Success Stories
An Empowered Individual is one of our partners who is improving their livelihood by striving to achieve their goals for better health or economic opportunities.
337,854 of 1 Million
people empowered to attain improved and more sustainable livelihoods
Goal 1
*Regular, equal, and affordable access to a Healthcare Professional and medication
51 of 100 communities
Goal 2
Daily access to a trained Community Health Worker
85 of 100 communities
733 CHWs trained
Goal 3
Continuous access to a clean water system with a Water Council in place
84 of 100 communities
76 clean water systems constructed
Goal 4
Comprehensive adoption of public health infrastructure projects within a community
51 of 100 communities
3,020 families benefited from Public Health projects
Goal 5
Equal access to sufficient, affordable credit with a trained Community Bank in place
100 of 100 communities
102 Community Banks established and 31,763 small loans issued
Goal 6
*Increase and diversify income
0 of 100 communities
*Goals 1 and 6 were established after 13 communities were already inaugurated as an Empowered Community. We are proactively working to accomplish and effectively measure Goals 1 and 6 in these communities.
Partner communities that want to share their story
El Zurzular, Honduras
El Zurzular, Global Brigades’ first Empowered Community established strong leadership to continue both health and development initiatives in their community. The community is home to one of GB’s strongest Community Banks and a growing coffee business which continues to work and invest in order to improve their coffee’s quality. Community Health Workers are active in the community and the Water Council operates, maintains and administrates their water system built in 2009.
Learn MoreEl Espinito, Honduras
El Espinito, a small community in eastern Honduras, faced a lack of health care access. After being suggested by World Vision, Engineering and Water Brigades began shortly thereafter addressing the two contaminated public wells present in the community. Global Brigades began consulting with the existing Community Bank, to strengthen their administration, business consultation, and management of Public Health project loans. In June of 2016, 11 Community Health Workers were training in El Espinito with 16 in the surrounding communities. Additional training to the Basic Sanitation Committee helped maintain Public Health Projects which finished in August 2017.
Learn MorePuerto Lara, Panamá
Puerto Lara, located in the biodiverse region of Darién, is home to over 500 community members from the Wounaan indigenous group. Community members maintain much of their traditional lifestyle, speaking Wounaan as their main language, and living in traditional wooden homes on stilts. GB established and trained a community bank in Puerto Lara, with over 45 members, in 2015. In 2016 we implemented a mobile clinic in the community, and just a year later, trained Community Health Workers. The community has benefited from business consultation, legal support, and more recently, an innovative indigenous ecotourism project in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank.
Learn MoreArimae, Panamá
Arimae, a community of over 700 inhabitants in the Darien province of Panama is home to both Wounaan and Embera indigenous populations. GB began its partnership with Arimae in 2012, with a mobile clinic, making it one of GB Panama’s longest standing partner communities. In 2014, a community bank was established and trained in the community and is still operating successfully today as an Eskala client. Over the years in Arimae, GB has also trained Community Health Workers, implemented numerous small business consultations, and provided legal support through Legal Empowerment brigades.
Learn MoreEkumpuano, Ghana
Ekumpoano was one of the first communities in Ghana selected for Holistic Model implementation. GB implements mobile clinics in the community twice per year to alleviate illness, much of which is preventable, and caused by the lack of proper sanitation infrastructure. The coverage of toilets in the community is very low, a common problem along the beaches of the Central Region. GB collaborated with the Ghana Water Company to install 5 new drinking water standpipes, improving access to clean water in the community. In 2019 GB worked with community members to improve the infrastructure of the local health center.
Learn MoreSuprudo, Ghana
Suprudo has a population of over 1,700 inhabitants, primarily dedicated to farming, fishing and petty trading. GB’s community assessment showed that very few households had access to toilets, access to stand pipes for clean water, and access to savings and credit services. In 2019, in collaboration with the Ghana Water Company, GB constructed 2 additional stand pipes to increase access to clean water in the community. Through GB’s partnership with a local partner, two lending groups were established with 41 members, to provide access to loans for local businesses. In 2019, GB began installing in-home pour flush toilets with biodigesters.
Learn MoreLa Corneta, Nicaragua
La Corneta, located in the ‘dry corridor’ of Nicaragua, consists of 128 homes and over 390 people. In 2016, GB began its collaboration with community members to construct a water system, giving families access to clean water. These families previously were forced to walk to collect what water they could from public wells. Public Health Brigades worked to install hygiene stations in homes. Previously, only 20% of families had a properly functioning latrine in their home. During this time, GB implemented regular mobile medical & dental clinics in La Corneta. In 2017, a Community Bank was established, trained and capitalized, and distributed its first loans in 2018.
Learn MoreChipiacul, Guatemala
Chipiacul is an indigenous Kaqchikel Mayan community of over 3,000 inhabitants, located in the mountains of central Guatemala. GB began working with community leaders in Chipiacul in 2023, implementing the first mobile medical and dental clinic. Since, over 620 medical and dental consultations have been provided to community members. In 2024, GB collaborated with community leaders and teachers to construct hygiene stations at the local school, benefiting over 340 children that attend the school.
Learn MoreBilly White, Belize
Billy White, located in the Cayo District of central interior Belize, consists of over 350 families, and was one of the first GB partner communities in Belize. After an initial community assessment in late 2023, GB began working in the community in 2024 on a infrastructure renovation project at the local primary school. In May, 2024, the first mobile medical and dental clinic was implemented in Billy White, providing over 130 patient consultations to community members.
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