HEALTHY COMMUNITIES PROGRAM

El Salvador struggles to provide basic health care to its population. Communities lack the tools necessary to address numerous illnesses and to improve the overall health of their families. ENLACE has found that churches can be instrumental in serving their neighbors, by listening to their health challenges, and by addressing them with initiatives that draw people together to formulate effective, long term solutions. In so doing, churches serve the “whole person” and are able to demonstrate the love of and compassion of Christ.

ENLACE facilitates the development and strengthening of community health committees and local church outreach committees to mobilize and organize leaders and members to identify, design, implement, manage, and evaluate appropriate health initiatives. Church and community organizations collaborate with local public authorities and institutions, churches, ENLACE and other private sector partners.

The Healthy Communities program includes primary health care services through short-term medical teams and permanent clinics , preventive health education , water and sanitation, nutrition and other special projects to secure health in low-income communities. The aim of the program is to create the organizational capacity of church and community leaders to identify, design, manage and evaluate appropriate health solutions that are integrated and sustainable.

Over the last ten years, ENLACE has partnered with churches and community organizations to implement four health clinics. The medical clinics are implemented in each community with the goal of becoming self-sustainable within 5 years. The medical clinics are also an important catalyst for other health initiatives in the community. The clinics provide basic health care, but also conduct preventative health education and support other health initiatives in the community. The clinics are managed by a local church or health committees. Church outreach committees often pay for patients who cannot afford to pay for the medical visit and medicine.

FUNDING

If you are interested in how you can contribute to ENLACE's “Healthy Communities Program” please email us at partner@enlaceonline.org or give online...