What is The Preventive Project?
The Preventive Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting preventive healthcare services to refugee, immigrant and working class communities.
Meet our Founder
With a background in healthcare, Amina Torlo founded The Preventive Project (TPP) to honor her father and other family members who passed away too soon. Currently pursuing her medical degree, Amina always knew she wanted to develop a program that worked with healthcare advocacy for refugees. It was after her father's death she realized she didn't need to wait until after she had become a provider. In fact, doing it now was the best time as it emulated the message of TPP. Sharing her story wasn't easy, but she firmly believes her narrative will inspire others to take the pen back in their own stories. Her roots and family background served as the major inspiration for TPP and help her approach the vision with a unique understanding and empathy.
"She clung on to the fact that it was, above all, preventable."
Amina's parents are Bosnian refugees and immigrated to the United States in 1995 during the Yugoslav Wars. As she grew up, she began to notice this avoidant tendency to seek medical care. Not just amongst her parents, but other family who had come to the US. The hesitation to check their blood pressure, take medication or go to the doctor seemed deeply rooted in a cultural taboo to avoid health. Cognizant of this, it wasn't just around her community she noticed these tendencies, but around other immigrants as well. She tapped into her curiosity and asked questions. Upon doing her research, she found many of the countries these communities were migrating from had low expenditure towards preventive services. In fact, preventive healthcare was not nearly as pivotal or encouraged in society as it was in the US.
Years later, Amina lost her aunt to a heart attack. What she later found out was that her aunt was aware of her high blood pressure and other health issues but refused to seek care for it. She couldn't let go of the "what if" of it all. What if she just went to the doctor? What if she would have just taken medication? She clung on to the fact that it was, above all, preventable. That wasn't the last loss that felt preventable. The loss that started this project, her father, could have also possibly been prevented. Immigrants tend to work hard for their families and think so little about themselves. What Amina realized was, thinking about yourself is working hard for you family. Being there for your family is the best gift of all.
In comes TPP, her passion project to protect families, educate immigrants on US standards of care and make it front of mind. A world where preventable losses are stunted is our goal, vision and mission. Whether it's breaking old health patterns, making time to seek medical care, or simply becoming educated on preventive healthcare we aim for a healthier future. In honor of her father, Ibro Torlo, TPP is here to help you prioritize your health.
Copyright The Preventive Project 2024