Carol in Honduras

BINGO was the game. Prizes and cake were enjoyed! Brayan translated for me and called the game. Karen, Scott and Telma monitored the accuracy of the kids numbers. We used Cheerios for markers. I guess it was no surprise that the markers kept disappearing.

With our last school visit done, we wish the class, Armando (their teacher) and the parents farewell till next time.

Oh yes…..for those who made grand efforts to get the backpacks down from Canada last October (Barry, Donna, Karen, Phyllis and Sonya). It was well worthwhile and the kids are thrilled with having real backpacks.

We went to visit Santa Anita and the leaders and the community formally presented a budget
and proposal…….asking for our help to build a new school. We are in the process of reviewing the numbers and I have been firm in the municipality supplying some of the materials (specifically sand, backfill, and the cost of the foreman) before I consider the materials budget. The community is prepared to provide the labor for construction

Part of the school is wood and part Adobe…….the Adobe they used a short time ago to patch the building is turning to dust.

Across the flatland past a huge Tilapia farm. Then into the hills and the roads got worse……… hmmmmm I think it was a road even though it looked more like a cow path. Good thing we had 4 wheel drive. Our first clue of what was to come was when OSCAR got out to change to 4 wheel drive.

We arrived to an excited classroom of students sheltered by their new roof. Each student had brought a flower from their home to present to Karen and I.

And then we were treated with the most special of lunch’s ….chicken soup with vegetables and rice and of course, tortillas and Coke.

Karen and I with OSCAR, the Education director for the area.

Telma….. my friend and fund administrator here in Copan was able to join us.

This is always a planning day for me. I now have a list and just need to plug in the visits into the days I have here……then arrange transportation. The El Chorreron School where we bought materials for a roof sounds like an amazing community. Telma attended the celebration for the new roof and seemed very impressed. She says the parents and teacher are a very organized and involved in the school. It sounds like a good community to invest in so I plan on visiting.

This is the mug they made me and gave Telma to give to me when I visited Copan again. It has photos of before and after the new roof on it. As always I am humbled by the gratitude of a community when I really did so little.

These children will no longer be rained on inside their classroom

My impression of Rosario is that she is a leader of leaders. She was raised in one of the communities that we went to yesterday, has a background in social work and may or may not be a midwife. She runs a clinic in a town near Quetzaltanango which has the goal of quality care for less money than the private clinics charge……and to avoid the public system which apparently will kill you if your disease doesn’t.

Rosario seems to be a leader of leaders. She is the initiator and glue for the women’s groups that she has started. There are 15 rural communities that have formed women’s groups. The women who choose to be involved come together to form a group and choose a president and secretary. Those groups then have an elected council who monitor the community groups. They then have had access to various projects like more efficient cook stoves, latrines and water filters. They also have some sort of a micro loan thing and the families can then have access to a cow, pigs, rabbits for their own use or to sell to supplement their income.