The following is part of our series featuring the community participants in the various programs we support. It is through their hard, voluntary, work that leads to sustainable change in their community.
The following was written by Vecinos Honduras and translated by Mary Doyle.
Hancys Yadira Martinez
Hancys is a 28 year old woman who is recognized as one of the dedicated leaders in her community of Casas Neuvas where she participates in domestic and agricultural activities.
Since 2010 she has collaborated in community development activities. In 2013 she learned about the work of Vecinos Honduras and began volunteering as a health instructor.
The following year she collaborated with other institutions such as World Vision where she promoted ideas such as gender equality, leadership, health and human rights, and AIN-C (Atención Integral a la Niñez en la Comunidad) Comprehensive Care for Children in the Community (AIN-C).
Hancys has studied to the ninth grade and she works to promote children living in healthy conditions where they can achieve good development and growth.
She has held positions in community organizations such as parent societies and health committees.
The following is part of our series featuring the community participants in the various programs we support. It is through their hard, voluntary, work that leads to sustainable change in their community.
Eiby Milesi Maldonado
Milesi is a 29 year old leader in the community of Casas Nuevas, Honduras, where she takes part in domestic activities and, together with her husband, in agricultural activities.
In 2013 she learned of the work of Vecinos Honduras and the following year she began training in their methodology. In 2015 she trained in basic sanitation processes, improved stoves, infant nutrition, managing domestic animals, and responsible food preparation and consumption. In 2016 she volunteered in her community as a mother mentor where she helped children achieve adequate development and growth. She studied up to the seventh grade and she likes to collaborate with her neighbours to develop her community.
“Only God and Vecinos Honduras visits these villages.” (Edwin Escoto, Vecinos Honduras Program Coordinator.)
“Only God and Vecinos Honduras visits these villages,” says Edwin Escoto, with a smile and a glance in the rearview mirror as he drives.
He is the Vecinos Honduras Program Coordinator, and at this point in the journey, I am starting to believe him.
It is October, and we are in a Toyota 4×4 in the mountains of Honduras. The road is becoming more rough, winding and washed out as we climb.
I am here in an official capacity as a board member of World Neighbours Canada, to monitor the Maternal and Child Health Project funded by Global Affairs Canada, in partnership with our private donors.
Vera Radyo and Magda Lanuza from the Kenoli Foundation are also in the truck. They partner on these projects and we’ve coordinated the visit.
Canadian recreational 4x4ing did little to prepare me for the realities of Honduran backcountry driving
This is my first time in Honduras, and I’ve come with no expectations. By that, I mean I had essentially no understanding about what lay ahead.
There is clearly an agenda. I catch bits of it, in Spanish, as they discuss the coming days. And I understand they have filled my time with plans to visit several villages to see many things. I’d read the proposal and the reports about the projects, so I knew what this was all about, at least on an academic level. But I couldn’t find the project areas on a map, and I’ve had little experience outside of my Canadian upbringing.
Plus, I don’t speak a word of Spanish, so finding out the plans is a challenge all around. So I keep an open mind, and listen intently to the Spanish sentences, trying to pick up what I can, asking for translation when a translator was available.
Luckily, I’ve driven on rough roads before, though Canadian recreational 4x4ing did little to prepare me for the realities of Honduran backcountry driving. But it helped to quell the panic about the steep inclines and the washouts; the men walking with machetes, and pretending not to be startled when we come across motorcycles rushing at us on blind corners (sometimes on the wrong side of the road). The backs of others trucks we see are full of extra passengers, making the trek up to the villages, or down to Danli, the nearest city.
Almost two hours later: “We get out here.” It’s a farmer’s gathering. We are in a village named Las Flores, and they are expecting us.
It’s a transformed soccer field, with people of all ages celebrating. There is a row of tables on one side of the field, displaying fruit, vegetables. One table has recycled containers of organic fertilizer and pesticides – methods they are learning and teaching each other, from Vecinos Honduras workshops.
All these are the fruits of the labour put in by village participants, who are learning and teaching each other, as part of Vecinos Honduras projects.
It was a grand start to four days of visiting in both the Azabache and the El Guano areas, listening to the stories of project participants, learning about their lives, their struggles, and their successes.
In Claveles, I visited family homes, then a meeting to weigh and measure their young children.
Monthly baby weigh-in sessions are improving child health in Honduras.
The monthly weigh-in is a part of their routine now, thank you to the programs. Before, mothers could never be sure how their babies were growing, or if they were thriving. Now, they see the numbers, and if the young ones are not thriving they get some hands-on advice. Usually, the next month sees an improvement, along with much relief to the mothers and fathers.
In my time in the villages, I watched a monthly child stimulation class; I visited health committee meetings, and heard about goals and struggles.
La Libertad has land set aside for a health centre – they want to put up a building where they can maybe bring in a nurse to help care for pregnant mothers, young children and other health needs. Now, they have to walk about three hours on the rough roads to get to the nearest health centre – in Beuna Esperanza.
Not only did we visit the current project areas, we made a few stops in the El Guano area. This is an area where there are examples of great success from past Vecinos Honduras projects.
Eva Lagos has mastered the making and selling of fried plantain chips, and is supporting her children’s attendance in a better school with her profits.
For example, we visited Eva Lagos, who has mastered the making and selling of fried plantain chips, after learning at a Vecinos Honduras workshop. She sells many pre-packaged bags – enough to make more than $400 USD per month, which she uses to send her children to a better school.
A coffee co-op meeting was held in El Guano, where we heard about the co-op’s successes and ongoing challenges. They have made enough of a profit that they have started a micro-lending program – one per cent interest for women, two per cent for men – a far cry from the interest rates offered by intermediaries who lend to the communities at a huge interest rate that can virtually never be re-paid. We also visited a member of the co-op who used a loan from the coffee co-op to build a coffee dryer.
In Claveles, Francisco Aradón, the water board president, told us about their work. The water board now has two female members, and his village is installing a new water system. Their next goal is to purchase the chlorine they want to use to keep the water safer – something they learned about at a Vecinos Honduras workshop.
Felicita Zaróm back in 2007, after installing an improved stove in her home.
In the El Guano area, I met Felicita Zaróm, who was a participant in Vecinos Honduras programs more than 10 years ago, building one of the first indoor stoves. She’s a community health promoter, and says the programs have changed her life.
Felicita Zaróm now, in 2017, 10 years later.
“I feel like a free woman. After these trainings I realized I was able to speak up in a meeting. I learned to socialize with others, I learned to speak up and have no more fears,” she says.
In my time there, not only did I see the latrines being built – I used them. I washed my hands, and some dishes, at the pilas (a combination between a sink and a water tank); I drank coffee and spice tea made on the indoor, smokeless stoves that are being installed at a rapid rate in homes.
On my last day, I visited a village called San Jose, where Vecinos Honduras was sponsoring a celebration – the International Day of Rural Girls and Women. It took place in a concrete building with a tin roof – hot, sweaty inside. But there was grand celebration – dancing, pinatas, and lunch. I danced with Manuel Castellanos, the community participation facilitator.
I left Honduras with a much better understanding of our programs, the people who run them, and the people who participate. I learned to say Buenos Dias, Mucho Gusto, and Gracias – so much to be thankful for, and much to celebrate in these hard-won successes in the remote communities of Honduras.
If you are interested in seeing more about the programs in Honduras and more images, here’s a slideshow. You can hover over the images and use right and left arrows to view the images below!
The Canadian Government has recently changed its international aid policy to focus on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. In fact, it is the first country in the world to come out with a Feminist International Aid Policy. Previously, the focus was directed to specific countries but now with a new government there is a change of direction. The Executive Summary for the Policy states:
“The last three decades have seen dramatic reductions in global poverty, but not everyone has benefited equally. Hundreds of millions of people, especially women and girls, are still poor, have unequal access to resources and opportunities, and face major risks of violent conflict, climate and environmental hazards, and/or economic and political insecurity. By eliminating barriers to equality and helping to create better opportunities, women and girls can be powerful agents of change and improve their own lives and those of their families, communities and countries. This is a powerful way to reduce poverty for everyone.”
We, at World Neighbours, applaud these efforts as we have seen first hand the effect of systemic sexism on communities. These funding policies mean that should we wish to qualify for funding from Global Affairs Canada we need to make sure we meet all the criteria laid out in the new Feminist International Assistance Policy. This is easier said than done. While we have always endeavoured to encourage projects that promote gender equality within communities there are many barriers to meet these new criteria. Some of these barriers are internal, as they will force us on the Board to rethink how we approach each project. But perhaps the largest barrier lies within our partnering organizations because this is a dramatic shift of thinking and at odds with some traditional cultural norms. Supporting and empowering women in communities is certainly supported by our partner organizations but the process and expectations may not align as closely as we would like. The Policy not only wants to see certain results, it wants the entire process of aid to embody the policy objectives.
Luckily, we have some time to work with our partner organizations and provide training, if needed, to bring them up to speed before we need to apply for project funding. There are also numerous opportunities, such as webinars and training sessions, to help bring us, on the Board, up to speed on these expectations.
Admittedly, this author is definitely trying to figure out what all of this means. I will let you know as things progress. If you want to read the entire policy, check out Canada’s Feminist International Aid Policy.
information from Balvina Amador – project coordinator for Vecinos Honduras; posted by Judy Gray
ROMELIA CÁRDENAS, Guide Mother with Vecinos Honduras
We are happy to have received information from Balvina Amador, project coordinator with Vecinos Honduras, our partner NGO in Honduras. He has provided us with photos and key information about the individuals who are working at the grassroots level to model and support villagers who wish to improve their lives. Without these local leaders, implementation of new technologies and ideas would be difficult to achieve. Our project partners are also benefitting from the financial support provided by Global Affairs Canada through our Maternal Child Health grant.
Here is our first bio:
Romelia is a 54 year old mother and community leader living in San Jose where she is dedicated to running her home. From 2010-2014 she worked in community development with the support of World Vision. In 2014 she met a staff member of Vecinos Honduras and in 2015 she began receiving training in basic sanitation, food preparation, healthy eating, stove improvements, child nutrition and livestock management. In 2016 she integrated herself as a volunteer Guide Mother in her community and since then has been ensuring that the children in her community are growing and developing adequately. Romelia attended school until 6th grade and what she enjoys most is to care for the children of her friends and neighbours. She has worked in directive positions for groups such as the Society of Family Parents.
by Vera Radyo, Executive Director of the Kenoli Foundation and a World Neighbours Canada volunteer; photos by Ken Phillips; posted by Judy Gray
Improved stoves make a world of difference for women, their families and the environment.
Over the years, we have seen dramatic improvements in the lives of the people in the original 10 communities of the Michael Newman Program located in the El Guano area of the municipality of Danli.
As a result of an agrarian reform process, some landless farmers “campesinos” were granted land in the remote mountain areas of the Danli. In 2007, when Vecinos Honduras came there, the community leaders stated that food insecurity was a huge problem with an average of 90 days a year when families had no food and were forced to borrow funds at exorbitant interest rates to feed their families. Thus, not only were they extremely poor, but they were in debt!
This plantain harvest will help feed the family.
The reality for these communities has changed dramatically since then. They are now food secure. The families have learned how to grow organic corn, beans, coffee, vegetables and fruits. Their children are healthier and better nourished. Women cook on improved stoves, no longer inhale the smoke from cooking over open fires and they have made many household improvements. The families no longer live in isolation from one another, but have formed coffee cooperatives and micro-businesses.
Because they live in remote mountainous communities, they are easily forgotten. However, they have learned how to advocate for themselves and have received support from the local municipality in the way of water and sanitation, road improvements, construction of a training center and more. Most importantly, community leaders have been trained as agents of change to ensure that the development is sustained. These communities will never regress to the old ways!
These children are learning a marketable skill — making beautiful baskets!
The Vecinos Honduras model is unique. The staff of the project live in the rural and remote communities in which they work. This model has been very successful and for the past few years, the staff of the Michael Newman Program have shifted the focus of their work to another 7 villages in the mountains of Azabache, where they are already seeing important changes in the lives of the communities.
NOTE: Michael Newman of World Neighbours Canada supported the Vecinos Honduras programs for over 20 years and passed away in 2013. The program was named in his honour. World Neighbours Canada is pleased to be able to support the expansion of this project into a new area, Valle, in part due to grant support from the Canadian Government as part of a Maternal, Newborn Child Health initiative that WNC received. Further program expansion in Azabache is not possible at this time due to insecurity as violent crime is widespread in the country because of the drug trade and ineffective policing.
posted by Judy Gray, with information from Brita and Bob Park
Though I never met Victorino, those who were part of World Neighbours Canada in its early days did meet both Victorino and his wife, Senia. It is clear that he left an indelible impression on those people and clearly embodied the philosophy of World Neighbours Canada. Here are some further reminiscences, from Brita Park, a former Director on the Board:
Senia and Victorino
“Victorino spent several days with us in our log house during the early 1990’s when he was banned from speaking at a Rotary Int’l event in Yakima, Washington. His annual income was considered too low, for him not to be a statistical risk of “defecting” to the US. Bob and I remember how Victorino patted the side of our old loghouse while telling us: “Love lives here” . And how, while hiking in our hills, he took some of the sandy soil and some of the clay into his hands to rub it and evaluate it for growing quality.
And we remember Victorino remarking on how good it is to see children, like our two, so healthy and energetic that they can be rambunctious. (I, in the meantime, was rather embarrassed that they were misbehaving in the presence of a guest.)
I remember, too, the great discussions we had — for example, how Victorino remarked that in Honduras there was too much passive acceptance of ” fate”, and attributing people’s dire situations to divine punishment for sin, whereas here in Canada everything was considered ” fixable” by human ingenuity, with no need to do any soul searching on how we might be needing to reconnect with community and nature as a response to the gift of creation. All this kind of talk was in a garbled “spanglish” that served us well enough, since we felt we were kindred spirits. And he had that smile!
Graem Nelson, a World Neighbours Canada director once told me that he felt he had so much to learn from this minimally schooled man from another ” world”. Bob and I felt the same way. By the way … Victorino earned his Secondary School diploma at age 24, already the father of several children at the time.
One of our sons, who visited us recently, and learned of Victorino’s death, reminisced about his memory of Victorino: “that friendly man with the permanent baseball cap on his head, except when he plunked it on the floor beside his chair at mealtimes.”
(l to r) Elmer Lopez, Senia (Victorino’s wife), Michael Newman (a former director of WNC) and Victorino
The vitality of Victorino is so strong in our memories. Bob and I remember going to Victorino’s and Senia’s home, in 2003, where he went to the backyard to butcher a chicken for our meal, and then came to show us his study, with a computer, and, most importantly, the super encyclopedia two of the founding World Neighbours directors had given his family. Several of his children were also there; each on a path to good education, it seemed to us. For Bob and me, Victorino personified what the word ” good leadership” should mean.
I’m sitting here with tears for the loss of this wonderful person. Just think of his family, and his community! “
posted by Judy Gray with information from Graem Nelson, WNC Director
World Neighbours Canada directors learned yesterday of the death of Victorino Rivera Flores, the first local trainer hired by WNC in the 1980s in Honduras. Victorino was instrumental in motivating and developing program activities in the El Socorro region of that country. Graem Nelson met Victorino several times and has written a moving tribute about this man and has included some vivid personal memories. Graem’s tribute follows … “I was very sad to hear of the death of Victorino Rivera Flores. He will be mourned by his wife Senia and quite a few children, I can recall five at least. And probably by now, some grandchildren.
In 1989, I led a trip of Rotarians to Honduras to meet with the Siguatepeque Rotary Club and World Neighbors Oklahoma staff. The Rotarians included Michael Newman, who was my friend in Oliver, new to Rotary and on his first trip to a “less developed country”. It also included Bob Ellis, who went on to found The Gleaners in Oliver, influenced by his first glimpse of real poverty in the countryside and cities of Honduras.
After getting settled in at Siguatepeque and meeting our Rotary counterparts, we all went to lunch at a fish restaurant at Lake Yojoa. Dr. Miriam Dagen was the temporary area representative for World Neighbors and she welcomed our group to the lunch. We met a young volunteer World Neighbors trainer named Victorino Rivera. He had been working as a farmer trainer at the WN program at El Rosario, a mining village not very distant from Siguatepeque. Victorino was proposed as the leader of the program at El Socorro, which would become the first program funded by WNCanada. With some amazing help from Rotary that continues to this day.
Victorino was already a big young man. He had an infectious grin that spread from ear to ear. He had intelligence, charisma and humour. Our Rotary group was very happy to give him a chance to be a WN program coordinator.
Victorino quickly recruited a fine staff of farmer volunteers to get going on the development program. It included a progressive local farmer whose farm included a neglected hillside visible from the highway. This is where Victorino decided to establish the demonstration plot, where it could be seen by everyone who passed. The transformation of this rocky hillside into a beautiful terraced garden took a year of work; it was remarkable and was noted by everyone who passed. Continue reading “WNC directors mourn the loss of Victorino Rivera”
posted by Judy Gray; with information from Vera Radyo
Vera Radyo, Executive Director of the Kenoli Foundation, a Vancouver-based organization with which World Neighbours Canada works closely in Central America is currently in Honduras to visit project areas in that country. Vera is also a friend and supporter of World Neighbours Canada, and she is the co-chair of the BC Council for International Cooperation. Here are her comments about the situation in that country; especially important on International Women’s Day (March 8th), in light of the recent murder of Berta Caceres, a long-time indigenous human rights activist.
Vera writes: “I salute my sisters all around the world on this special day! I am honoured to be in Honduras to share in the struggles of women here.
It is not an easy time here. As we arrived in the capital city, Tegucigalpa, it was raining heavily, so rare during this time of year that is known for its never ending sun. As we drove south into the dry corridor, we saw so many rivers dried out. Both are examples of extreme climate change.
However, what has shocked people in Honduras and worldwide, is the recent murder of Berta Caceres – an Indigenous Lenca woman, human rights and environmental activist. She was opposing the lack of consultation with Indigenous people about a proposed dam on their lands. We met Berta a few years ago and she was friends with a couple of people on the Kenoli team. Many think her death was politically motivated, to silence her and others like her.
We joined a women’s march and forum opposing violence against women. We learned that in the last 5 years, there have been 5,500 women murdered in Honduras. 95% of murderers are never brought to justice in this country that has one of the highest murder rates in the world.
I was impressed with the courage and determination of the women at the forum. They were not about to be silenced, nor do they want her death to be in vain. They will not allow her death to be forgotten and become another statistic of unsolved murders. Continue reading “International Women’s Day in Honduras”
World Neighbours Canada support in Honduras expands to Valle
World Neighbours Canada has provided support for rural development in Honduras since its inception in 1988. Federal government funding approved last year will allow our partner organization, Vecinos Honduras, to provide assistance in new areas. Vecinos Honduras will support 10 communities in Nacaome municipality and 8 communities in Langue municipality. Both areas are in the department of Valle, located near the Pacific coast and known for its dry climate and poverty. Unfortunately, it is necessary to discontinue activities in several communities in Danli municipality (El Paraiso department) because of security concerns. Violent crime is pervasive in Honduras and travel to many locations is dangerous.
The overall objective of the federal government
support is to decrease mortality rates of mothers and young children. Ironically, the extreme levels of crime (Honduras has one of the highest murder rates in the world) will make project implementation particularly challenging.
Almost two hours later: “We get out here.” It’s a farmer’s gathering. We are in a village named Las Flores, and they are expecting us.
World Neighbours Canada directors learned yesterday of the death of Victorino Rivera Flores, the first local trainer hired by WNC in the 1980s in Honduras. Victorino was instrumental in motivating and developing program activities in the El Socorro region of that country. Graem Nelson met Victorino several times and has written a moving tribute about this man and has included some vivid personal memories. Graem’s tribute follows … “I was very sad to hear of the death of Victorino Rivera Flores. He will be mourned by his wife Senia and quite a few children, I can recall five at least. And probably by now, some grandchildren.
lity and 8 communities in Langue municipality. Both areas are in the department of Valle, located near the Pacific coast and known for its dry climate and poverty. Unfortunately, it is necessary to discontinue activities in several communities in Danli municipality (El Paraiso department) because of security concerns. Violent crime is pervasive in Honduras and travel to many locations is dangerous.
support is to decrease mortality rates of mothers and young children. Ironically, the extreme levels of crime (Honduras has one of the highest murder rates in the world) will make project implementation particularly challenging.