Las Selvas

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

Overview

Las Selvas is located within the municipality of El Paraiso in the department of El Paraiso in Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe and wood. Children in the community have access up to 9th grade. Las Selvas has a gravity water system which is in high need of improvement because it only provides water to only 8% of the current population. Most of the community members work in Agriculture. The top needs expressed by Las Selvas’ inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are medical attention, road improvement, and water system.

Municipality: El Paraiso 

Department: El Paraiso

Homes : 600
Population : 1000
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Yes
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : Yes
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 550
Education : Up to 9th 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.

The community of Las Selvas has a CESAR within the community that can provide for the basic health needs of the community some of the time. 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, dengue, and respiratory issues. The most common illnesses for adults are hypertension, diabetes, and epilepsy.

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

Las Selvas currently has access to 7 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.

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.

BRIGADE INFORMATION

The community of Las Selvas has a CESAR within the community that can provide for the basic health needs of the community some of the time. 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, dengue, and respiratory issues. The most common illnesses for adults are hypertension, diabetes, and epilepsy.

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

The community of Las Selvas has an obsolete water system that was constructed in 1974 and is unable to provide access to clean water to the total number of households located in the community. Initially, the project was constructed to serve 52 households but now that the population has increased, 150 households plus 63 houses from a nearby community are trying to obtain water from it.

LAS SELVAS’ WATER SOLUTION

The community of Las Selvas identified a new water source that could be complementary to the old one. Using this new source, Global Brigades designed a new water system that includes a tank of 35000 gallons and an estimated piping length of 62 kilometres. This new water system will benefit more than 1100 people of Las Selvas and other nearby communities.

Water System : Yes
Type of System : Gravity
Homes with Access to Water : 45
Water Council : N/A

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Las Selvas 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 : 45
Water Council : N/A

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Las Selvas’ community bank, named Apisel, was established in April 2019 and finished its registration process during the same year. Global Brigades partnered with Las Selvas’ community bank in September 2020 and the bank received its first Kiva Loan in December 2020. Global Brigades is actively working on the community bank member training and leadership council training. 

Community Bank : Yes
Community Bank Members : 19
Economic Activities : Agriculture
Existing Microenterprises : Yes

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in lAS Selvas 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 : 550
Homes with Eco-Stoves : 70
Homes with Water FIlters : 500
Common House Materials : adobe and wood

Local Reference Points

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

  • Feature