HAFA or Health Education Awareness & Fitness Activities Initiative is the Pacific Islanders’ gateway to healthy living.
The HAFA Initiative is a nationally recognized diabetes prevention program implemented by Marianas Health LLC in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations.
It includes class sessions and physical activities designed for Pacific Islanders, and promotes lifestyle changes and help people “be healthy and stay healthy.”
Since February 2000, Marianas Health LLC, formerly known as Marianas Health Services Inc., has been the CNMI healthcare system’s partner in providing quality healthcare services at home as well as quality and professional healthcare support in the community.
Marianas Health’s mission is to provide quality and professional healthcare solutions throughout the Pacific.
At the forefront of the HAFA Initiative, Marianas Health has a group of nationally certified lifestyle change coaches who have attended the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations convention in Arkansas.
Marianas Health director of operations Maria Rosa Omar-Castro said the event, which included lifestyle-change certification training, was a gathering of representatives from Pacific Island nations and territories such as Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the CNMI.
In 2021, Marianas Health completed 12 HAFA Initiative classes which were also conducted on Rota and Tinian.
On Jan. 24, 2022, Marianas Health will conduct — in-person or via Zoom — more HAFA Initiative classes.
“Sometimes coaches want to do it in an open space like the beach,” Omar-Castro said. “Each class features a lot of activities.”
She added, “We’re here to help people change their lifestyle. We are not here to tell you what you can and cannot eat. But we want to help you prevent diabetes. It is a pre-diabetes prevention program.”
A person must be 18 years and older to participate in the program.
For more information, go to Marianas Health LLC’s Facebook page.
Lifestyle coach Marlene Cruz, left standing, talks about the HAFA Initiative program at the multi-purpose center during the Health and Wellness Expo on Dec. 5, 2020.
