El Recuerdo

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

Overview

El Recuerdo is located within the municipality of El Paraiso in the department of El Paraiso in eastern Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe. Children in the community have access up to 6th grade. El Recuerdo has an existing water system that is in need of improvement due to its lack to provide water to the whole community. At the moment, the system only provides access to 60% of the community’s households. Most of the community members work in agriculture and coffee growing. The top needs expressed by El Recuerdo’s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are water system improvement and public health projects.

Municipality: El Paraiso
Department: El Paraiso

Homes : 200
Population : 1000
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Yes
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : No
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 160
Education : Up to 6th grade

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.

El Recuerdo does not have a health care center located in their community and community members need to travel to the nearest one located 2 kilometers away in Las Selvas. Whenever they visit the healthcare center, it is not always adequately staffed nor does it always have adequate medications in stock. The most common illnesses children face are the common cold, gastrointestinal, and respiratory issues. The most common illnesses seen in adults are hypertension and diabetes.

19

Brigade Volunteers

205

Patient Consulations

86

PAP Smears Performed

N/A

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

El Recuerdo currently has access to 1 Community Health Worker (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.

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 Recuerdo 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. Each brigade sees an average of +300 patients. Each day of the brigade, an average of four educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN EL RECUERDO

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Forest Ridge of the Sacred Heart April 2022 19

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.

107

Patient Consultations

72

Extractions

52

Fillings Performed

N/A

Dental Education Workshop

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in El Recuerdo 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. Each brigade sees an average of +300 patients. Each day of the brigade, an average of four educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN EL RECUERDO

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Forest Ridge of the Sacred Heart April 2022 19

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Recuerdo 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 : 120
Water Council : No

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Recuerdo 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 : 120
Water Council : No

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Recuerdo but has not yet begun with the Business Program. Now in the planning phase, the Business Program will conduct an evaluation of the existing community bank as soon as feasible.

Community Bank : Yes
Community Bank Members : 18
Economic Activities : agriculture and coffee growing
Existing Microenterprises : Coffee enterprises

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Recuerdo 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 : 160
Homes with Eco-Stoves : 20
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