El Pedregal

  • Overview
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Engineering
  • Water
  • Business
  • Public Health

Overview

El Pedregal is located within the municipality of Villas de San Francisco in the department of Francisco Morazán in central Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe. Children in the community have access to education up to sixth grade. Most of the community members work in agriculture or day labor. There is a functional water system in the community that serves all of the homes; however, the water must be rationed during the dry season. The top needs expressed by El Pedregal’s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades were public health projects, medical attention, and community bank formation.

Municipality: Villas de San Francisco
Department: Francisco Morazán

Homes : 100
Population : 500
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : No
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : No
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 70%
Education : Up to 6th Grade
Distance from Lodging Facility : 22 km

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS

The Honduran government provides two different types of health centers throughout rural Honduras: Centros de Salud Médico Odontológico (CESAMOs) and Centros de Salud Rural (CESARs). CESAMOs are the larger of the two, often found in municipalities, and typically have at least one physician on staff at all times with nurses and potentially a dentist. CESARs are found sporadically in rural communities and generally have a single nurse available. Even with this coverage, it is important to note that medications, supplies, and materials are often not available in these health centers and the physician density in Honduras remains around 1,220 people for every one doctor. According to the World Health Organization, there should be a maximum of 435 people per physician to qualify a country as having adequate access to medical attention.

There is no health center in the community of El Pedregal. If community members from El Pedregal wish to seek medical attention, they must walk five kilometers to the nearest CESAMO in Villas de San Francisco. According to community members, this health center rarely has the medications they need and there is no access to a private pharmacy. The most common illnesses are fungal infections, respiratory illnesses, diabetes, and arterial hypertension.

389

Volunteers

3,403

Patient Consulations

240

Vision Screenings Provided

159

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

El Pedregal has access to a total of thirteen Community Health Workers (CHWs). These CHWs were trained in the community of El Censo and provide their services to a total of four communities. One of them lives in El Pedregal.

Community Health Workers, or Guardianes de Salud, work on a volunteer basis as advocates for health care within their communities. While this is an existing program in Honduras and Guardianes de Salud are identified by other organizations and some health centers, Global Brigades is able to bridge gaps in access to training and provide more comprehensive technical skills. Our CHWs are some of the very few Guardianes de Salud to receive certification from the Honduran government. Our CHWs are tasked with treating and preventing common illnesses, and some of their responsibilities include first aid, supporting and caring for pregnancies and newborns, and responding to emergency situations. They are also responsible for following up with chronic patients to ensure proper administration of medications and treatments to avoid further complications. Additionally, CHWs provide support for brigades that are hosted in their area. At the completion of their training, CHWs are equipped with basic medical supplies and equipment provided by Global Brigades and its partners. The presence of these volunteers and their advocacy for health within their community contributes to the sustainability of health care supported by Global Brigades’ Medical Program and is one of the most impactful disease prevention strategies in rural communities across the globe.

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in El Pedregal attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in the community’s school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s five classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of ten minutes with each patient.  Each day of the brigade, an average of two educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 283
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: EL CHAGUITE, LA CIENEGA, EL ZAPOTE, EL JICARIT

VOLUNTEERS IN EL PEDREGAL

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Dana Hills High School Medical Brigade November 2011 36 Universite de Moncton Medical Brigade May 2012 26
McMaster University Medical Brigade May 2013 22 William Carey College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical Brigade & University of Arizona Professional Medical Brigade December 2013 33
Arizona State University Medical Brigade & University of Nevada Reno Medical Brigade May 2014 49 University of Connecticut Medical Brigade & University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy Medical Brigade January 2015 54
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical Brigade June 2015 24 University of Toronto Mississauga Medical Brigade & University of New Brunswick Fredericton Medical Brigade August 2017 32
University of Missouri Medical Brigade & Whittier College Medical Brigade August 2018 40 Belmont University Medical Brigade March 2019 26
Keck Graduate Institute Medical Brigade & University of Los Angeles Medical Brigade & University of Edinburgh Medical Brigade June 2019 26 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical Brigade January 2020 15

Dental

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

DENTAL CARE ACCESS

Working closely with the Medical Program, the Dental Program provides fillings, extractions, and fluoride treatments as a standard part of medical brigades. Most community members do not have regular access to dental care due to the lack of a dentist within a reasonable distance.

475

Patient Consultations

150

Number of Extractions

128

Fillings Performed

31

Dental Education Workshop

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in El Pedregal attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in the community’s school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s five classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of ten minutes with each patient. Each day of the brigade, an average of six educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 283
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: EL CHAGUITE, LA CIENEGA, EL ZAPOTE, EL JICARIT

VOLUNTEERS IN EL PEDREGAL

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Dana Hills High School Medical Brigade November 2011 36 Universite de Moncton Medical Brigade May 2012 26
McMaster University Medical Brigade May 2013 22 William Carey College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical Brigade & University of Arizona Professional Medical Brigade December 2013 33
Arizona State University Medical Brigade & University of Nevada Reno Medical Brigade May 2014 49 University of Connecticut Medical Brigade & University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy Medical Brigade January 2015 54
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical Brigade June 2015 24 University of Toronto Mississauga Medical Brigade & University of New Brunswick Fredericton Medical Brigade August 2017 32
University of Missouri Medical Brigade & Whittier College Medical Brigade August 2018 40 Belmont University Medical Brigade March 2019 26
Keck Graduate Institute Medical Brigade & University of Los Angeles Medical Brigade & University of Edinburgh Medical Brigade June 2019 26 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical Brigade January 2020 15

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Pedregal but has not yet begun with the Engineering Program. Now in the planning phase, the evaluation of the community’s existing water system and design of any necessary improvements will start as soon as feasible.

Water System : Yes
Type of System : Gravity
Homes with Access to Water : 100%
Water Council : Yes

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Pedregal but has not yet begun with the Water Program. Now in the planning phase, the implementation of any improvements to the community’s existing water system will follow the Engineering Program’s assessment and start as soon as feasible.

Water System : Yes
Type of System : Gravity
Homes with Access to Water : 100%
Water Council : Yes

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Pedregal but has not yet begun with the Business Program. Now in the planning phase, a community bank will be established as soon as feasible, followed by market studies and investment in an anchor business to provide additional capital.

Community Bank : No
Community Bank Members : N/A
Economic Activities : Agriculture and Day Labor
Existing Microenterprises : N/A

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Pedregal but has not yet begun with the Public Health Program. Now in the planning phase, the financing, delivery, and installation of household health infrastructure products will start as soon as feasible.

Homes with Latrines : 70%
Homes with Eco-Stoves : 50%
Homes with Water FIlters : 0%
Common House Materials : Adobe

Local Reference Points

View the map to see the closest volunteer lodging facilities, hospitals, and other relevant points of reference.

  • Feature

The Largest Movement for Global Health and Holistic Development

“Global Brigades” refers to one or more Global Brigades entities, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity; “Global Brigades, Inc.,” “Global Brigades Health and Development,” “Global Brigades UK,” “GBO Ghana,” “Asociacion Global Brigadas de Honduras,” and “Fundacion Brigadas Globales de Panama”. Global Brigades Health and Development (“Global Brigades Canada”) is a federally registered Canadian charity independent from Global Brigades Inc.

Guidestar 2021