Honduras is one of the least developed countries in Latin America. The backbone of the economy is agricultural, and educational opportunities are limited — most Hondurans do not complete high school. Economic advancement among the rural population remains on the decline. Consequently, Honduras ranks 109th on the 2010 Human Development Index report. More than 50% of Hondurans live below the poverty line (less than U.S. $1/day). It is estimated that 80% of the people in Honduras have access to water, but only 70% in rural areas. However, 90% of the water supply is intermittent and unreliable. Only 44% of the water in rural areas is up to health code standards, due to the absence of water quality control. Deforestation has contributed to the lack of water in Honduras. As the land has been stripped of trees, the natural water retention rate in the earth has been reduced. This has affected crops and contributed to the high rate of poverty. The rural areas have been drastically affected the most by the lack of treated water. Women and children often must walk miles to obtain water for their families’ daily needs from dirty rivers or springs. They fill their containers up with water and start the long, strenuous journey back home. Oftentimes this journey can take up to six hours. Unfortunately, diseases such as diarrhea and hepatitis are prevalent in Honduras from the bacteria-filled water. Tocoa is a municipality city in the northern Honduran department of Colón, 126 miles away from the second largest city, San Pedro Sula. It is located in the Aguan Valley and situated on the right bank of the river, surrounded by the Río Tocoa, Río Taujíca, Río San Pedro, and Río Salamá rivers. The climate is hot and tropical with an average temperature of 84.4°F; the rainy season lasts from June to January, with an average precipitation of 39.3 inches annually. There are approximately 80,000 residents in Tocoa. Because of its strategic position in the middle of the Aguan Valley, the region is a major agricultural area. However, most of the farmlands were recently given over to the African palm oil plantations or oil processing plants. These plants provide employment for a number of the residents, while others from the rural areas work in agriculture (subsistence). Tocoa has been experiencing a great economic boost lately. Still, the area is impoverished, as much of the production is in the hands of few. This has created a lot of social turmoil. Most people in these communities are extremely poor, as they only have temporary jobs and don’t have a steady income, and are able to eat just once a day. The basic diet of residents from these communities is what they grow, rice, beans and corn tortillas. Most of the residents live in poorly constructed homes made of mud (bajareque), wood, plastic, or any other materials that can be found. For the most part, families do not have access to electricity or sewage systems, although there is running water which is not potable. Others rent rooms in what are called “cuarterias.” Elementary education is available for children who live in Tocoa. However, in order to receive a secondary education they have to travel to the urban part of Tocoa. The Need The Open Door Ministries which is an NGO organization empowers the under-privileged, poor, fatherless children to live responsible lives. They also provide food distribution, construction, medical and orphanage assistance, and micro-economic aid to the children of Honduras. They have been supporting the area with a feeding center for many years and are operating out of an old dilapidated building which is in dire need of repairs. The community is desperately in need of a safe place where the young children can be nurtured and fed each day. The organization is not in a position to undertake this major expenditure and at the same time attend to the needs of the less fortunate and children considered to be vulnerable or at risk due to the lack of basic food. Neither the municipality nor the community has the funds to embark on this project, which will allow for the renovation of the old building and also the construction of an additional building with a security wall around the property.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 13:34:04 +0000
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