After a great deal of discussion, the young women in Ajo decided to focus their request for proposal (RFP) on health issues facing young women.  The participants created an RFP and disseminated the RFP to nonprofit organizations in Ajo and Tucson.  Three proposals were received and reviewed by the young women.  Interviews were conducted with two of the three organizations and then a final decision was made.  The Unidas participants decided to fund two organizations.  Desert Senita Community Health Center and Ajo Council for the Fine Arts for a total of $7,500.

Desert Senita Community Health Center provides medical, dental and behavioral health services in Ajo and the surrounding area.  It is the sole provider of healthcare services in the Ajo Primary Care Area and provides comprehensive, linguistically and culturally-appropriate services to the entire population, regardless of ability to pay.  The grant awarded to Desert Senita will allow the Health Center to implement teen group discussion sessions every other week (a total of six sessions over a twelve week period) aimed at empowering teens aged 13-17 with life skills and other coping tools to be better prepared to handle peer pressure and other social issues throughout their teenage and adult years.

The Ajo Council for Fine Arts (ACFA) works to establish a cultural base in Ajo by bringing professional entertainment and educational programs to the community and the Ajo schools.  Teen pregnancy is a large issue in Ajo and the Unidas grant to ACFA will allow the organization to purchase a Real Care Baby Doll for a six week psychology unit taught at Ajo High School.  The unit provides co-ed students in the class with the opportunity to care for an infant.  The students learn the responsibilities associated with “parenthood” and must serve as the primary caretaker of the infant for a specified period of time while taking the class.