Villa Santa, Honduras
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General Information
| Population* | 7000 |
| Number of homes | 540 |
| Avg # of people per home | 8 |
| Number and % of children |
(0-5): 600/8.6% (6-12): 310/4.4% |
| Primary Occupations |
Agirculture - coffee, corn, beans, resin extraction |
| Water System | Yes |
| Community Bank |
No |
| % of Homes with Latrines |
98% |
| Electricity | Yes |
| Corresponding Health Center | CESAMO |
| Common Illnesses |
Common cold, skin infections |
| School Access & Distance | Kinder and 1st-6th grade in community, up to 1 hour walking depending on location of house |
| Municipality | Danli |
| Department | El Paraíso |
| GPS |
N 14° 11.026' W 086° 18.929 |
| Distance from compounds | 2 hour 30 minutes |
* 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 three needs expressed by the key community members are improvments to existing water system, better infrastructure for the health center, and better road infrastructure.
Villa Santa’s educational system includes Kinder, Primary, Middle, and High schools (until 12th grade). There are approximately 300 students and the school directors are Blas Matillas Casco and Oscar Andara. It is estimated that about 44% of the community knows how to read and write.
Villa Santa has a water system built by the government in 1995. The main problems are that there is very little water pressure and there is not much follow-up or care of the 2 tanks in the system. The water arrives to homes every 4 days and the water is chlorinated once a week.1 About 97% of the community is connected, though the community is growing fast and that puts a burden on the water system. There is a Water Council with 7 active members, led by Enrique Godoy.
There was a recent study done showing that there is a significant amount of contamination to the water system due to lack of waste management. The community leaders have done a study and completed a proposal for an improved waste management system and are waiting to get the funding (8 milliones, Lempiras).
Villa Santa does have a Health Center in the community that offers general medicine. There is no Community Health Committee however, nor dental care available.
The most common illnesses seen at the health center are respiratory infections, skin infections, and hypertension. Approximately 78% of the community has latrines that currently function. 0-10% has eco-stoves (estufas justas); the majority of people use “normal stoves” with chimneys. About 50% is estimated to have concrete floors.
Below is some health center information from CESAMO-Villa Santa2:
I. Caserios (small villages) served by CESAMO-Villa Santa, 2009
|
Caserios |
Population |
Potable Water (%) |
Latrines (%) |
Malnourished Children (<5yrs) |
Births / % Coverage of Pregnancies |
Order of Priority (based on HC standards) |
|
VILLA SANTA* |
1861 |
93 |
93 |
7.5 |
50 / 89% |
10 |
|
Trozos |
526 |
90 |
83 |
3 |
27 / 100% |
9 |
|
Jaguitas |
330 |
81 |
83 |
0 |
7 / 100% |
8 |
|
Nogal |
175 |
0 |
29 |
0 |
0 / 0% |
3 |
|
Planes |
387 |
93 |
64 |
10 |
3 / 43% |
6 |
|
Plancitos |
392 |
0 |
71 |
11 |
4 / 44% |
5 |
|
Buena Vista |
378 |
0 |
51 |
10 |
10 / 83% |
1 |
|
Ocotillo |
768 |
95 |
95 |
3 |
11 / 39% |
7 |
|
Colinas |
299 |
56 |
57 |
4 |
2 / 17% |
2 |
|
Brisas de Ocotillo |
122 |
90 |
45 |
6 |
3 / 50% |
4 |
Centro de Salud Statistics, Centro de Salud Regional-Danlí, 14 Marzo 2010
*Global Brigades also works in these communities with medical brigades.
The average family income per month is estimated to be 2400 Lempiras, which is approximately L480 (US $25.41) per person3. The majority of homes are made of adobe. The main form of employment in Villa Santa is agriculture on owned land as well as technical labor. The main product that is cultivated is coffee, though corn and beans are produced as well for consuming. Villa Santa has a community bank currently, trained by FAMA and led by Don Mariano Avila. They also have access to credit through other agriculture cooperatives, BANADESA, and lending buyers (coyotes). The community expressed that though they have access, surrounding villages would benefit from forming a community bank.
Villa Santa has been receiving medical and dental brigades from the Baptist Church, most recently in March 2009, and the Secretary of Health in 2008.
Villa Santa is a large town and its health center provides care to 9 other surrounding villages, adding up to about 5178 people served. Many people come to brigades from these surrounding villages. There is a great potential to start working in some of these small communities as well. The leaders of Villa Santa are very organized and well-educated and collaborative. They have expressed particular interest in the public health stove projects as well as the renovation/expansion of the water system.
|
Education |
11th |
|
Water |
46th |
|
Health |
57th |
|
Socio-economics |
69th |
|
Collaboration |
47th |
|
Overall |
52nd |
Total communities evaluated: 97
Source of information: Key informant interview, Centro de Salud statistics
Date of interview: 3 February 2010
1The accepted regulation frequency for chlorinating water is every 4 days.
2CESAMO and CESAR are terms used for types of health centers. CESAMOs are larger, more comprehensive facilities that usually have a physician on staff at all times and occasionally a dentist. CESARs are more remote, less equipped facilities, usually with 1-2 nurses on staff.
3According to Red Solidaria and World Food Programme in Honduras, the average family is approximated at 5 people per household, the poverty line is L930 (US$49.23) per person per month, and the extreme poverty line is L617 (US$32.66) per person per month.