Chandala, Cantarranas

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

Overview

Chandala is located within the municipality of Cantarranas in the department of Francisco Morazan in central Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe. Children in the community have access to primary school. Most of the community members work in Agriculture. The top needs expressed by Chandala‘s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are access to health, improvement to water system, and assistance with the community bank.

Municipality: Cantarranas

Department: Francisco Morazan

Homes : 209
Population : 586
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Yes
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : No
Community Health Workers : Yes
% of Homes with Latrines : 89%
Education : Primary School
Distance from Lodging Facility : 44 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.

Chandala does not have its own health center, but travels to the nearby community, Cantarranas, in order to get health care. The facility is 8 km away. The most common illnesses faced by the community are respiratory illness, diarrhea, arterial hypertension, and diabetes.

262

Volunteers

2513

Patient Consultations

622

Vision Screenings Provided

114

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS:

Chandala has access to a total of 13 Community Health Workers (CHWs). These CHWs were trained in the community. During their training, community members have learned how to provide care for some chronic illnesses, as well as about other health topics such as first aid, caring for pregnancies, and first response in emergency situations. With these skills, the CHWs help relieve some of the patient load for the staff in the health center by teaching preventative health.

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:

Medical Brigades use the Primary School as their brigade site. The school has 6 rooms, where the various medical stations are conducted. Doctors spend an average of 10 minutes with each patient and we are able to provide 8 educational charlas a day. 

  • AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 411
  • NEARBY COMMUNITIES: Cerro Bonito, Suyapa, La Labranza, Pacaya, El Bosque

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN CHANDALA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Medical Brigade May 2019 46 University of Tulsa Medical TeleBrigade May 2021 21
NYVT Nurses Unite Medical Brigade June 2021 13 Milwaukee School of Engineering Medical Brigade March 2022 22
Case Western Reserve University Medical & University of Missouri Medical Brigade May 2022 25 University of Toronto & University of Washington Medical Brigade August 2022 28
Michigan State University Medical Brigade January 2023 19 University of New Brunswick Saint John May 2023 18
Eli Lilly Connecting Hearts Abroad Medical Brigade October 2023 15

Dental

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

DENTAL CARE ACCESS:

In 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 dentist within a reasonable distance.

456

Patient Consultations

393

Number of Extractions

88

Fillings Performed

33

Dental Education Workshops

BRIGADE INFORMATION:

Medical brigades use the Primary School as their brigade site. The school has 6 rooms, where the various medical stations are conducted. Doctors spend an average of 10 minutes with each patient and we are able to provide 8 educational charlas a day. 

  • AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 411
  • NEARBY COMMUNITIES: Cerro Bonito, Suyapa, La Labranza, Pacaya, El Bosque

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN CHANDALA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Medical Brigade May 2019 46 University of Tulsa Medical TeleBrigade May 2021 21
NYVT Nurses Unite Medical Brigade June 2021 13 Milwaukee School of Engineering Medical Brigade March 2022 22
Case Western Reserve University & University of Missouri Medical TeleBrigade May 2021 14 University of Toronto & University of Washington Medical Brigade August 2022 19
Michigan State University  Medical Brigade January 2023 19 University of New Brunswick Saint John Medical Brigade May 2023 18
Eli Lilly Connecting Hearts Abroad Medical Brigade October 2023 15

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

CHANDALA’S ENGINEERING CHALLENGE:

Chandala has a gravity and mixed (surface water with pump) water system that was constructed in 1982. The water council was recently re-elected in the community, and there is a lot of interest to improve the water system, making it a good partnership for Global Brigades and Chandala.

Since the water system was created, major changes had not been made to the system. The water system’s dam is in good condition as is the conduction line and distribution network. However, the storage tank is in poor condition.

20

Volunteers

1,498

Beneficiaries

8.8

Kilometers of Pipeline Designed

16

Average Community Volunteers

CHANDALA’S ENGINEERING SOLUTION:

The optimal solution to improve the system in this community would be to construct a water storage tank of 20,000 gallons in a new site of the community to improve the distribution of water and have equal distribution of the water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year round. A 5,000 cistern will be constructed that will serve as a storage process from the water source to transfer the water to the two tanks, both the original and new tanks.

The distribution network should also be improved with adequate pipe that achieve optimal pressure so that water reaches all households without the need to sectorize. These updates as planned will support the water system lasting at least another 15 years without additional major updates.

ENGINEERING VOLUNTEERS IN CHANDALA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Puerto Rico Engineering Brigade January 2019 20

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

CHANDALA’S WATER CHALLENGE:

Chandala has a gravity and mixed (surface water with pump) water system that was constructed in 1982. The water council was recently re-elected in the community, and there is a lot of interest to improve the water system, making it a good partnership for Global Brigades and Chandala.

Since the water system was created, major changes had not been made to the system. The water system’s dam is in good condition as is the conduction line and distribution network. However, the storage tank is in poor condition.

755

Volunteers

700

Project Beneficiaries

8.6

Kilometers of Pipeline Installed

25,000

Storage Tank Volume (gallons)

CHANDALA’S WATER SOLUTION:

The optimal solution to improve the system in this community would be to construct a water storage tank of 20,000 gallons in a new site of the community to improve the distribution of water and have equal distribution of the water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year round. A 5,000 cistern will be constructed that will serve as a storage process from the water source to transfer the water to the two tanks, both the original and new tanks.

The distribution network should also be improved with adequate pipe that achieve optimal pressure so that water reaches all households without the need to sectorize. These updates as planned will support the water system lasting at least another 15 years without additional major updates.

WATER VOLUNTEERS IN CHANDALA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
STEM Civics STEM Squad March 2019 14 Acadia University Public Health Brigade & St. Thomas University Public Health Brigade April 2019 12
University of Pittsburgh Water Brigade April 2019 15 University of New Brunswick Saint John Medical Brigade 33 33
Acadia University Medical Brigade April 2019 23 University of Michigan – Deadborn Medical Brigade April 2019 22
McMaster University Medical Brigade April 2019 61 Dalhousie University Engineering Brigade & McMaster University Engineering Brigade April 2019 20
Dalhousie University Medical Brigade May 2019 36 Otterbein University Medical Brigade & University of Pittsburgh Medical Brigade May 2019 37
Florida Atlantic University Medical Brigade May 2019 26 University of Michigan Medical Brigade & McGill University Medical Brigade May 2019 24
University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign Medical Brigade May 2019 45 Temple University Public Health Brigade & University of Michigan Public Health Brigade & University of Pittsburgh Public Health Brigade May 2019 22
Middle Tennessee State University Medical Brigade & Oklahoma State University Medical Brigade May 2019 42 Midwestern University Medical Brigade May 2019 24
University of Missouri – Kansas City Medical Brigade & Thomas Jefferson University Medical Brigade May 2019 26 Boston University Medical Brigade May 2019 29
Georgia State University Medical Brigade & Maryville University Medical Brigade & Mississippi State University Medical May 2019 54 California State University Bakersfield Medical Brigade & State University of New York New Paltz Medical Brigade May 2019 5
Northern Arizona University Medical Brigade & University of Missouri Medical Brigade May 2019 29 Marianopolis College Medical Brigade May 2019 27
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical Brigade June 2019 37 Drexel University Public Health Brigade June 2019 7
Keck Graduate Institute Medical Brigade & University of California Los Angeles Medical Brigade & University of Edinburgh Medical Brigade June 2019 24 Oregon Health and Sciences University Public Health Brigade & Southeast Missouri State University Medical Brigade & University of California Riverside Brigade June 2019 31
Metroplex Medical Centre Medical Brigade July 2019 24 San Jose State University Medical Brigade July 2019 20

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

CHANDALA’S ECONOMIC  CHALLENGE

Chandala’s primary occupations in the community are based on agriculture within the community. These jobs are typically seasonal from December – May, which can create challenges. A cooperative was established in Chandala in 2011, but additional support to form a community bank was needed in the community. There are small businesses in the community, but they don’t have capital seed.

62

Brigade Volunteers

N/A

Loans Disbursed

8

Savings Accounts Opened

N/A

Capital Invested

CHANDALA’S ECONOMIC  SOLUTION

In 2018, Global Brigades worked alongside community members to establish a community bank. The bank has 4 female and 9 male shareholders, and the members meet in the bank’s own structure every month. They are able to offer loans and savings accounts to community members so that families can plan and stabilize their finances. This is especially beneficial for farmers, who can take out loans to invest in their agricultural production and pay them back after the harvest. Loans allow many subsistence farmers to not only consume the crops they harvest but also earn an income from selling their excess.

BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS IN CHANDALA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Notre Dame High School March 2023 15 Northern Michigan University March 2023 11
California State University Monterey Bay May 2023 21

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

CHANDALA’S PUBLIC HEALTH  CHALLENGE:

Many community members in Chandala lack the resources to make improvements to their household infrastructure. The majority of homes in Chandala are made of adobe. There are approximately 350 homes in Chandala, with an average of 5 people living in each. Hygiene stations, which include showers and water storage units, are necessary to facilitate handwashing, allow water storage for hygienic processes, and offer privacy while bathing.

Additionally, eco-stoves evacuate smoke from the living space and decrease the risk of respiratory illnesses, and latrines improve hygiene practices and prevent contamination of natural water sources caused by open defecation. By partnering with Global Brigades’ Public Health Program, Chandala‘s inhabitants are hoping to avoid preventable diseases and adopt proper hygiene and sanitation practices.

1,913

Brigade Volunteers

148

Sanitation Units Installed

545

People Benefitted with PH Infrastructure

17

Hours of Public Health Education

PUBLIC HEALTH VOLUNTEERS IN THE COMMUNITY:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
 Dalhousie University Medical Brigade April 2018 36 Rice University Medical Brigade May 2018 29
Florida Atlantic University Medical Brigade May 2018 30 University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Medical Brigade May 2018 45
Mississippi State University Medical Brigade May 2018 19 University of Oklahoma Medical Brigade May 2018 43
Northern Arizona University Medical Brigade & Miami University of Ohio Medical Brigade May 2018 30 Oklahoma State University Medical Brigade & University of Oklahoma Medical Brigade May 2018 36
Illinois Wesleyan University Medical Brigade June 2018 30 San Francisco State University Water Brigade June 2018 7
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical Brigade & San Francisco State University Medical Brigade June 2018 51 CEGEP Marianapolis Medical Brigade & CEGEP Champlain St. Lawrence Medical Brigade June 2018 36
University of Washington Public Health Brigade June 2018 21 University of California San Diego Public Health Brigade June 2018 18
University of Edinburgh Medical Brigade & Oregon State University Medical Brigade June 2018 23 Oregon Health and Sciences University Public Health Brigade June 2018 11
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Public Health Brigade January 2019 14 Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Brigade January 2019 22
University of Missouri Public Health Brigade & St. Louis University Public Health Brigade January 2019 19 University of Wisconsin – Madison Medical Brigade January 2019 19
Appalachian State University Medical Brigade & University of Arizona Medical Brigade & Stetson University Medical Brigade March 2019 36 West Virginia University Public Health Brigade March 2019 13
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical Brigade & Seton Hall Medical Brigade March 2019 32 University of Notre Dame Public Health Brigade & Duke University Public Health Brigade March 2019 14
University of Mississippi Medical Brigade March 2019 30 West Virginia University Public Health Brigade March 2019 13
Seton Hall University Medical Brigade & University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical Brigade March 2019 32 Michigan State University Medical Brigade March 2019 35
Stetson University Medical Brigade & University of Arizona Medical Brigade & Appalachian State University Medical Brigade March 2019 36 Squads Abroad Ambassadors Squad April 2019 13
Otterbein University Medical Brigade & University of Pittsburgh Medical Brigade May 2019 34 University of Michigan Medical Brigade & McGill University Medical Brigade May 2019 24
Temple University Public Health Brigade & University of Michigan Public Health Brigade & University of Pittsburgh Public Health Brigade May 2019 22 Texas A&M Medical Brigade & Wayne State University Medical Brigade August 2019 35
Purdue University Medical Brigade December 2019 31 University of Toledo Medical Brigade January 2020 39
University of Mississippi Medical Brigade March 2020 16 University of Prince Edward Island Engineering Brigade February 2023 18
Milwaukee School of Engineering Public Health Brigade February 2023 10 University of Alberta Medical Brigade April 2023 17
Case Western Reserve University Medical Brigade May 2023 19 Emory Univerity Medical Brigade May 2023 20
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo & University of California Riverside Medical Brigade June 2023 28

Local Reference Points

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

  • Feature