El Encinal, Joyas Del Carballo, Honduras
Click on Programs to learn more about their work in this community
General Information
| Population* | 250 |
| Number of homes | 36 |
| Avg # of people per home | 7.1 |
| Number and % of children |
(0-5yrs): 32 / 12.0% (0-9yrs): 62 / 24.7% |
| Electricity | No |
| GPS |
N 14° 20.826’ W 086° 53.606’ |
| Altitude | 1241m |
| Municipality | San Juan de Flores |
| Department | Francisco Morazán |
| Corresponding Health Center | CESAR-Joyas del Carballo |
| Distance from compounds | 1 hour, 15 minutes |
| Road conditions | Good |
* Population does not reflect how many patients will be seen on medical
brigades as many people from surrounding communities come seeking
Medical Brigades medical attention.
Top Three Needs Expressed
The top needs expressed by the community members are electricity and 2 more classrooms; one classroom for kinder and another for the entire elementary. The school only has 3 teachers. The community also hopes to better equip their school with school materials.
Global Brigades and El Encinal are proud to announce that through holistic programming the community needs such as access to potable water, public health infrastructure and better access to medical care have been addressed. El Encinal also has a strong leadership and a capitalized community bank in order to address any needs that arise in the future.
El Encinal is located in the Cantarranas municipality of the Francisco Morazan department.
El Encinal’s educational system includes Kinder and Primary schools (through 6th grade), though students have the opportunity to study 7-9th grades at the school in El Junco y Joyas. In El Encinal there are 56 students and the school director is Fanny Galvez. It is estimated that about 94% of the community knows how to read and write.
Water System Prior to Global Brigades Partnership
El Encinal had a water system built by the government water institution SANAA in 1985. The main problem with the water system was that water only provided community members water twice a day and with low pressure. The water at times was chlronirated, but only once every 2 weeks.
Partnership with Global Brigades
In June 2010, Global Brigades was happy to announce the completion of a new water system in El Encinal.
7 community members make up the Water Council. The council is led by Santos Elvir, Victor Velasquez and Elías Umberto. To learn about the water system built in El Encinal please click here.
El Encinal does not have a health center directly in the community; however, they do have a health center about a 30 minute walk, CESAR-Joyas del Carballo. The health center is staffed by a local nurse Laura Diaz Arazo. In support of the nurse's work, 9 members of the community make up the Community Health Committee.
The most common illnesses seen by community members are diarrhea, dengue, and asthma. Global Brigades was able to provide 94% of the community with the public health projects. Prior to entrance of the GB's Public Health program, 0% had eco-stoves (estufa justa), about 11% had concrete floors and 22% had pilas (water storage units).
The average family income per month is estimated to be about 2000 Lempiras, which is approximately L400 (US $21.18) per person or less. The majority of homes are made of adobe. The main form of employment in El Encinal is agriculture on owned land, and the main crops that are cultivated are coffee, corn, beans, and plantains. El Encinal has a community bank named “Una Luz en mi Camino” that was started and trained by FUNDER and Global Brigades in Sept. 2009. Some people work with FAMA that visits the community to distribute loans to women with microbusinesses or agricultural investments. Land owners in the community also have access to credit at BANADESA, a national agricultural loan agency, located about an hour and half away in San Juan de Flores.
El Encinal does not currently receive medical brigades from any other organization other than Global Brigades. El Encinal has received additional support from organizations such as EDA, the Economic Development Agency, and Fundación Vida.They focus on working with agricultural workers in the production of plantains as well as assisting with training and provisions for better seeding (semillas mejoradas).
El Encinal is located far from any highway that would allow easy access to outside employment or health care. Global Brigades has worked to provide the community access to health care through Medical and Dental Brigades; public health infrastructure through Public Health Brigades; capital through Microfinance brigades, and potable water through Water Brigades.
