"The loud roar of the hill is still a vivid and fearful memory of that night", were the words of a Lenca Indian single mother of three as she shared her story with PAG's nurse during one of PAG's medical brigades in central Honduras.
It's been a month since hurricanes Eta & Iota made landfall in Honduras, leaving at least 600,000 families across the country in dire calamity. According to a recent report from the United Nations, approximately 76,000 families are currently living in provisional shelters, 180,000 were evacuated from their house, and 184,000 still live in communities with no access after roads and bridges were destroyed.
Proyecto Aldea Global (PAG) with the support of generous donors, has been providing immediate support to families living in remote communities where few or none have reached, like the community of San Francisco de Ojuera in Santa Barbara county in central Honduras. This rural community was succumbed to landslides after the hurricanes, which left 9 families without a home.
PAG has begun attending the health needs of more than 300 families from three communities in Santa Barbara county in central Honduras. The most common conditions observed by our staff are acute respiratory conditions, skin diseases, gastrointestinal diseases and malnutrition in children, and chronic diseases in older adults. Prenatal control and screening tests for cervical cancer are among other health services provided. In addition, our staff is raising awareness about COVID-19, distributing masks and teaching the population the proper measures to help prevent the spread of the virus. Due to the circumstances in which these displaced families are in, sleeping pads, hygiene supplies, family food bags, and second-hand clothing were also provided.
Families began arriving shortly after the health team reached the communities.
The families were very happy to get a medical check-up, especially for their children.
PAG's staff and health volunteers praying before the start of the medical brigade.
Families who were waiting to be attended, also joined in prayer as the health staff committed their day into God's hands.
PAG had the support of medical doctors, medical students, and volunteers from the local secretary of health to attend the health needs of families.
PAG's nurse and health program coordinator examining a Lenca Indian older adult from the community of San Francisco de Ojuera.
In coordination with the Secretary of Health, children under 12 years of age were vaccinated according to their vaccination schedule.
A health volunteer responding to medication questions from an older adult with a chronic disease.
Providing health education of COVID-19 by PAG's health staff.
To help stop the spead of the coronavirus, families were provided with masks and hygiene supplies, as well as education in proper hand washing.
A toddler smiles after receiving a bag with coloring books, crayons, and candy.
Children were examined and treated for anemia and gastrointestinal diseases.
Our trained health staff providing health education to a mother of two children from the community of El Nispero in central Honduras.
One of the medical volunteers asking health-related questions to a single mother of an 8-month old infant.
PAG also distributed essential supplies (like blankets, sleeping pads, and used clothing) to meet the immediate needs of families who were affected by the hurricanes.
Family food bags for a week containing cooking oil, rice, beans, corn flour, among other staple foods, were given to families, as well as personal hygiene supplies (bath soap, hand sanitizer, masks, etc.).
Medicines for pain relief, cough, cold, and in some cases for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, were also provided.
Sleeping pads and blankets were also provided to families from the communities of El Nispero and La Candelaria in central Honduras.
