Empowered Community

Congratulations La Concepción, San Matías!

1,762

Brigade Volunteers

3,817

Medical Patient Consultations

292

Dental Patient Consultations

533

People with Access to Clean Water

775

Loans Disbursed

10

Eco-Stoves Constructed

106

Latrines Constructed

35

Trained Community Leaders

La Concepción, San Matías

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

Overview

La Concepción is a small community with a population of 570 people in the municipality of San Matías. There are about 100 children under the age of 12 living in the community. The majority of homes are made of adobe, though there are some made of wood. The main forms of employment are in agriculture on owned land and the main products that are cultivated in the community are corn and beans. There are about 7 smaller communities surrounding La Concepcion including Rio Namles, El Salto, San Jeronimo, Rio Grande, Las Crucitas, Ajuijote, and El Espinito.

Municipality: San Matías
Department: El Paraíso

Homes : 141
Population : 556
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Yes
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : Yes
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 100%
Education : Up to 6th Grade
Distance from Lodging Facility : 54 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.

The inhabitants of La Concepción have access to a CESAR within their community. The nurse that staffs the CESAR and the medications and supplies sent by the government cannot meet the needs of the population served by the health center. If community members require the attention of a physician or dentist, they must travel to the nearest CESAMO in San Matías. For these reasons amongst others, health care access in La Concepción is still limited. The most common illnesses in adults are arterial hypertension and diabetes, while those experienced by children in the community are the common cold and asthma. Our Medical Program is currently working to train Community Health Workers in the community of La Concepción.

448

Volunteers

4,023

Patient Consultations

305

Vision Screenings Provided

90

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

The community of La Concepcion has 1 trained Community Health Worker. Global Brigades Honduras’ Medical Program is working diligently to train volunteers as CHWs in its partner communities as part of the Holistic Model. 

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.

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in La Concepción 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 four classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of ten minutes with each patient.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 360
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: RIO NAMLES, EL SALTO, SAN JERONIMO, RIO GRANDE, LAS CRUCITAS, AJUIJOTE, EL ESPINITO

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN LA CONCEPCIÓN

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Wake Forest School of Medicine Medical Brigade & Syracuse University Medical Brigade December 2011 47 Temple University Medical Brigade June 2015 32
University of Michigan Medical Brigade May 2012 30 Kutztown University Medical Brigade January 2016 27
University of Pennsylvania Medical Brigade & Meredith College Medical Brigade March 2013 28 McMaster University Medical Brigade & University of Lethbridge Medical Brigade May 2016 23
Kansas City University of Medicine Medical Brigade December 2013 34 Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Brigade January 2017 37
University of Missouri Medical Brigade May 2014 29 SUNY Stony Brook Medical Brigade May 2017 30
University of Victoria Medical Brigade February 2015 34 Mississippi State University Medical Brigade & University of Kentucky Medical Brigade March 2018 29
New York Medical College Medical Brigade April 2019 9 Brown University Medical Brigade & Johns Hopkins University Medical Brigade January 2020 11
North Carolina A&T University May 2023 28 Brandeis University February 2024 14

 

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.

330

Patient Consultations

299

Number of Extractions

299

Fillings Performed

50

Dental Education Workshops

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in La Concepción 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 four classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of ten minutes with each patient.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 360
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: RIO NAMLES, EL SALTO, SAN JERONIMO, RIO GRANDE, LAS CRUCITAS, AJUIJOTE, EL ESPINITO

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN LA CONCEPCIÓN

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Wake Forest School of Medicine Medical Brigade & Syracuse University Medical Brigade December 2011 47 Temple University Medical Brigade June 2015 32
University of Michigan Medical Brigade May 2012 30 Kutztown University Medical Brigade January 2016 27
University of Pennsylvania Medical Brigade & Meredith College Medical Brigade March 2013 28 McMaster University Medical Brigade & University of Lethbridge Medical Brigade May 2016 23
Kansas City University of Medicine Medical Brigade December 2013 34 Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Brigade January 2017 37
University of Missouri Medical Brigade May 2014 29 SUNY Stony Brook Medical Brigade May 2017 30
University of Victoria Medical Brigade February 2015 34 Mississippi State University Medical Brigade & University of Kentucky Medical Brigade March 2018 29
New York Medical College Medical Brigade April 2019 9 Brown University Medical Brigade & Johns Hopkins University Medical Brigade January 2020 11
North Carolina A&T University May 2023 28 Brandeis University February 2024 14

 

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

LA CONCEPCIÓN’S ENGINEERING CHALLENGE

Prior to Global Brigades’ partnership with La Concepción, addressing the community’s water issues was a priority. With no central community water system, the people in La Concepción used one of the six shallow wells within the community, drawing water out with hand pumps. Not all six wells were public, and people sometimes paid up to 60 Lempiras just to take water from the well.

A large storage tank had been built at an elevation above the community with the idea of connecting it to a pump-powered water system for the community, but the project was never completed and the tank had been sitting empty ever since. Without a central storage tank used for water distribution, there was no way for the people of La Concepción to centrally and consistently treat their water.

In an effort to address this problem, Rotary International donated household Bio-Sand Filters to every home throughout the community to allow families to purify their drinking water before consumption. However, community leaders still stated that constructing a water system that brings water to the homes and uses an improved water source is one of the highest needs within the community.

La Concepción was an organized community with a functioning community bank, educational programs, and a Basic Sanitation Committee among other public services. The community had a Water Council prior to Global Brigades’ arrival; however, they were not properly trained due to the lack of a community-wide water system. No monthly water fee was also established to assist with the maintenance and administration of existing water infrastructure.

N/A

Volunteers

533

Beneficiaries

3

Kilometers of Pipeline Designed

N/A

Average Community Volunteers

LA CONCEPCION’S ENGINEERING SOLUTION

Water Brigaders from 12 different universities worked with La Concepción from May 2012 to June 2012. During that time, these volunteers worked with community members to:

  • Install an electric pump in a well that provides 26 GPM
  • Repair and paint a 10,000-gallon storage tank with chlorinator
  • Dig approximately 3,000 meters of trench and lay pipeline
  • Connect 144 houses, 2 schools, 1 health center and 2 churches to the system
  • Provide educational seminars to children in the community on water and health related topics

To ensure the sustainability of the project, a new seven member Water Council was established and trained by Water Brigades in addition to a Basic Sanitation Committee also trained by Water Brigades. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of students and community members, Global Brigades completed the system in less than two months. Such a quick effort would not have been possible without the generous support of the municipal government in San Matías and PDA San Matías (a division of World Vision). The Global Brigades’ Water Team would like to thank all of those who contributed to the project and brought an adequate supply of potable water to each home in La Concepción.

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

LA CONCEPCIÓN’S WATER CHALLENGE

Prior to Global Brigades’ partnership with La Concepción, addressing the community’s water issues was a priority. With no central community water system, the people in La Concepción used one of the six shallow wells within the community, drawing water out with hand pumps. Not all six wells were public, and people sometimes paid up to 60 Lempiras to take water from the well.

A large storage tank had been built above the community with the idea of connecting it to a pump-powered water system for the community, but the project was never completed and the tank had been sitting empty ever since. Without a central storage tank used for water distribution, there was no way for the people of La Concepción to centrally and consistently treat their water. In an effort to address this problem, Rotary International donated household Bio-Sand Filters to every home throughout the community to allow families to purify their drinking water before consumption.

However, community leaders still stated that constructing a water system that brings water to the homes and uses an improved water source is one of the highest needs within the community. La Concepción was a organized community with a functioning community bank, educational programs, and a Basic Sanitation Committee among other public services. The community had a Water Council prior to Global Brigades’ arrival; however, they were not properly trained due to the lack of a community-wide water system. There was also no monthly water fee established to assist with maintenance and administration of existing water infrastructure.

317

Volunteers

533

Project Beneficiaries

3

Kilometers of Piping Installed

10,000

Storage Tank Volume (gallons)

LA CONCEPCIÓN’S WATER SOLUTION

Water Brigaders from 12 different universities worked with La Concepción from May 2012 to June 2012. During that time, these volunteers worked with community members to:

  • Install an electric pump in a well that provides 26 GPM
  • Repair and paint a 10,000-gallon storage tank with chlorinator
  • Dig approximately 3,000 meters of trench and lay pipeline
  • Connect 144 houses, 2 schools, 1 health center and 2 churches to the system
  • Provide educational seminars to children in the community on water and health related topics

To ensure the sustainability of the project, a new seven member Water Council was established and trained by Water Brigades in addition to a Basic Sanitation Committee also trained by Water Brigades. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of students and community members, Global Brigades completed the system in less than two months. Such a quick effort would not have been possible without the generous support of the municipal government in San Matías and PDA San Matías (a division of World Vision). The Global Brigades’ Water Team would like to thank all of those who contributed to the project and brought an adequate supply of potable water to each home in La Concepción.

WATER VOLUNTEERS IN LA CONCEPCIÓN

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Pennsylvania Water Brigade & University of Michigan Water Brigade & Boston University Water Brigade May 2012 20 University of Puget Sound Medical Brigade May 2012 26
San Diego State University Water Brigade May 2012 14 Grinell University Medical Brigade May 2012 23
San Jose State University Water Brigade May 2012 23 University of Chicago Water Brigade & University of Washington Water Brigade June 2016 13
Wayne State University Medical Brigade May 2012 27 University of California Irvine Water Brigade & University of California Riverside Water Brigade & University of California Los Angeles Water Brigade & University of Texas Arlington Water Brigade June 2016 17
University of Pittsburgh Medical Brigade May 2012 40 University of California Santa Barbara Water Brigade June 2016 10
Indiana University Medical Brigade & University of Southern Florida Medical Brigade May 2012 45 University of California Riverside Water Brigade June 2016 59

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

LA CONCEPCIÓN’S ECONOMIC CHALLENGE

Rural communities in Honduras face several structural obstacles when it comes to economic growth. Access to credit is limited by physical barriers in transportation and exclusion from formal financial institutions. This exclusion can be the result of a lack of financial literacy, credit history, and land titles or substantial consumer goods to offer as collateral. If community members aren’t able to access these institutions, their only option is to solicit credit from coyotes, or loan sharks, who charge exorbitant interest rates. Additionally, maintaining savings is not a common practice in rural communities in Honduras.

The average family income per month is estimated to be 1200 Lempiras, which is approximately L 560 (US $24) per person. The majority of homes are made from adobe, though some are made from wood. The main forms of employment are in agriculture on owned land and the main products that are cultivated in the community are corn and beans. Prior to its partnership with Global Brigades, La Concepción did have access to credit from a community bank formed by PRODERCO in 1998; however, this group was known for being exclusive and only allowed members to take out loans.

23

Volunteers

775

Loans Disbursed

80

Savings Accounts Opened

$2,997

Capital Invested

LA CONCEPCIÓN’S MICRO-FINANCE SOLUTION

The Business Program works to stimulate the local economy by organizing community volunteers around a community bank, or caja rural, which is entirely owned and operated by its members. Focusing on providing access to credit and savings for their fellow community members, its volunteers are tasked with socializing the community bank and managing the funds. The Business Program provides training and support to help strengthen these community banks and stimulate the flow of capital within the community. These financial services are especially beneficial for subsistence farmers, who can invest more heavily in their production with a loan, pay back the loan after the harvest, and generate an income with any excess.

The community bank in La Concepión, Nuevo Despertar, which was started by PRODERCO, was restructured in November 2015 with the support of Global Brigades. The community bank has fourteen female and two male shareholders who meet in their own structure on the 28th of each month. In order to pool their limited funds together, increase the capital available to the community bank, and expand the impact of its financial services, each member contributes a monthly share or fee for which they receive a proportional amount of the bank’s dividends at the end of its fiscal year.

LA CONCEPCIÓN’S BUSINESS SOLUTION

In addition to working with the community bank, the Business Program provides support and technical skills in establishing anchor businesses that generate additional capital. The goal is to better integrate isolated communities into the local economy and allow for growth. During this process, interested community members receive training to increase their familiarity with business terminology, develop their business administration skills, and promote innovation and diversification in the types of business ventures they pursue.

The community bank currently runs a business renting out a tractor to community members to accumulate more capital. However, La Concepción is in the process of establishing a new micro-enterprise. The Business Program has started hosting Business Brigades in La Concepción to study the local market in hopes of identifying and developing potential business opportunities for the community.

BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS LA CONCEPCIÓN

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Calgary April 2017  14
John Hopkins University Graduate School Engineering Brigade January 2018 9

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

LA CONCEPCIÓN’S PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE

Many community members in La Concepción lack the resources to make improvements to their household infrastructure. The majority of homes in La Concepción are made of adobe and mud. There are approximately 160 homes in La Concepción, with an average of four people living in each. While a majority of homes in the community already had latrines and eco-stoves before their partnership with Global Brigades, few of these homes had access to hygiene stations.

Additionally, there was still a large number of families that lacked access to all three of these facilities. Hygiene stations must facilitate handwashing, allow water storage for hygienic processes, and offer privacy while bathing. By partnering with Global Brigades’ Public Health Program, La Concepción’s inhabitants were hoping to avoid preventable diseases and adopt proper hygiene and sanitation practices.

665

Volunteers

106

Sanitation Units Installed

424

People Benefited with Public health Infrastructure

10

Hours of Public Health Education

LA CONCEPCIÓN‘S PUBLIC HEALTH SOLUTION

Between April 2016 and July 2017, the Public Health Program worked with all interested families to finance and install household infrastructure projects, including hygiene stations for hand washing and showering, latrines, concrete floors, and water storage units. These projects allow community members to avoid preventable disease and foster improved hygiene and sanitation practices. During their time in La Concepción, Public Health volunteers conducted educational workshops, or charlas, with community members on project maintenance and various public health topics. Additionally, Global Brigades trained a Basic Sanitation Committee, which advocates for proper hygiene and sanitation practices in addition to providing support for completed projects.

To promote the sustainability of the Public Health Program’s projects, families are required to contribute a portion of the project cost. This instills a sense of ownership and encourages proper maintenance of the projects. Therefore, before the Public Health Program started its projects, the Business Program worked with the community to train an existing community bank that would allow families to finance these contributions through microcredit. Although the Public Health Program has completed all planned projects in La Concepción, loans remain available through the community bank and local masons who were contracted to complete the projects now hold the skills to perform any necessary repairs or construct new units.

PUBLIC HEALTH VOLUNTEERS IN LA CONCEPCIÓN

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of New Brunswick Public Health Brigade April 2016 24 Wayne State University Medical Brigade & Florida International University Medical Brigade August 2016 58
Emory University Public Health Brigade May 2016 13 Foothill College Medical Brigade August 2016 25
Rice University Medical Brigade May 2016 33 University of Maryland Medical Brigade August 2016 28
Florida Atlantic University Medical Brigade May 2016 52 Imperial University Engineering Brigade September 2016 18
University of Alabama Tuscalosa Medical Brigade & Wake Forest University Medical Brigade & Clemson University Medical Brigade May 2016 22 University of Illinois Chicago Medical Brigade December 2016 28
Northern Arizona University Medical Brigade May 2016 29 Chabot College Medical Brigade & University of California Berkeley Medical Brigade & American University of Antigua Medical Brigade January 2017 26
Illinois Wesleyan University Medical Brigade June 2016 23 St. Louis University Medical Brigade January 2017 27
Oregon State University Medical Brigade June 2016 34 North Park University Medical Brigade March 2017 25
University of California Davis Medical Brigade June 2016 27 Washington University in St. Louis Medical Brigade & University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical Brigade March 2017 44
Eastern Michigan University Medical Brigade & University of Edinburgh Medical Brigade July 2016 22 University of Edinburgh Medical Brigade June 2017 19
Memorial University of Newfoundland Medical Brigade July 2016 30

 

Legal Empowerment

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

LA CONCEPCIÓN’S LEGAL EMPOWERMENT CHALLENGE

Legal services are difficult to access in rural Honduras for two primary
reasons: location and cost. Most often, there are no legal services set up
within rural communities and are instead concentrated in urban areas.
Therefore, rural Hondurans must travel multiple hours to access these
services. Not only does travelling to these urban areas cost money, but the
legal services themselves are frequently too expensive.

In addition, there is an attitude of mistrust amongst the rural clients.
Therefore, it is a challenge to gain the community members’ trust when dealing with their personal legal empowerment issues and to prove not all lawyers will take advantage of them.

26

Volunteers

32

Legal Consultations Provided

N/A

Family Cases Resolved

98

Participants of Educational Workshops

Civic Engagement and Empowerment

By focusing on specific aspects of legal access and inclusion, Global Brigades’ Legal Empowerment Program aims to empower communities like La Concepción to overcome the obstacles mentioned above. Starting in 2013, Brigaders have been able to tackle family law cases, execute pro-bono legal clinics, and perform educational workshops.

Family Law: The most common legal issues within the community include issues of alimony and childcare, land issues, domestic violence, and some violent crimes. Without a lawyer in the community, many legal issues go unresolved or unattended for many years, and seemingly simple legal troubles can go unanswered.

Legal Clinics: Global Brigade’s Legal Empowerment Program has been able to offer their pro-bono legal services to community members in La Concepción with the help of Honduran lawyers as they are shadowed by volunteers. Both community members and volunteers work together to challenge the stigma of lawyers in the region by offering real, professional services for free.

Educational Workshops: Volunteers have performed workshops in the local school of La Concepción. Capitalizing on the use of education as a tool for community empowerment, volunteers lead discussions and workshops with students and families about issues that have direct consequences and effects on their everyday lives, including the right to education, child abuse, drug use, and child labour laws.

LEGAL EMPOWERMENT VOLUNTEERS IN LA CONCEPCIÓN:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Indiana University & University of Missouri May 2018 13 Stetson University January 2019 13

Local Reference Points

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

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