Squads Abroad is a 501c3 non-profit organization under our parent company Global Brigades, a Platinum Level Guidestar member for Financial Transparency. Since 2004, our organization has collectively mobilized more than 70,000 international volunteers to help resolve global health and economic disparities around the world.
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Success Stories

 
An Empowered Community is one that has reached their goals in healthcare, WASH and economic development. They now have the infrastructure, knowledge, leadership and economic capacity to continue growing.

Goals for Empowered Communities

13 Communities have met all goals of an Empowered Community

Goal 1

*Regular, equal, and affordable access to a Healthcare Professional and medication

2 of 100 communities

Goal 2

Daily access to a trained Community Health Worker

77 of 100 communities
280 CHWs trained

Goal 3

Continuous access to a clean water system with a Water Council in place

73 of 100 communities
42 clean water systems constructed

Goal 4

At least 90% household adoption of public health infrastructure projects

25 of 100 communities
2,562 families benefited with Public Health projects

Goal 5

Equal access to sufficient, affordable credit with a trained Community Bank in place

81 of 100 communities
81 Community Banks established and 7,874 small loans issued

Goal 6

*Increase and diversify income

0 of 100 communities

Empowered Communities

El Zurzular, Honduras

Inaugurated in 2012

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 administers their water system built in 2009.

El Cantón, Honduras

Inaugurated in 2014

GB volunteers, staff and community members all worked tirelessly in El Cantón starting with the construction of an improved water system in 2011 and wrapping up by inaugurating the Community Bank’s new building in 2014. The Water Council and Basic Sanitation Committee maintain, operate and administer the Water System, and oversee in-home public health infrastructure. El Cantón has a flourishing Bakery micro-enterprise run by the women of the community, which sells baked goods in the surrounding region.

El Ojochal, Honduras

Inaugurated in 2014

El Ojochal was GB’s first Empowered Community in South Honduras. In the dry, coastal region, the challenge of sufficient water was the first addressed with a new well-based water system which was accompanied soon after by in-home public health infrastructure. The Community Bank continues working to meet the financial needs of the community and there is an operational Agriculture Store business allowing farmers to obtain more affordable agricultural products without having to leave their community. Community Health Workers attend patients in El Ojochal and form part of a larger group of CHWs representing surrounding communities.

Palo Verde, Honduras

Inaugurated in 2015

Palo Verde is a small, isolated mountain community near El Zurzular and had a dire water and public health situation upon GB’s arrival in 2012. Volunteers and community members constructed a new water system and in-home public health infrastructure, which are now overseen by the Water Council and Basic Sanitation Committee respectively. As part of the El Zurzular region training, Palo Verde has Community Health Workers, attending patients in the area. Coffee producers have access to basic financial services at the Community Bank of El Zurzular and some participate in the nearby community’s coffee business.

La Concepción, Honduras

Inaugurated in 2017

La Concepción is a farming community in eastern Honduras. When Global Brigades partnered with La Concepción in 2011, a chronic water shortage was quickly identified. Construction of a water system was complete by May 2012. In early 2014, GB began consulting La Concepción‘s existing Community Bank, which managed a large portfolio, but lacked training and technical assistance. Shortly after, families began investing in Public Health projects including hygiene stations to help further address household sanitation. In September 2017, 18 Community Health Workers were trained in the surrounding communities including 5 CHWs living in the community of La Concepción.

Piriati Embera, Panama

Inaugurated in 2016

In 2013, Global Brigades established and trained a Community Bank in Piriati Embera that now offers loans and savings services to the community members. The pilot of the Community Health Workers program in Panama was done in the community of Piriati Embera where one community volunteer was trained to facilitate community health. A model farm was developed in the community to provide alternative sources of income and encourage better farming practices. The Human Rights program began working in the community in 2014 providing legal consultations to community members and completing 5 family cases.

For more information about specific communities or goals, visit our parent organization Global Brigades’ website.

Squads are passionate groups of volunteers who mobilize abroad to create positive change. Each Squad type has a skill-based focus area that support the education, health and economic development objectives of community partners. Faculty choose their dates, duration (typically 1-2 weeks), and their site location from one of our six program countries.
Squads Abroad is a 501c3 non-profit organization under our parent company Global Brigades, a Platinum Level Guidestar member for Financial Transparency. Since 2004, our organization has collectively mobilized more than 70,000 international volunteers to help resolve global health and economic disparities around the world.
Through virtual or in-country programs, Squads are passionate groups of volunteers who mobilize abroad to create positive change. Each Squad type has a skill-based focus area that support the education, health and economic development objectives of community partners.