Noelia is a 24-year-old Youth Leader from El Salvador. She has been a Special Olympics El Salvador Unified partner for the past year, but she has been inspired to lift up women and generate social change in her community since she was a child. Noelia is currently studying medicine, and tries to bring her values of inclusion and equity into her work. Her goal is to be a leader and mentor for the new generations to change the world into a more equitable and inclusive place.
In her experience in the world of medicine and health care workers, Noelia has found that people with intellectual disabilities are vulnerable in Salvadoran society and are unable to obtain basic health services.
Through this project, Noelia plans to raise awareness of the needs and rights of people with intellectual disabilities among the medical personnel who treat them. Noelia will organize awareness campaigns on appropriate care for people with intellectual disabilities for medical staff through field visits at the health facilities and through meetings with the directors of each health unit. Over the course of 9 months, Noelia plans to engage over 250 people in-person, and 14,000 people through social media!
Noelia hopes that everyone she reaches will be moved by this project to advocate for inclusivity and respect for the rights of every individual to inspire, educate and change the world!