Frontera NorteSur May 2002

Success By Six's core program is a number of Parenting Resource Centers that are spread throughout the county. At these urban and rural centers, women select what issues they want to learn about and study. By examining the subjects that most relate to their lives, the women can improve their lives and conditions and, resultantly, those of their children, says Salas.

In Hatch, NM, in the north of the county, women in that community have been drawn to health issues. In Chaparral, the main topics of interest are domestic violence and substance abuse. The Las Cruces center has been looking at issues of child safety, states Salas, and women from the Del Cerro community have been focusing on education and getting their GEDs.

Communities have responded well to the presence of the centers partly because they are staffed by Americorp VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) that were drawn from the communities in which they serve, according to Salas. Success By Six currently has eleven Americorp VISTAs, ages 20-60, in its communities.

The centers' monthly educational agendas are set at community planning meetings. Volunteers bring new people to the program and everyone shares in a potluck dinner. People discuss what topics they will look at in the future. Later, Success By Six contacts health clinics, drug-abuse and domestic-violence centers, and other related organizations to help teach its classes.

Personal Triumphs Lead to Better Communities

Begun in 1999, Success By Six has reached out to thousands of women. So far this year, 855 women have been involved in the organization's programs.

When asked to give an example of Success By Six's impact on one participant's life, Salas says that many women's stories come to mind. One particular case was when a group was discussing what life would have been like without Success By Six. One woman said, "I would have remained at home and continued to be ignorant."

Ignorance in many of the women's situations has had great consequences for them, especially as it relates to domestic violence. Because of their immigration status and/or because they are unaware of the support available to them through the legal system, many women are afraid to remedy abusive situations. However, through contacts formed through Success By Six, abused women may contact La Casa, a local domestic violence program, and/or take their situation into the legal system.

Other Programs

Besides its education programs for women, Success By Six has Círculo de Hombres (Men's Circle) which shows men their importance in their children's lives. Success By Six also has a promotora pilot project in Sunland Park and Chaparral which is aimed at getting health information into communities through community volunteers known as "promotoras."

Success By Six is also involved with the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIPs) which makes sure that eligible children are enrolled in Medicaid programs. A childhood education initiative uses promotoras to go into homes to examine kids for developmental delays and to show parents how to play with their children and read to them.

Success By Six also has a prenatal-care program that encourages women to get health exams early in their pregnancies. Because of immigration-status issues and some cultural factors, Salas says that many women wait too long to go see a doctor when they are expecting a baby. This can lead to the development of pregnancy complications like high-blood pressure and diabetes.

Success By Six: A Future in Southern New Mexico?

Although Salas states that "Success By Six is about helping our own community and making New Mexico a better place for our children and families," she is worried about the program's ability to survive. Success By Six needs $160,000 year to pay for staff, mileage, and supplies. While all of the program's AmericorpVISTAs, office space, instructional space, computers and networking, and furniture are donated, Salas is at hard at work looking for funds to allow Success By Six to continue its programs in Southern New Mexico. Anyone willing to help out can reach her at 505-647-4828 or at debsal13@yahoo.com.