Measuring the Difference Volunteers Make: An Evaluation of a Residential Air Quality Program in San Miguel, Costa Rica
Abstract
The purpose of this trip is to serve the residents in the slums of Los Lagos through home renovation work. The public health topic surrounds community and environment improvement. The task is to build two wood-burning stoves and convert two houses from dirt floors to wooden (pallet) floors. There will be little side projects, that the trip participants will complete as needed by each individual family home. This includes painting houses and gardening work. Currently, only a few families have stoves in their homes. The wood-burning stoves that will be built are EPA-certified and thus burn more efficiently. The objective is to evaluate the success of this community improvement program. Diseases of the respiratory system are in the top ten leading causes of death in Costa Rica. Prolonged exposure to smoke from wood-burning stoves, especially in poorly ventilated houses, is a risk factor for respiratory illnesses. This poster presents the results of an evaluation of a community program to improve residential air quality by building EPA-certified stoves in an income-poor area of San Miguel, Costa Rica. The objective of this research is to evaluate program and student volunteers on the difference they make in people’s lives and the greater community. Focused interviews and impact assessments will be utilized to measure the completion of program objectives and volunteer’s perceptions of impact on the target population. Results of this research will be used to inform future service-learning opportunities to this region.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Christi Navarro
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Shermany Library
Start Date
4-5-2019 1:00 PM
End Date
4-5-2019 5:00 PM
Measuring the Difference Volunteers Make: An Evaluation of a Residential Air Quality Program in San Miguel, Costa Rica
Alvin Shermany Library
The purpose of this trip is to serve the residents in the slums of Los Lagos through home renovation work. The public health topic surrounds community and environment improvement. The task is to build two wood-burning stoves and convert two houses from dirt floors to wooden (pallet) floors. There will be little side projects, that the trip participants will complete as needed by each individual family home. This includes painting houses and gardening work. Currently, only a few families have stoves in their homes. The wood-burning stoves that will be built are EPA-certified and thus burn more efficiently. The objective is to evaluate the success of this community improvement program. Diseases of the respiratory system are in the top ten leading causes of death in Costa Rica. Prolonged exposure to smoke from wood-burning stoves, especially in poorly ventilated houses, is a risk factor for respiratory illnesses. This poster presents the results of an evaluation of a community program to improve residential air quality by building EPA-certified stoves in an income-poor area of San Miguel, Costa Rica. The objective of this research is to evaluate program and student volunteers on the difference they make in people’s lives and the greater community. Focused interviews and impact assessments will be utilized to measure the completion of program objectives and volunteer’s perceptions of impact on the target population. Results of this research will be used to inform future service-learning opportunities to this region.
