I have exciting news for New York Helpers. Tomorrow, I will be sending to Joel, our coordinator, money for the start of the new school in the lower villages (La Missión) based on a budget prepared by Joel and Salvador (Lead builder for the project). The materials will be delivered at no charge by the municipality of Yoro. This is the start of a 5 room junior high school similar to the one we built in Mataderos for the upper villagers. This will mean that all tribal children will have access to education through the 9th grade (before it was only K-6 grades). We will be asking for your support as we build room by room. Each room costs approximately US $3500.
More good news. In their annual highway improvement project whereby the Honduran government funds several weeks of work for local villagers and, in this case, heavy equipment, the road between Los Cuchillos and La Fortuna is supposed to be completed. This will mean that La Fortuna (and, therefore, La Laguna) will be linked to Agua Blanca in the lower villages by road. In support of this, we have been asked to supply 2 barrels of diesel (4000 Lempiras) for the machinery. I will also be sending this money.
More good news. The sewing project in 7 villages has been launched. Alba Luz, the head of CEVER, wrote that they had 7 tables, 7 chairs and 8 whiteboards, made in their carpentry program, ready be delivered to the trained sewers in 7 villages. CEVER is a vocational school in Yoro. NY/HELP helped CEVER purchase the current site shortly after Hurricane Mitch in 1998. CEVER was founded in 1976 and its original site was in downtown Yoro. NY/HELP has helped provide some support to CEVER through tuition for some students, and by contracting them to build things for us. Alba Luz appreciates our having them make things as this helps support their program and gives their students experience on projects. These tables, chairs, and whiteboards will be used for sewing classes to be given by women trained by Aracely García in La Laguna and will result in the need for more treadle sewing machines as the knowledge spreads. Special thanks to Connie Frisbee Houde and New York Help Administrator Scott (Carlos) Reinhart.
Yours,
David Makepeace
NY/HELP Honduras Interpreter / Translator
