El Junquillo, Potrerillos

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

Overview

El Junquillo, Porterillos is a community located within the department of El Paraíso. There are 105 homes in the community, with approximately three to four people living in each. Most of these houses are made of adobe. Community members have access to education up to sixth grade. Almost all community members work in the cultivation of coffee, beans, and corn. The top three needs expressed by El Junquillo, Potrerillos’ inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are water infrastructure, water filters, and public health infrastructure.

Municipality: Potrerillos
Department: El Paraíso

Homes : 105
Population : 345
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : No
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : No
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 80%
Education : Up to 6th Grade
Distance from Lodging Facility : 35 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 at around 1,220 people for every 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.

While there is no health center in El Junquillo, Potrerillos, community members can walk to a CESAMO in a neighbouring community about five kilometers away. The most common illnesses reported by community members include respiratory illnesses, diarrhea, skin allergies, diabetes, and arterial hypertension. A lot of the health issues community members experience are caused by a lack of public health infrastructure and poor water quality within El Junquillo, Potrerillos.

493

Volunteers

3,945

Patient Consulations

131

Vision Screenings Provided

111

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

El Junquillo, Potrerillos, currently has access to two Community Health Workers (CHWs). However, these CHWs were not trained by Global Brigades. Our Medical Program is actively working to assess the current CHWs’ knowledge, recruit additional volunteers, and provide supplemental training and certification.

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in El Junquillo, Potrerillos, 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 six classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of ten minutes with each patient. On average, four educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients each brigade.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 317
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: EL GUAYACAN, LOMANILLOS, EL ROBLON, LA TRINIDAD, SABANA REDONDA, EL ZURZULAR, JACALEAPA

MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS IN EL JUNQUILLO, POTRERILLOS

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Purdue University Medical Brigade January 2012 21 University of Birmingham Medical Brigade & Dublin City University Medical Brigade & California State University San Bernardino Medical Brigade June 2012 29
University of Virginia Medical Brigade March 2013 30 University of the Pacific Medical Brigade August 2013 17
New York – Vermont Nurses Unite Medical Brigade March 2014 42 University of British Columbia Medical Brigade & University of Waterloo Medical Brigade & University of Maryland Medical Brigade August 2014 42
College of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University Medical Brigade May 2015 36 Duke University Medical Brigade & Chabot College Medical Brigade January 2016 36
University of New Brunswick Fredericton Medical Brigade & Dalhousie University Medical Brigade August 2016 36 North Park University Medical Brigade March 2017 25
University of New Brunswick Fredericton Medical Brigade & University of Toronto Mississauga Medical Brigade August 2017 32 University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Brigade & University of Michigan Medical Brigade May 2018 41
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medical Brigade & Vanderbilt University Medical Brigade & University of Detroit Mercy Medical Brigade March 2019 32 University of Toronto Medical Brigade & University of Toronto Mississauga Medical Brigade August 2019 23
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical Brigade January 2020 15 University of Arizona Medical Brigade May 2023 22
 Eli Lilly Connecting Hearts Abroad November 2023 13

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.

364

Patient Consultations

333

Number of Extractions

178

Fillings Performed

75

Dental Education Workshop

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in El Junquillo, Potrerillos, 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 six classrooms. Doctors can spend an average of ten minutes with each patient. Each brigade sees an average of 334 patients and performs an average of 41 dental procedures. On average, eight educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients each brigade.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 317
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: EL GUAYACAN, LOMANILLOS, EL ROBLON, LA TRINIDAD, SABANA REDONDA, EL ZURZULAR, JACALEAPA

DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN EL JUNQUILLO, POTRERILLOS

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Purdue University Medical Brigade January 2012 21 University of Birmingham Medical Brigade & Dublin City University Medical Brigade & California State University San Bernardino Medical Brigade June 2012 29
University of Virginia Medical Brigade March 2013 30 University of the Pacific Medical Brigade August 2013 17
New York – Vermont Nurses Unite Medical Brigade March 2014 42 University of British Columbia Medical Brigade & University of Waterloo Medical Brigade & University of Maryland Medical Brigade August 2014 42
College of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University Medical Brigade May 2015 36 Duke University Medical Brigade & Chabot College Medical Brigade January 2016 36
University of New Brunswick Fredericton Medical Brigade & Dalhousie University Medical Brigade August 2016 36 North Park University Medical Brigade March 2017 25
University of New Brunswick Fredericton Medical Brigade & University of Toronto Mississauga Medical Brigade August 2017 32 University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Brigade & University of Michigan Medical Brigade May 2018 41
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medical Brigade & Vanderbilt University Medical Brigade & University of Detroit Mercy Medical Brigade March 2019 32 University of Toronto Medical Brigade & University of Toronto Mississauga Medical Brigade August 2019 23
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical Brigade January 2020 15 University of Arizona Medical Brigade May 2023 22
 Eli Lilly Connecting Hearts Abroad November 2023 13

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Junquillo, Potrerillos, but has not yet begun with the Engineering Program. Now in the planning phase, a reliable source of clean water will be identified by the Engineering Program as soon as feasible, followed by the design of a water solution sufficient to meet the community’s needs for the next 20 years with projected population growth.

Water System : Yes
Type of System : Well
Homes with Access to Water : None
Water Council : Yes

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Junquillo, Potrerillos, but has not yet begun with the Water Program. Now in the planning phase, the Water Program will begin implementing a new water system or any necessary repairs to existing infrastructure following the Engineering Program’s evaluation and recommendations.

Water System : Yes
Type of System : Well
Homes with Access to Water : None
Water Council : Yes

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Junquillo, Potrerillos, 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
Existing Microenterprises : None

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

EL JUNQUILLO, POTRERILLOS’ PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE

Many community members in El Junquillo, Potrerillos, lack the resources to make improvements to their household infrastructure. The majority of homes in the community are made of adobe. There are approximately 105 homes in El Junquillo, Potrerillos, with an average of three to four people living in each. Just 80% of the homes in the community have access to a latrine, and many fewer have access to hygiene stations or eco-stoves. Latrines improve hygiene practices and prevent contamination of natural water sources caused by open defecation.

Hygiene stations are necessary to facilitate hand-washing, allow water storage for hygienic processes, and offer privacy while bathing. Finally, eco-stoves evacuate smoke from the living space and decrease the risk of respiratory illnesses. By partnering with Global Brigades’ Public Health Program, El Junquillo’s inhabitants were hoping to avoid preventable diseases and adopt proper hygiene and sanitation practices.

50

Volunteers

N/A

Eco-Stoves Constructed

11

Latrines Constructed

N/A

Water Storage Units Constructed

EL JUNQUILLO, POTRERILLOS’ PUBLIC HEALTH SOLUTION

Since January 2017, the Public Health Program has been working with all interested families to finance and install household infrastructure projects, including latrines and water filters. These projects allow community members to avoid preventable disease and foster improved hygiene and sanitation practices. During their time in El Junquillo, Potrerillos, Public Health volunteers are conducting educational workshops, or charlas, with community members on project maintenance and various public health topics.

Additionally, Global Brigades is working to train a Basic Sanitation Committee, which will advocate for proper hygiene and sanitation practices in addition to providing support for completed projects.

To promote the sustainability of the Public Health Program’s projects, families are required to contribute a portion of the project cost. This provides a sense of ownership and encourages proper maintenance of the projects. The Business Program is also working with the community to ensure loans are available and allow families to finance these contributions through microcredit.

PUBLIC HEALTH VOLUNTEERS IN EL JUNQUILLO, POTRERILLOS

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Boston University Public Health Brigade January 2017 15 Texas A&M University Medical Brigade March 2017 25
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Public Health Brigade March 2017 10

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