FROM: Byron Morales
TO: Tom Camp
COUNTRY: Honduras
DATE: September 2011
ACTIVITIES REPORT: GENERAL COMMENTS The following report is a presentation of the activities and goals achieved during 2010 and
2011 in Honduras as part the strategic partnership AHMEN-SIFAT. The main partnership since the beginning of the strategy has concentrated efforts on a training program to develop community agents that has completed its first year of formation.
Relationship and proposals have been worked out with other international partners like CARE, Kindernothilfe, World Vision, Seminario Biblico Centroamericano, Hospital Evangelico, CAUSE and the Episcopal Church.
In such relationships the strategic work SIFAT-AHMEN has been introduced and proposals developed depending of each Institution expertise. COMMUNITY AGENTS TRAINING PROGRAM After three workshops, since the program began, 52 agents remain in the program, only 12 of the initial group have not continue, although that group, coming from another location (Yorito) is waiting for SIFAT-AHMEN possibilities to train them along with a total group of 30 to 50 candidates.
During the reported period, some of the promoters have been visited to help them specially to understand the practical program they are involved in Honduras.
AHMEN has requested SIFAT to explore four new possible locations to develop the community agents training program next calendar year: La Esperanza (Intibuca Department), Yorito (Yoro Department), La Ermita (Danli Department) and Belaire (Atlantida Department).
Two of these locations have been already explored and reported: La Esperanza & Belaire. We have coordinated with the Hospital of Ciriboya to count with their support for the practical sessions on the health contents of the program and they have attended practical sessions with the physicians and also with the staff from the Lab at Cusuna community.
During the first week of August, 52 community agents involved in the program, along with the AHMEN Medical Brigade, developed a mutual learning experience based in the practical learning of five medical stations from optometric to blood pressure management. The community agents joined the work of the medical brigade attending patients and learning in practical ways a about family health and eyes care.
After this successful and creative pedagogical dynamic, the agents received the First Year Diploma for their achievements on basic health care, educational models, profile of the agents and community diagnostic based in the so called "speaker map", technique to approach a basic community diagnostic using a community map organized by code representing the different areas, houses, risk places and all the potential and limitations of the community.
The next period or Second Year will concentrate in practical tasks to work the community needs in coordination with the Hospital or medical Centers in the Communities, the community boards and the MAMUGA Office which is the official statement responsible for the health in the Garifuna communities.
The next steps of the work will concentrate part time in the continuity of the Training program but mainly in the follow up to the agents into the communities. The first workshop of the second year will take place in November at the Cusuna community. On November 22-25 the first workshop of the second year in partnership with AHMEN will take place at Cusuna community with 50 agents from the first group.
The process for the 2 new groups with AHMEN continues: Belaire & Yorito. HONDURAS PRACTICUM CANDIDATES Four candidates: Nahum Flores, Mario, Suyapa and Mariana from AHMEN Projects were recruited for the 2011 Practicum at SIFAT US. At least a half of the costs have been committed by AHMEN. The candidates are under the regular process now and waiting for their Visas for next Practicum in 2012.
The commitment is that after the training the graduates will be supporting the local workshops facilitating some sessions and providing follow up to the community agents work in their communities. The candidates attended the last workshop and the graduation.
Their interest and commitment continues to be prepared for next year Practicum. NETWORK AND STRATEGYC PARTNERSHIPS DEVELOPMENT CAUSE: This is a private NGO working among the Garifuna communities.
We had a meeting to present the joint program AHMEN-SIFAT. CAUSE works in microcredit projects and would like to consider reinforcing the presence of the agents facilitating eventually the access to microcredit for families involved in the community agents seminars that will be develop this year in the communities. CARE: A systematic relationship has been developed with this NGO.
After meeting with the Health Team we are cultivating a proposal to train Health Promoter that CARE has trained as part of a Project with the MOH funded by the European Union. A meeting with Arnaldo Bueso, CARE CEO, was the opportunity to present a proposal for a consultancy on Gender training for all CARE's strategies. Also a meeting between SIFAT/AHMEN/CARE last July has coordinated the possibility to bring medical brigades to coordinate work at CARE programs/communities. AHMEN developed a Medical Brigade to La Esperanza, the town where CARE develops the pilot health promoters project with the MOH.
We proposed that this Brigade works in the communities where CARE has actions and despite the fact that AHMEN and CARE had that intention, it was not possible because the AHMEN Local Representants (The Bradys) already had a commitment to work in three communities along with the Planta Hidroelectrica owner. Any way CARE sent the regional coordinator to meet the brigade and we had an important conversation with Tom Camp to coordinate next brigades with CARE.
WORLD VISION During the AHMEN Brigade in La Esperanza, we had an important meeting with Anibal Yanez, the regional coordinator in the area of Intibuca Department. I shared with him the work SIFAT and AHMEN are doing in the area. He suggested a meeting with the National Operations Coordinator to explore areas of coordination. We have to determine a date for that meeting.
The National Director opened his time to discuss with possibilities for coordinating some actions, specially related to training and appropriate technology and medical brigades. World Vision has in plans to start a National Training Center at La Esperanza, Intibuca. They have a Center there that will be designated for training all the staff from the ADPs (Area Development Programs).
We have made a verbal proposal for developing the curricula and WV has manifested the interest specially related to appropriate technology. The experience SIFAT-AHMEN on community agents development could be part of this initiative in partnership with World Vision. HOSPITAL EVANGELICO DE SIGUATEPEQUE A good relationship with the Hospital has been developed.
They have been providing a room for free for SIFAT's operations and we can keep there some work materials and luggage. A meeting with the Hospital Board took place this month and the following issues/proposals were covered: To develop monthly seminaries with the Nurses School with subjects on Health and Community Development. To develop a level of articulation between the International medical Seminaries that AHMEN organize and the national medical Seminaries that the Hospitals develops with the MOH.
To coordinate medical brigades, some from SIFAT and some from AHMEN.
To have a permanent place (office) for operations. There is a pending meeting with Dr. Velasco to coordinate ideas and initiatives about the International Medical Seminar with AHMEN and the medical brigades from SIFAT and AHMEN. OTHER POTENTIAL PARTNERS CAS (Comite de Accion Social Menonita), Alfonso Rosales from CCF (Christian Children Fuind), and Betty Roldan from Christian reformed Church, are former contact that are being retaken and waiting for an opportunity to meet with them and explore possible partnerships.
NEW AREAS DEVELOPMENT Medical Brigade to La Esperanza We joined the visit of this brigade and supported the team with translations, dialogues with authorities and the local partners. The main interest was to explore possibilities for new community agents training.
The owner of the Planta Hidroelectrica who is the AHMEN's partner was exposed to the community agents training program. Medical Brigade to Belaire This is a village at Atlantida Department.
AHMEN has developed a relationship with a Colombian-US couple who owns a clinic to serve the communities around. They belong to the Mormons church and have been serving the community with the clinic and medical brigades. The Castellars, the couple that owns the clinic received the information about SIFAT's training program and the costs in case of an interest to start the training. They are positive about the idea and mentioned that they could fund the costs for the seminaries and they count with around 30 volunteers to be trained as community agents.
Yorito The second visit has been set for September 30th. The first visit explored the potentials and now SIFAT-AHMEN have been invited to present the plan and budget to train 30 to 50 new community agents.
AHMEN Coordinator of the Yorito Initiative, Linda Tripp, has committed funding to start the program. NEXT ACTIVITIES, PROJECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS NEW AREAS INITIATIVES To work on a plan and budget to start new community agents groups at Yorito and Belaire for 2012. AHMEN LEGAL STATUTES Advance the dialogue with Abogado Laines to update the costs and requirements.
HOSPITAL EVANGELICO: A formal visit AHMEN-SIFAT Directors to draft a MOU.
A strategic meeting AHMEN-SIFAT to define the future presence in Honduras, new staff, budget, funding sources and the necessary logistic to continue.