Jorge Alvarez

Overview

Jorge Alvarez is located within the municipality of Nacaome in the department of Valle in southern Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe, cement blocks and bricks, mud. Children in the community have access to Centro Basico. The community does not have an existing water system. Most of the community members work in agriculture and unskilled labor. The top needs expressed by Jorge Alvarez’s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are a water system, healthcare access, and public health projects.

Municipality: Nacaome
Department: Valle

Homes : 60

Population : 270

Water System : No

Community Bank : No

Electricity : Yes

Health Center : No

Community Health Workers : No

Homes with Latrines : 25

Education : Centro Basico

Distance from Lodging Facility : 20 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.

The community members of Jorge Alvarez travel 5 km to reach their healthcare center. 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, asthma, and diabetes

N/A

Brigade Volunteers

16

Patient Consulations

N/A

PAP Smears Performed

N/A

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

The community of Jorge Alvarez does not yet have Community Health Workers. Global Brigades Honduras’ Medical Program is working diligently to train volunteers as CHWs in its partner communities as part of the Holistic Model. Jorge Alvarez will receive training as soon as possible to further support the health of its community members.

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.

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.

N/A

Patient Consultations

N/A

Fluoride Treatments

N/A

Fillings Performed

N/A

Dental Education Workshop

Engineering

Program Status

Planning
Active
Complete

JORGE ALVAREZ’S ENGINEERING CHALLENGE:

Currently, the community of Jorge Alvarez doesn’t have a water system. The community members have a water storage unit also known as “pila” where they collect and store rainwater when they can. The community also has a well but community members have to pay a fee to acquire water from it.

445

Beneficiaries

3

Kilometers of pipeline designed

JORGE ALVAREZ’S ENGINEERING SOLUTION:

Jorge Alvarez’s water system design was completed in October 2023. The optimal solution to provide this community access to water was to design and construct a water system that contains a water storage tank of 10,000 gallons and install approximately 3 kilometres of adequate piping. This will ensure the correct water distribution and coverage across the community.

ENGINEERING VOLUNTEERS IN JORGE ALVAREZ

Chapter	Date	# Of Volunteers	Chapter	Date	# Of Volunteers
Oaks Christian School	August 2021

Water

Program Status

Planning
Active
Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Jorge Alvarez but has not yet begun with the Water Program. Now in the planning phase, the Water Program will begin implementing a new water system following the Engineering Program’s evaluation and recommendations.

445

Total number of people benefited

3

Total pipe lenght

JORGE ALVAREZ’S WATER CHALLENGE:

When Global Brigades arrived in the community of Jorge Alvarez, it did not have a water system that met the needs of the population. The system that previously supplied water to the community stopped working in 2011 due to a partial collapse. This was due in part to the drying up of the well from which water was pumped to a 15,000-gallon tank.

After that, the community wasn’t able to find another water source or a way to finance a new water system. As a result, they were forced to carry water daily from a river a few kilometres away. The water carried from the river was used for consumption and other household uses. However, because it was untreated, it increased the risk of gastrointestinal infections, diarrhoea, and parasites.

JORGE ALVAREZS’ WATER SOLUTION:

In October 2021, Global Water Brigades signed a construction agreement with the Community of Jorge Alvarez and the Municipality. A new well with a pump water system was constructed, which is supplied by natural water.

To ensure the sustainability of the project, a Water Council and Basic Sanitation Committee were established and trained by Global Brigades staff.

Business

Program Status

Planning
Active
Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Jorge Alvarez but has not yet begun with the Business Program. Now in the planning phase, a community bank will be established as soon as feasible.

Community Bank : No

Community Bank Members : N/A

Economic Activities : agriculture, coffee growing

Existing Microenterprises : coffee sell

Public Health

Program Status

Planning
Active
Complete

LAS JORGE ALVAREZ’ PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE:

Most of the houses have dirt floors and open stoves, leading to foot infections and respiratory issues. Only about 18% of the homes have concrete floors. Most houses also do not have latrines. Many community members in Jorge Alvarez lack the resources needed to improve their homes and prevent diseases caused by unsafe living conditions.

66

Volunteers

4

Sanitation Units Installed

230

People Benefitted with PH Infrastructure

JORGE ALVAREZ’S PUBLIC HEALTH SOLUTION:

A few Public Health Brigades have arrived at Jorge Alvarez to start implementing the infrastructure projects. Volunteers and staff members will continue to work with community members to encourage the adoption of the public health products, increase cultural sensitivity and awareness by working side-by-side with qualified masons and project beneficiaries, build eco-stoves and latrines, deliver water filters, and conduct educational workshops emphasising the importance of sanitation and hygiene in the local primary school. Each project will be sold at full cost with a loan offered by the community bank in Jorge Alvarez. This was a great way for community members to invest in the health of their own families.

ENGINEERING VOLUNTEERS IN JORGE ALVAREZ

Chapter	Date	# Of Volunteers	Chapter	Date	# Of Volunteers
Susquehanna University	January 2022	23	Northern Arizona University	January 2022	10
Arise High School	January 2022	7	NYVT Nurses Unite	March 2025	15
Louisiana State University	March 2025	11

Local Reference Points

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

Feature

Overview

Medical

Program Status

HEALTH CARE ACCESS

N/A

16

N/A

N/A

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

Dental

Program Status

DENTAL CARE ACCESS

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Engineering

Program Status

JORGE ALVAREZ’S ENGINEERING CHALLENGE:

445

3

JORGE ALVAREZ’S ENGINEERING SOLUTION:

ENGINEERING VOLUNTEERS IN JORGE ALVAREZ

Water

Program Status

445

3

JORGE ALVAREZ’S WATER CHALLENGE:

JORGE ALVAREZS’ WATER SOLUTION:

Business

Program Status

Public Health

Program Status

LAS JORGE ALVAREZ’ PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE:

66

4

230

JORGE ALVAREZ’S PUBLIC HEALTH SOLUTION:

ENGINEERING VOLUNTEERS IN JORGE ALVAREZ

Local Reference Points

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