Document Type

Article

Domestic/International

International

Location

Barcelona, Spain

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

This report examines my internship experience at Hogar de María in Barcelona, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting pregnant women and their infants through the first year of life. In collaboration with my supervisor and fellow volunteers, I facilitated program activities by caring for children during classes, distributing essential supplies, and fostering an environment that enabled mothers to focus on their education and personal growth. The internship broadened my understanding of maternal health, highlighting its emotional, social, and structural dimensions beyond the physical, particularly for women facing displacement and housing insecurity. Through overcoming challenges such as the Catalan language barrier, I developed skills in cultural sensitivity, active listening, and trust-building that will inform both my academic research and my future SIP. This experience ultimately refined my perspective on maternal care, underscored the importance of community-based support systems, and deepened my commitment to addressing the social determinants of health in my future professional work.

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The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author.