La Chorrera

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

Overview

La Chorrera is located within the municipality of Jacaleapa in the department of El Paraíso in central Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe. Children in the community have access to primary school, or up to sixth grade. The community has a functioning and centrally treated water system that serves all of the households on a daily basis. Additionally, community members utilize water filters in their homes that were provided by the German government. Most of the community members work in agriculture, especially in the production of corn, coffee, and beans. The top needs expressed by La Chorrera’s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades include access to health care and in-home public health infrastructure.

Municipality: Jacaleapa
Department: El Paraíso

Homes : 118
Population : 476
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Yes
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : No
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 89%
Education : Up to 6th Grade
Distance from Lodging Facility : 36 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 La Chorrera. If community members require access to medical attention, they must walk ten kilometers to the nearest CESAMO in Jacaleapa. The most common illnesses reported by community members include coughing, respiratory illnesses, and the common cold in children, and arterial hypertension, asthma, GI illnesses, arthritis, and circulatory issues in adults.

276

Volunteers

3,042

Patient Consulations

405

Vision Screenings Provided

64

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

La Chorrera currently has access to five 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 La Chorrera 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 four to five educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 343
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: EL BARRO, LOMAS LIMPIAS, RIO AZUL, LAS TORERAS, EL SUYATIO, JACALEAPA

VOLUNTEERS IN LA CHORRERA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Medical Brigade May 2015 49 Saint Louis University Medical Brigade January 2016 24
Mississippi State University Medical Brigade May 2016 18 Purdue University Medical Brigade January 2017 24
University of Lethbridge Medical Brigade & University of Michigan Medical Brigade May 2017 20 Brown University Medical Brigade January 2018 19
State University of New York Stony Brook Medical Brigade May 2018 32 Milwaukee School of Engineering Medical Brigade February 2019 25
University of Oklahoma Medical Brigade June 2021 13 University of Toledo Medical Brigade January 2023 20
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine June 2023 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.

Statistics included are from brigades indicated with an asterisk (*) in the brigade list.

382

Patient Consultations

351

Number of Extractions

240

Fillings Performed

34

Dental Education Workshop

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in La Chorrera 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 four to five educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 343
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: EL BARRO, LOMAS LIMPIAS, RIO AZUL, LAS TORERAS, EL SUYATIO, JACALEAPA

VOLUNTEERS IN LA CHORRERA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Medical Brigade May 2015 49 Saint Louis University Medical Brigade January 2016 24
Mississippi State University Medical Brigade May 2016 18 Purdue University Medical Brigade January 2017 24
University of Lethbridge Medical Brigade & University of Michigan Medical Brigade May 2017 20 Brown University Medical Brigade January 2018 19
State University of New York Stony Brook Medical Brigade May 2018 32 Milwaukee School of Engineering Medical Brigade February 2019 25
University of Oklahoma Medical Brigade June 2021 13 University of Toledo Medical Brigade January 2023 20
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine June 2023 15

 

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in La Chorrera 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 : Mixed
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 La Chorrera 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 : Mixed
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 La Chorrera 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, followed by market studies and investment in an anchor business to provide additional capital.

Community Bank : Yes
Community Bank Members : N/A
Economic Activities : Agriculture
Existing Microenterprises : None

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in La Chorrera 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 : 89%
Homes with Eco-Stoves : 45%
Homes with Water FIlters : N/A
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