(San Juan Evangelista)
Pamplona Baja, District of San Juan de Miraflores
Telephone: (+51) (1) 276-7449
Priest: Rev'd Luis Villalobos [5]
Epifania's Work
Epifania worked at a community House affiliated with the Anglican Church in Pamplona Baja, Lima Perú. Epifania started in 1981, and worked on the program for at least four years. Fani had her own room to hold health care clinics in the Pamplona Baja community House. [6]
The program was also staffed by missionaries and Peruvians, including Heidi Hawkins from the South American Missionary Society (SAMS USA), Steve and Di Lee from BCMS, and Juan and Elisabeth Sedano from Perú. [7] Fani collaborated on the Anglican Church's health program with a social worker named Esperanza Hidalgo. [8]
Fani wrote: "We work on two principles. [First] to help people maintain a health life. [Second] to give them complete care - spiritual, mental, and physical help."
She worked with four to five hundred families in El Brillante, an impoverished are of Lima. She wrote that the main problems arose from malnutrition, contamination, poor housing, high unemployment, low adult literacy contribute to the problems. [9] Fani advocated to local town councils to address a rubbish disposal problem in Lima.[1]
The Anglican Mission's health program focused on four main pillars: health education, medical care, social education, and employment. [1]
To promote health education, Fani regularly visited 12 local schools three times a week to educate on health topics. In a church missionary periodical the education is said to tackle: "Typhoid, Tuberculosis, Abortion, Teeth, Sex, Drugs, First Aid . . . anything that will help the Children lead a healthier life." [1] Fani gave reports to the local education office regarding her work.[1] Fani and Juana did a survey that found 1/2 of the Pamplona Baja population was under 15. [10]
The medical aspects of the program included a Tuberculosis Program. Fani, a team of doctors, a social worker named Esperanza Hidalgo, and a local pastor would visit families afflicted fortnightly. The program had resources to treat six families with medication and check-ups. The program received a donation from Germany and was able to supply medication to 21 additional individuals. [1]
Social Education included health talks, adult literacy classes, and workshops. The periodical states “several of the ladies can now read . . . to their tremendous joy.” Some of the workshops given included sewing, wood, and leather workshops that were aimed to provide training that could become a source of income. [1]
Impact
Fani helped the community in many ways. Share magazine states:
"It took a good year before people put their complete trust in Fani. Now she is a well-known figure in the area. People stop and chat to her as she goes to visiting her many contacts. Fani not only cares for their physical need, but also points people in the right direction for spiritual healing too." [11]
Epifania was still working a the Medical Center in Pamplona Baja in 2006. She would go to communities and provide education to women. Every other Thursday a women's group at the San Pedro mission would have health orientation on topics such as nutrition and hygiene. Epifania also goes to diocesan educational projects to instruct on how to weigh and measure children to ensure proper growth. [12]
In May of 2006 a group of nursing students, and their professor from Michigan University joined Epifania to do children's check-ups.[13]
Epifania is now retired. She is the Emeritus Lead Nurse Care Coordinator for the Ines Project for Medically Fragile Children.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Apr-Jun 1985, Share - Church Missionary Society Periodicals - Adam Matthew Digital". www.churchmissionarysociety.amdigital.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
- ^ a b "Epifania Cotos Duran RN". Health Bridges International. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
- ^ "1982, Share - Church Missionary Society Periodicals - Adam Matthew Digital". www.churchmissionarysociety.amdigital.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
- ^ "1982, Share - Church Missionary Society Periodicals - Adam Matthew Digital". www.churchmissionarysociety.amdigital.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
- ^ "Parishes Missions Clergy Adresses". www.peru.anglican.org. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
- ^ "Jul-Sep 1981, Partner's Prayer News - Church Missionary Society Periodicals - Adam Matthew Digital". www.churchmissionarysociety.amdigital.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
- ^ "Late Spring 1982, Partners News - Church Missionary Society Periodicals - Adam Matthew Digital". www.churchmissionarysociety.amdigital.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
- ^ "Apr-Jun 1985, Share - Church Missionary Society Periodicals - Adam Matthew Digital". www.churchmissionarysociety.amdigital.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
- ^ "1983, Share - Church Missionary Society Periodicals - Adam Matthew Digital". www.churchmissionarysociety.amdigital.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
- ^ "1983, Share - Church Missionary Society Periodicals - Adam Matthew Digital". www.churchmissionarysociety.amdigital.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
- ^ "1983, Share - Church Missionary Society Periodicals - Adam Matthew Digital". www.churchmissionarysociety.amdigital.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
- ^ "Medical & Community Health: Medical Centre San Juan Evangelista". Retrieved 2023-12-09.
- ^ "Medical & Community Health: Children's Check ups". Retrieved 2023-12-09.