San Francisco de Escuapa

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

Overview

San Francisco de Escuapa is located within the municipality of Danli in the department of El Paraiso in Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe, cement blocks/bricks, and zinc. Children in the community have access up to 6th grade. The community has a gravity water system that is in need of improvement. Most of the community members work in agriculture, cattle raising, and merchants. The top needs expressed by San Francisco de Escuapa‘s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are health care access, improvement to the water system, and public health projects.

Municipality: Danli
Department: El Paraiso

Population : 430
Homes : 87
Electricity : Yes
Water System : Yes
Health Center : No- nearest one in Altos de Escuapa
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 100%
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.

The community of San Francisco de Escuapa does not have a health center in their community and the community members need to travel 60 km to reach the nearest one located in Altos de Escuapa. The most common illnesses children face are the common cold, intestinal infections, and respiratory issues. The most common illnesses seen in adults are hypertension and diabetes.

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

San Francisco de Escuapa currently has access to 1 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.

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in San Francisco de Escuapa 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
Houses connected to system : 100%
Water council : Yes

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in San Francisco de Escuapa 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
Houses connected to system : 100%
Water council : Yes

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

San Francisco de Escuapa community bank, named Amigos en Accion, was established in August 2006 and finished its registration process during the same year. Global Brigades partnered with Las Selvas’ community bank in February 2020 and the bank received its first Merkel Loan in December 2020. Global Brigades is actively working on the community bank member training and leadership council training. 

Community Bank : Amigos en Accion
Community bank members : 13
Economic activities : agriculture, cattle raising
Existing enterprises : Kiosks

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in San Francisco de Escuapa 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.

Homws with latrines : 100%
Homes with eco-stoves : N/A
Homes with water filters : N/A
Commont house materials : adobe, cement blocks, zinc

Local Reference Points

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

  • Feature