July 2023 – Colegio Visit
From July 18th to 23rd, a small team traveled to El Rosario with the primary goal of continuing to support the colegio (high school) in recovering and bouncing back from the disruption of the pandemic. On this relatively short trip, we were able to meet with a number of community leaders, make new connections, and accomplish a great deal.
Our main objective in El Rosario was to check-in on the colegio, to learn how the school year is going, to meet some immediate needs, and to understand what are the biggest priorities for improvement. We were able to see to some much needed repairs – a leaking roof and plumbing issues in the bathrooms – as well as procure furniture and school supplies for the biblioteca and materials to support the school’s agriculture curriculum.
We had a very candid and productive conversation with the teachers, where we learned that the school year is going well, and in particular the students from surrounding indigenous villages have caught up after struggling in the beginning of the year. The food and transportation programs that we have funded have been crucial to maintaining enrolment and will be a vital selling point when recruitment begins in October. Another topic which came up was the ongoing efforts to develop extra-curricular programs at the school – including the soccer team, student dance groups, and bringing back the marching band.
While our main focus of this trip was education programs, the topic of El Nino and the drought’s devastating effect on this year’s crop was certainly at the front of everyone’s minds. We met with a large contingent of the local farmers to hear their concerns as well as their ideas for how to address both the immediate and longer term needs of the community. Some excellent ideas were proposed by the farmers and the patronato - ACTS members are currently engaged in follow-up discussions with our Honduran partners to help put these ideas in practice.
Other noteworthy points from the trip were: an introductory meeting with another education-focused NGO to explore a potential collaboration, purchasing and delivering much-needed new furniture for the classrooms in Los Planes, and attending the colegio’s National Lempira Day festival on July 20th
Team members: Matt Garton and Charlie Miller from the US, joined in Honduras by Esperanza Guzman
