Meet Our Circuit Riders
Honduras Circuit Riders
Oneida Carolina Lara García
Oneida supports 65 communities in the area around Marcala, Honduras. She conducts in-depth community needs assessment, and specializes in training local community members on chlorination, waterborne diseases, administration and other aspects of maintaining a functioning clean water system. She has received training on rural development, environmental community work, municipal law, and the PEC water and sanitation methodology,
In the past, Oneida has worked for the United Nations Program on Agriculture and Food Security, the bi-national Honduras/El Salvador Rural and Municipal Tourism Committees PFNDL Program, and the Rural Development in Western Honduras Project (PROSOC) funded by SERMAG S, an industrial electronics company. Under PROSOC, she also provided technical assistance to 15 Rural Water Associations in Nahuaterique and Santa Elena, La Paz. From 1999-2001, she served as a Water & Sanitation Specialist for the Honduran Water Board Association established by Agua Para el Pueblo (AHJASA/APP) and from 1998-1999 she worked as a Technical Assistant for Marcala’s Municipal Environmental Unit (UMA).
Francisco Napoleón Villela Mejía
Francisco is currently working with 52 communities in the municipality of Copán Ruins, Honduras. He is partnering with local officials to ensure that all of these communities have access to clean water by 2015. As a result of his work, an estimated 20,500 people have access to clean water. In addition to receiving a degree in Community Health, Francisco has participated in trainings on paramedic care for children, HIV/AIDs, nutrition, infectious diseases, and First Aid.
Francisco began his career in Community Health in 2002. He completed his medical residency at the Rafael Villamil Health Clinic in Copán Ruins and also worked as an administrator for the Héctor Bueso Arias Emergency Clinic in Santa Rita. From 2005-2007, he served as the Coordinator for the Western Regional Baseline Study carried out by Medical Assistance Programs International in San Pedro Sula. He also worked as a Health Facilitator for World Vision Honduras in Copán Ruins from 2007-2009.
Ludín Maugdiel Ramos Fuentes
Ludín works with 25 communities in the municipalities of Copán Ruins and Cabañas. There are approximately 7,800 people who benefit from his work. He is an experienced community health worker specializing in water and sanitation training. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Sciences & Letters and also holds a Nursing degree. He has received training on project design and replication, basic sanitation, first aid, and community health diagnostics and strategies.
From 2002-2003, Ludín completed his medical residency at Sésamo Belén Health Clinic in Ocotepeque. Subsequently, he worked as a Nurse at the Héctor Manuel Arias Maternal, Infant and Emergency Clinic in Santa Rita, Copán. Ludín has held a number of positions in and around Copán: General Manager for the Unión y Esfuerzo Nursing Society; Rural Community Health Worker Association of Preventative Community Health, and Health Disparities Data Collector for World Vision Honduras. Most recently, he served as a Community Health Worker for the Red Cross Honduras/Canada Network for Community Health Project from 2008-2010.
Josué Benjamín Tercero Cartagena
Josué works as a Circuit Rider in 6 municipalities in the Department of La Paz. His work in ensuring clean water and adequate sanitation impacts approximately 25,000 people. By training, Josué is a school teacher, but through his work as a Circuit Rider, he has gained extensive experience in health, water and sanitation. Jousué is fluent in English.
In 2000, Josué began work as a Primary School Teacher at Faro de Luz School in La Paz. Subsequently, he took a job as Assistant to the Textile Export Department of the Caribbean branch of Fruit of the Loom. Following his work in textiles, Josué returned to teaching as a Secondary School teacher at the San Martín de Porres Institute in Marcala. At the same time he gained experience as an Administrator for the Danny Brewery Dealer based out of Marcala.
Guatemala Circuit Riders
Alberto Xoch Yaxon
Alberto supports communities around Slolola, Guatemala. He is an expert in performing community needs assessments, including topographic studies of towns, and knows how to design effective, functioning and sustainable water systems. He has been involved in the design and installation of septic tanks, river water collection galleries, rain water storage tanks, and hand washing stations. He also serves as an advisor to Peace Corp volunteers and other international NGOs such as Water for People and Global Water who are carrying out water-related projects.
Diego Ramírez
Diego is currently working with communities around Nebaj, Guatemala. He has extensive experience building, maintaining, and repairing clean water systems and sanitation facilities for schools and communities. He has carried out topographic studies, managed project budgets, and supervised the construction of hand washing stations, latrines, and septic tanks. He has worked with Save the Children to carry out a study of the water needs in 14 schools in the region. He has worked with schools to improve student health and attendance through the provision of clean water and improved sanitation. Diego has also developed an effective presentation on water shed protection, hygiene, sanitation and chlorine that is now being used in all of our community interventions in Guatemala.
Diego grew up in the middle of the civil war in Guatemala. He suffered from a lack of food, clothing and schooling. At the age of 16, Diego was taken from the coffee farm where he was working as a day laborer and was forced to join the Guatemalan Army. After 3 years, Diego suffered a serious injury and was brought to a local hospital to recover. At the hospital, an official gave him a book to read during his recovery.
The book changed his life. He began to learn to read and write, and after finishing his military service he was offered a job as a translator in Ixil/Spanish for a United Nations organization. He continued his studies by night, and also helped his wife to start literacy classes. In 1995, Diego met Lynn Roberts and joined his team as a construction worker helping to build water systems. He has been working in water and sanitation ever since. In 2000, Lynn offered to help Diego earn his highschool diploma, and now he has become a Circuit Rider with Agua para la Salud.
Diego lives in the village of Vitzal in Nebaj, Guatemala with his wife and five children.
El Salvador Circuit Riders
Morena Beatriz Bermudez Alfaro
In 1996, Morena earned a degree in Community Health from the National Institute of Apastepeque, San Vicente. From 1990 to 1994 she worked as a Health Promoter for Profamilia, the largest public healthcare organization in the country. Subsequently, she worked on a Literacy and Basic Adult Education Program. She spent nearly ten years working as a Volunteer for the Ministry of Health in the prevention of malaria. Prior to joining ASSA, Morena worked for World Vision as a local Health Outreach Promoter.
Rigoberto Pineda Palacio
In 1988, Rigoberto began work for the National Agricultural Land Bank. He spent over a decade working for the Association of Agricultural and Livestock Production, and worked for a few years in the Mayor’s Office of Estanzuelas. He joined ASSA in 2001 as a Circuit Rider. He has taken part in over 9 seminars having to do with occupational health, the environment, protection of water resources, and sanitation.
Douglas Dagoberto Villegas Panameño
Douglas finished a technical degree in accounting from 1992 to 1994 at the National Institute Dr. Sarbelio Navarrete in San Vicente. He joined ASSA in 2010 as a Circuit Rider. Previously he spent four years working in Community Health for the Ministry of Health in the Department of San Vicente.
Glenda Xiomara Trejo Duran
Glenda studied Medicine at the Universidad Nueva San Salvador from 1994 to 1997. Subsequently, she completed a one-year program in Computer Data Systems. She specialized in Physics and Mathematics at the National Institute Dr. Sarbelio Navarette in San Vicente. From 1998 to 1999 she served as a Community Health Promoter for the Ministry of Health. From 2000 to 2001 she worked as laboratory clinician in San Salvador. From 2002 to 2005 she worked in an administrative role and in human resources at a local non-profit. She joined ASSA in 2006.
She has received trainings in the vulnerability of aquifers, protection of water sources, sustainability and environmental program design.
Edgar Neftali Rivas Durán
Edgar earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Forestry, Universidad Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo Romero in Chalatenango. He was a student of Agronomy at the National School of Agriculture Roberto Quiñones in La Libertad and did his highschool specialization in Biological Chemistry.
He joined ASSA in 2007. Previously he worked in the Agro-Livestock Improvement Bank of San Vicente and Cojutepeque as a Business Advisor. Prior to that he worked as a Data Collector and Surveyor on a baseline survey for UNOP-PRODERNOR agrarian development projects. He also worked as a Rural Health Worker for the Ministry of Health. He has earned a certificate in Office Management and received training on environmental education.
Luis Edgardo Vidal Guardado
Luis specialized in Auto Engineering at the Dr. Sarebelio Navarette National Institute in San Vicente. He joined ASSA in 2008. Previously, he worked for El Salvador Mail Service, Upholstery Emmanuel, and as a health care worker for the Ministry of Health and Social Services in San Vicente.
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Mission
To improve the quality of water for residents of developing nations through the establishment of partnerships with organizations to provide resources for implementation of training, technical assistance and sustainable technology applicable to the needs of developing nations.
