In 1999, when Hurricane Mitch laid waste to vast swaths of Honduras, a small group of Baltimore clinicians, in partnership with The Church of the Redeemer [Baltimore] and the Honduran Episcopal Diocese, flew down to see how they could help.  Back then, few imagined this initial intervention would in 2010 grow into OCHO, a full-fledged medical and educational nonprofit with strong collaborative ties to the remote rural communities of Santa Bárbara. 

 

Under the leadership of clinicians and professionals, OCHO designed a successful model of medical care, based on partnerships with trusted local leaders.  In the last 10 years, a new generation of volunteers and leaders have expanded on that initial vision of promoting sustainable change in Honduras, implementing a sophisticated, multidisciplinary approach to public health. 

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OCHO invested its own resources in these projects, and also mobilized funds from international aid agencies to build necessary and sustainable infrastructure, including:

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• a water purification plant [2011]

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• a health center [2015]

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• an innovative rehabilitation and education center for children with disabilities [2017].

 

Through these investments, and our efforts to build human capacity in Atima, OCHO has brought about noticeable improvements in primary care, special needs, and the number of teen pregnancies.  

 

In 2019 OCHO emerged with a bold new strategic plan that will solidify the gains we’ve made, and strengthen a more sustainable health system by investing in human capital.  Our efforts will be directed to train Honduran doctors, educators, therapists, and public health personnel, equipping them to provide a higher standard of care for the elderly, newborns, adolescents, and children and adults with special needs.