Suyapa

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

Overview

Suyapa is located within the municipality of San Juan de Flores in the department of Francisco Morazán in central Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe or brick. Children in the community have access to primary school. There is a gravity water system. Most of the community members work in agriculture. The top needs expressed by Suyapa’s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades include water system improvements, health infrastructure, and microenterprise support.

Municipality: San Juan de Flores
Department: Francisco Morazán

Homes : 177
Population : 716
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Yes
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : No
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 78%
Education : Up to 6th grade
Distance from Lodging Facility : 33 km

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS

The Honduran government provides two different types of health centres 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 Suyapa does not have a health centre, but residents can visit nearby Cantarranas 3 kilometres away where there is a large CESAMO serving the nearby communities. The most common illnesses reported by community members in Suyapa are respiratory illnesses, diarrhoea, skin infections, arterial hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and epilepsy.

106

Volunteers

1708

Patient Consultations

468

Vision Screenings Provided

67

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

Suyapa has access to a total of 3 Community Health Workers (CHWs). These CHWs were trained in the community of Tomatin.

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 centres, 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.

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in Suyapa historically attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in Tomatin except for a few brigades in the community For more information about the Medical and Dental Brigades in Tomatin, please visit Tomatin’s community profile.

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN SUYAPA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Texas A&M International University Medical Brigade March 2019 24 Texas A&M University Dental Brigade January 2020 10
Texas A&M University Medical Brigade January 2020 29 State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook Medical Brigade May 2022 12
Eli Lilly Connecting Hearts Abroad October 2023 15 Eli Lilly Connecting Hearts Abroad October 2024 16

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.

332

Patient Consultations

329

Number of Extractions

235

Fillings Performed

21

Dental Education Workshops

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in Suyapa historically attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in Tomatin except for a few brigades in the community For more information about the Medical and Dental Brigades in Tomatin, please visit Tomatin’s community profile.

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN SUYAPA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Texas A&M International University Medical Brigade March 2019 24 Texas A&M University Dental Brigade January 2020 10
Texas A&M University Medical Brigade January 2020 29 State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook Medical Brigade May 2022 12
Eli Lilly Connecting Hearts Abroad October 2023 15 Eli Lilly Connecting Hearts Abroad October 2024 16

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

SUYAPA’S ENGINEERING CHALLENGE:

Suyapa has a gravity water system that was constructed in 1985.

Since the water system was created, major changes had not been made to the system. The systems source of water is from a stream in the community but their are distribution network issue especially during the dryer months in the year.

16

Volunteers

369

Beneficiaries

5.6

Kilometers of pipeline designed

N/A

Average community volunteers

SUYAPA’S ENGINEERING SOLUTION:

The optimal solution to improve the system in this community would be to construct a water storage tank of 10,000 gallons in a new site of the community to improve the distribution of water and have equal distribution of the water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year round.

The distribution network should also be improved with adequate pipe that achieve optimal pressure so that water reaches all households without the need to sectorize. These updates as planned will support the water system lasting at least another 15 years without additional major updates.

ENGINEERING VOLUNTEERS IN SUYAPA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Texas A&M International University Engineering March 2019 16

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

SUYAPA’S WATER CHALLENGE:

Suyapa has a gravity  water system that was constructed in 1985. The water council was recently re-elected in the community, and there was a lot of interest to improve the water system, making it a good partnership for Global Brigades and Suyapa.

Since the water system was initially created, major changes had not been made to the system. The water system’s dam is in good condition as is the conduction line and distribution network. However, the storage tank is in poor condition.

191

Volunteers

389

Project Beneficiaries

5.6

Kilometers of Pipeline Installed

10,000

Storage Tank Volume (gallons)

SUYAPA’S WATER SOLUTION:

The optimal solution to improve the system in this community would be to construct a water storage tank of 10,000 gallons in a new site of the community to improve the distribution of water and have equal distribution of the water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year round.

The distribution network was also improved with 5.6 km of adequate pipe that achieved optimal pressure so that water reached all households without the need to sectorize. This new water system was completed in February 2019 and will last another 15 years without additional major updates.

WATER VOLUNTEERS IN SUYAPA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Memorial University of Newfoundland Medical Brigade & Rutgers University New Brunswick Medical Brigade August 2019 22 University of Birmingham Medical Brigade August 2019 8
Texas A&M University Medical Brigade August 2019 35 Foothill College Medical Brigade August 2019 22
Carleton University Medical Brigade & University of New Brunswick Fredericton Medical Brigade August 2019 22 University of Toronto Medical Brigade & University of Toronto Mississauga Medical Brigade August 2019 22
Towson University Dental Brigade & University of Waterloo Medical Brigade & University of Ontario Institute of Technology Medical Brigade August 2019 27 University of Washington Medical Brigade September 2019 33

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

SUYAPA’S ECONOMIC  CHALLENGE:

Suyapa’s primary occupations in the community are based on agriculture within the community. These jobs are typically seasonal from December – May, which can create challenges. There are small businesses in the community, but they don’t have capital seed.

18

Volunteers

24

Loans Disbursed

34

Savings Accounts Opened

$1,500

Capital Invested

SUYAPA’S ECONOMIC  SOLUTION:

Global Brigades began working with the community bank in Suyapa in February of 2019. Global Brigades is working with local partners and the Honduran govenment to create a plan to provide capital seed for businesses within the community. 

BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS IN SUYAPA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Brandeis University Business Brigade February 2019 18

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

SUYAPA’S PUBLIC HEALTH  CHALLENGE:

Many community members in Suyapa lack the resources to make improvements to their household infrastructure. The majority of homes in Suyapa are made of adobe. Hygiene stations, which include showers and water storage units, are necessary to facilitate handwashing, allow water storage for hygienic processes, and offer privacy while bathing. Additionally, eco-stoves evacuate smoke from the living space and decrease the risk of respiratory illnesses, and latrines improve hygiene practices and prevent contamination of natural water sources caused by open defecation. By partnering with Global Brigades’ Public Health Program, Suyapa’s inhabitants are hoping to avoid preventable diseases and adopt proper hygiene and sanitation practices.

1,851

Volunteers

159

Sanitation Units Installed

769

People Benefitted with PH Infrastructure

17

Hours of Public Health Education

PUBLIC HEALTH VOLUNTEERS IN SUYAPA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Saint Louis University January 2019 37 Brown University Medical Brigade & University of Maryland Baltimore Medical Brigade January 2019 27
Virginia Tech Medical Brigade January 2019 34 Texas Tech University Medical Brigade & University of Missouri Medical Brigade January 2019 36
California State University Sacramento Medical Brigade January 2019 33 Boston University Medical Brigade January 2019 32
Johns Hopkins University Medical Brigade January 2019 20 Brandeis University Medical Brigade & University of Victoria Medical Brigade February 2019 10
Milwaukee School of Engineering Water Brigade February 2019 14 Milwaukee School of Engining Public Health Brigade February 2019 20
Central Michigan University Public Health February 2019 14 Brandeis University Business Brigade & University of Victoria Business Brigade February 2019 18
University of West Virginia Medical Brigade March 2019 55 University of Texas A&M International Medical Brigade March 2019 24
New Jersey Institute of Technology Medical Brigade New York University Medical Brigade & Boise State University Medical Brigade March 2019 25 Michigan State University Public Health & Arendsen Davis University Public Health March 2019 17
Northeastern University Medical Brigade & University of Arizona Medical Brigade March 2019 15 University of New York Stony Brook Medical Brigade March 2019 12
NYVT Nurses Unite Medical Brigade March 2019 38 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medical Brigade & Vanderbilt University Medical Brigade & University of Detroit Mercy Medical Brigade March 2019 32
California State Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo Medical Brigade & DePaul University Medical Brigade March 2019 16 University of California San Diego Public Health Brigade March 2019 19
California State Polytechnic University Pomona Medical Brigade March 2019 53 Acadia University Medical April 2019 23
University of Michigan Dearborn Medical Brigade April 2019 22 University of New Brunswick Fredericton Public Health Brigade & McMaster University Public Health Brigade April 2019/td> 24
McMaster University Medical Brigade April 32 64 Dalhousie University Medical Brigade May 2019 36
Florida Atlantic University Medical Brigade May 2019 26 University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Medical Brigade May 2019 45
Middle Tennessee State University Medical Brigade & Oklahoma State University Medical Brigade May 2019 42 Midwestern University Public Health Brigade & University of Missouri Kansas City Medical Brigade & Thomas Jefferson University Medical Brigade May 2019 26
Boston University Medical Brigade May 2019 29 Georgia State University Medical Brigade & Maryville University Medical Brigade & Mississippi State University Medical Brigade May 2019 54
Emory University Medical Brigade May 2019 29 Northern Arizona University Medical Brigade & University of Missouri Medical Brigade May 2019 29
California State University Bakersfield Medical Brigade & University of New York New Paltz Medical Brigade & CEGEP Marianopolis Medical Brigade May 2019 27 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical Brigade June 2019 35
Drexel University Public Health Brigade June 2019 7 Keck Graduate Institute Medical Brigade & University of California Los Angeles Medical Brigade & University of Edinburgh Medical Brigade June 2019 26
Southeast Missouri State University Medical Brigade & University of California Riverside Medical Brigade & Oregon Health and Science University Medical Brigade June 2019 31 Metroplex Medical Centre Medical Brigade July 2019 24
San Jose State University Medical Brigade July 2019 20 Bowling Green State University Medical Brigade & Memorial University of Newfoundland Medical Brigade & University of Birmingham Medical Brigade University of New Brunswick Fredericton Medical Brigade August 2019 33
University of Toronto Mississauga Medical Brigade August 2019 7 University of Toronto Medical Brigade August 2019 15
Towson University Dental Brigade & University of Waterloo Medical Brigade & University of Ontario Institute of Technology Medical Brigade August 2019 27 DePaul University Medical Brigade December 2019 32
Michigan State University Medical Brigade December 2019 38 University of Toledo Public Health Brigade December 2019 12
Eastern Michigan University Medical Brigade & University of Tennessee Knoxville Medical Brigade December 2019
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical Brigade January 2020 15 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Public Health Brigade January 2020 8
Texas A&M University Medical Brigade January 2020 29 University of Puerto Rico Public Health Brigade January 2020 21
California State University Sacramento Medical Brigade January 2020 30 Brandeis University Medical Brigade & Mount Allison University Medical Brigade February 2020 20
Mount Allison University Public Health Brigade February 2020 12 Michigan State University Public Health Brigade March 2020 12
Arendsen Davis University Public Health March 2020 7 Duke University Public Health Brigade March 2020 5
Queen´s University Medical Brigade April 2023 22 Georgia Institute of Technology & James Madison University Medical Brigade May 2023 29
University of Arizona Medical Brigade May 2023 22 North Carolina State University Medical Brigade May 2023 28
Miami University of Ohio & Oklahoma State University Medical Brigade May 2023 28 Memorial University of Newfoundland, University of Maryland Baltimore & Metroplex Medical Centre Medical Brigade July 2023 33

Local Reference Points

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

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