Carol in Honduras

A community of about 70 families. They seem to be a resourceful community but very poor. There was evidence of agriculture …….lots of animals: pigs, chickens and cows around……lush grazing land. They gather rainwater off the roofs for the animals.

The water source

This is the water source……one tap for the entire village for drinking water and household/ personal uses (bathing and clothes washing in the very brown river) They have an agreement with a couple of other communities to pay a landowner for the water access but have a plan for a water source of their own. They need to pay off their debt to the landowner, a water expert needs to be brought for a plan and a water system built.  I see this as the immediate need of this community.

San Jose, Guatemala

Marel

This is a picture of Marel and I working on the budget for the new school in Carrizalito. about this school. I love the community………..their enthusiasm, and I am so excited desire to offer their children a better environment to learn. This will be a school dedicated to the memory of Al Walker. I like to think that because of his obvious love of travel, he would like having a little space in a this corner of Honduras.

It’s measured and ready to go. The community is hoping to have the sand donated and will be working on that.

Measured and ready to go

Carlos

I would like you to meet Carlos. This young man will complete Grade 12 in a few months after overcoming what most of us would find insurmountable obstacles. He borrowed 50$ from me to finish eleventh grade and when coffee season arrived he paid back every cent. His father is paralyzed and his mother supports the family as best she can by working in the fields as seasonal labor. He needs about 250$ to complete his schooling…..for uniforms for his work experience in a hotel, money to do his volunteer experience locally, money for a compulsory field trip to SPS and also money for graduation expenses. We worked out the budget today. Half will be a “scholarship” and half a loan. He will start repaying me in December when he finishes school……during coffee picking season. He says he makes about 5-7$ a day depending on how much he picks. His dream is to go to university.

The chickens are alive and laying. I love the chickens!
I had a celebration for the 7th Grade class. These will be the first 5 people to finish a Grade level past Grade 6 in this community

I spent time with Maria, Luisa, Paula, Marvin and Samuel discussing their work . They wrote notes to thank me and those who funded this project for this opportunity.

All in all I am pleased with both the Chicken program and the 7th Grade program in El Chilar. There are some particular challenges with the chicken project and decisions to be made when this school year finishes in November.