UC Berkeley PH and Water Brigade Jan 2013 Honduras

Start Date: Jan 8, 2013 12:00 AM
End Date: Jan 20, 2013 12:00 AM

Public Health volunteers spend 7 days in Honduras, improving basic home infrastructure and providing health education to help reduce the incidences of life-threatening, but preventable, diseases in a rural community. With an understanding of the holistic model that focuses on education, community health sustainability and infrastructural development, volunteers first receive a comprehensive introduction to the country\\\'s public health challenges and the Public Health program\\\'s ground-up solution. They will take a tour of the community Public Health is currently working in, introduce themselves to the beneficiary families, and meet with the Basic Sanitation Committee (CSB). Then, working side-by-side with community members and local masons, volunteers construct five infrastructure projects meant to improve the health of the home and surrounding environment: eco-stoves, latrines, pilas (water storage units), showers and concrete floors. Additionally, as a key component of the program, Public Health volunteers collaborate with the Basic Sanitation Committee and local teachers to help provide community-wide education workshops and training, proliferating sanitation and hygiene practices and empowering families with both the knowledge and tools to live healthier lives.

Water Brigade volunteers will spend 7 days in Honduras implementing a water system to prevent water related illnesses in a community with limited access to a sufficient quantity and quality of clean water. Volunteers receive a comprehensive introduction to the water issues by seeing the community\\\'s current water situation first hand, and meeting and discussing the issues with community members and leaders. With a holistic understanding of the community\\\'s challenges and the Water Brigades\\\' solution, volunteers work side-by-side with community members to construct the new water system. Volunteers may work on a piping system, water storage unit, small dam, water treatment unit or another infrastructural project. Additionally volunteers partner with the community\\\'s Basic Sanitation Committee and provide education and training to proliferate knowledge about proper water use, and proper sanitation and hygiene practices. With a sufficient quantity of properly treated water and proper sanitation and hygiene practices, community members can cut off the connection between water and illness and ultimately live healthier and more productive lives.

The individuals that will only be participating in the Public Health (1/7-1/13) or only Water Brigade (1/13-1/19) will fundraise $750 for the program contribution, while those participating in both the Public Health and Water Brigades (1/7-1/19) will fundraise $1,400 for the program contribution.