Santa Elena

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

Overview

Santa Elena is located within the municipality of Danli 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. The community of Santa Elena has no existing water system at the moment which generates multiple difficulties for community members. Most of the community members work in agriculture and coffee growing. The top needs expressed by Santa Elena‘s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are electricity, water system, and health care center.

Municipality: Danli
Department: El Paraiso

Population : 600
Homes : 100
Electricity : No
Water system : No
Community Bank : Yes
Health care center : No
Education : Up to 6th grade
Distance to lodging facility (km) : 60

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 centres and the physician density in Honduras remains at 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 Santa Elena does not have access to a health care centre in their own community, which means that community members need to travel to other communities in order to receive health care access. Those health care centres are not always adequately staffed nor always have adequate medications in stock. The most common illnesses children face are the common cold and respiratory issues. The most common illnesses seen in adults are the common cold and hypertension.

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

Santa Elena currently has access to 1 Community Health Workers (CHWs). However, the CHW was 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 is identified by other organizations and some health centers, Global Brigades can 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.

CHWs in the community : Yes
Most common illnesses seen in children : Flu
Most common illnesses seen in adults : High blood pressure and flu
Health facility in the community : No

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 Santa Elena but has not yet begun with the Engineering Program. Now in the planning phase, a reliable source of clean water will be identified as soon as feasible, followed by the design of a water solution sufficient to meet the community’s needs for the next 20 years with projected population growth.

Existing water system : No
% of homes connected to the water system : 0
Is there a water committee : No
How is water stored within the homes of the community : Pila

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Santa Elena but has not yet begun with the Water Program. Now in the planning phase, the Water Program will begin implementing a new water system or any necessary repairs to existing infrastructure following the Engineering Program’s evaluation and recommendations.

Existing water system : No
% of homes connected to the water system : 0
Is there a water committee : No
How is water stored within the homes of the community : Pila

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Santa Elena’s community bank, named Cooperativa de Union Familiar Limitada, was established in February 2016 and Global Brigades partnered with this community in May 2021. Since the partnership, Global Brigades has been actively working on community bank member training and leadership council training in order to assure its sustainability and prepare the Caja for future loans.

Community bank : Yes
Community bank members : 30
Existing enterprises : Coffee sales
Economic activities : agriculture and coffee growing

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Santa Elena planning phase, the financing, delivery, and installation of household health infrastructure products will start as soon as feasible.

% of homes with latrines : 70%
% of homes with eco-stoves : 10%
% of homes with water filters : 0
House common materials : adobe

Local Reference Points

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

  • Feature