This area is one of extreme poverty and the subsequent critical health and sanitary conditions that followed. In 1980 The Salvation Army opened Harry Williams Hospital as a response to the need for primary health care but had no real way to stem the ever worsening coditions at the source. In January of 1994 the Community Health Project officially began and Darlene Ayres was one of the members of that first team. It is scheduled to be a five year program. The prime abjective of The Project is to improve the health habits of the people of this neglected community.
Roads are dirt and at times impassable.
Water is hauled in daily by truck and is stored outside the homes in large oil cans. Few homes have electricity. Sanitation is primitive. During the two years and two months The Project has been in operation changes have occurred. During the first year the task seemed hopeless, but during the second a glimmer of hope started to appear.