The principal goals of our work in El Salvador include the following:

• 1. To establish an effective system for delivering acute and preventative healthcare to members of this underserved Salvadorian community;
• 2. Transition from a system of triage healthcare to one of preventive healthcare by implementing biannual well-child visits, and monitoring key health indicators for the entire community;
• 3. Decrease pediatric malnutrition and the number of underweight children in the community;
• 4. Curb the devastating spread of common endemic disease caused by preventable microbial infections; and
• 5. Promote and sustain health education programs, focusing on pediatric and maternal health.

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Project Las Delicias currently welcomes volunteers traveling individually or in groups of up to 30. Our volunteer program operates year-round, so please contact us with the dates you would like to travel and we will do our best to accommodate you!

Volunteers will work with FIMRC field staff and other local organizations to work toward the goals of our community health initiatives. Volunteers will typically spend half the day at the clinic site, working with the clinic doctor and staff to see patients. After lunch, volunteers will run health education lessons and perform house calls throughout the community. Volunteers can help select themes for health lessons such as hygiene, nutrition or disease prevention. FIMRC is conducting an ongoing project of collecting basic statistics from the community such as family size, previous healthcare and treatment and nutrition. Volunteers can participate in collecting this information and developing initial assessments of pressing healthcare needs.

FIMRC is currently launching a Micro- Health Insurance Project for families in Las Delicias, and are delighted to engage volunteers in our efforts to expand this project to the entire community. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to visit the local healthcare facilities such as the malnourished center and the public hospital.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
8:15 AM	depart from volunteer housing	depart from volunteer housing	depart from volunteer housing	depart from volunteer housing	depart from volunteer housing
9 AM-12 PM	Orientation; tour of Las Delicias	shadowing physician in clinic	Community mapping and house calls	shadowing physicians in clinic	Final games with children
12 PM-1:30 PM	lunch in Las Delicias	lunch in Las Delicias	lunch in Las Delicias	lunch in Las Delicias	lunch in Las Delicias
1:30 PM-4 PM	dental hygiene project with children	discussion with young mothers on nutrition	Visit to local malnourished center	aid with food distribution and play in community	Visit to local crafts store or historical site

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Volunteers wil stay in the Hotel Posada Del Rey Primero in a safe part of San Salvador.  The hotel has running water, hot showers, telephone access and internet access. Breakfast will be provided at the hotel each morning. Volunteers are responsible for purchasing lunch and dinner. Upon your arrival, you will receive a list from FIMRC staff of reputable, safe food vendors in the area of the hotel.

Transportation will be provided by a reputable private driving service which our staff have used since the inception of Project Las Delicias.

    

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The hotel has gate security 24 hours a day.  Volunteers do not use any public transportation.  Vans are hired for daily transportation needs. Additionally, volunteers travel as a group between the project site and the hotel. 

Volunteers drink only bottled water and all fruits and vegetables are washed with a safe solution of iodine and bottled water. We recommend that volunteers refrain from purchasing food or drink on the street as it may cause sickness.

In case of a medical emergency FIMRC refers to the US Embassy list of recommended doctors at http://sansalvador.usembassy.gov/consular/english/acs/doctorslist.html" The Hospital Diagnostico Escalon is considered to be among the best medical centers in the country.

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The vaccination requirements change from year to year, based on the health situation of the country.  Please refer to the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for updates on outbreaks and vaccination suggestions via www.cdc.gov.

The U.S. Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their personal security while traveling overseas.  For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html.

We require all participants in the Global Health Volunteer Program to possess health insurance either from your current provider or from a third-party travel insurance company; for your protection, your insurance policy must include medical evacuation coverage.

Please remember to bring sufficient personal medications, if needed, for the entirety of your time away from home.

US citizens can enter the country by purchasing a tourist visa in the airport. Volunteers who do not hold a US passport must check with the embassy for current regulations. Please see www.elsalvador.org and look up visa requirements.

 

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The following are costs payable to FIMRC for a volunteer mission in El Salvador:

• Program donation: $599 per week ($86 per each additional day)
• Housing and breakfast at the hotel: $49 per day
• In-country transportation: $159 per week

The following are additional estimated costs:

• Airfare: $500-$700 depending on travel dates & season
• Spending money: $150 (minimum recommended amount for in country for miscellaneous daily expenses during your trip)

Long-term placements are negotiable.

 

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The Project Las Delicias Team

The following staff members have been essential in establishing the El Salvador initiative.   Feel free to contact them directly with further questions:

Meredith Mick Field
Operations Manager, Project Las Delicias
meredith.mick@fimrc.org

Meredith handles all logistical FIMRC issues in El Salvador, and works closely with clinic staff, community members, and the volunteers to maximize the impact of the clinic in the community.

Stacy Wallick
Director of Operations, Central & South America
Member, Board of Directors
stacy.wallick@fimrc.org

Stacy is a member of the FIMRC board of directors who has been central to the establishment of Project Las Delicias.

Sara Schoenleber
VP for Volunteer Programs, Global Health Volunteer Program s
ara.schoenleber@fimrc.org

Sara is presently the main coordinator for the Global Health Volunteer Program, handling all stateside logistical issues.  Sara has worked with volunteer groups in El Salvador in the summer of 2008, and would be happy to answer any specific questions about the site or the community.

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