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Hope for a Family program expands possibilities in Honduras

CFCA has been working in Honduras since 1982 and offers Hope for a Family sponsorship through five projects and 75 subprojects. Through various livelihood initiatives and supplying basic necessities to improve quality of life, CFCA works tirelessly to empower families, offering hope and helping them create a path out of poverty.

Honduras is one of the least economically developed countries in Latin America. The rugged terrain isolates communities from one another in rural areas. Often times it is very challenging for staff to access the communities where sponsored children, youth and the aging live.

The largest project in Honduras is the Santa Barbara project. Until recently, many children in this area left school early to seek jobs working as farm laborers. Now, with the support of the Hope for a Family program, more and more sponsored children are deciding to continue their education. Hope is spreading through these communities, and inspiring younger children and their families to realize new possibilities that were once unavailable to them.

Santa Barbara project brings mothers together

One goal of the Hope for a Family program is to empower families to improve their lives. To that end, Santa Barbara Project Coordinator Manuel Pineda traveled to India to learn how groups of mothers are playing a greater role in the sponsorship program.

These groups, known as mothers groups, have been very successful in India. The concept involves groups of mothers teaming up to form small communities that can work together. Elected leaders of groups receive training in problem solving, finance and budgeting, and this allows the groups to have more ownership in their Hope for a Family program benefits. It also respects the dignity of the mothers, who now have a newfound voice for their families.

In 2008, Santa Barbara was one of the first projects in Latin America to form mothers groups. Pineda and his staff had to find new ways for the mothers groups to be effective halfway around the world from where they originated. The different culture and economic structures presented new challenges to overcome. But so far, the groups have been successful in helping mothers in the Santa Barbara project become more self-sufficient through livelihood initiatives.

A new home offers a new beginning

CFCA strives to adapt to the specific needs of each community it serves. Staying true to its mission of walking with the poor involves finding new solutions to problems identified by maintaining close relationships with sponsored members.

In the Ocotepeque project, CFCA identified many children in extremely high-risk situations. People in the communities in this area of the country are impacted by extreme poverty, domestic violence, widespread drug and alcohol abuse, and a high incidence of HIV/AIDS in the population.

Some of CFCA’s sponsored children in this area have been deeply affected by these problems and survive only with the help of relatives or older siblings when parents are no longer able to care for them.

In November of 2008, CFCA opened the doors to Casa Hogar (Home Shelter) in Ocotepeque. Funded and built completely by CFCA, Casa Hogar directly meets the needs of children and the aging living in high-risk home situations by giving them a new, safer environment to call home.

With agreement from parents or guardians, Casa Hogar offers the children more secure living conditions, proper nutrition and help with their education. The CFCA staff also works with the child’s family to improve situations and work toward eventual reintegration, in some cases.

Committed staff travels far and wide

Because of the rugged landscape of Honduras, many CFCA staff members travel long distances to reach the communities they serve. The efforts of the staff to reach remote communities become daily adventures for these dedicated members of the CFCA movement.

Staff members from the Santa Rosa project in Honduras sometimes have to travel many hours through mountains to reach communities such as San Antonio, Villanueva, La Zumbadora, Cuchilla Encerrada, El Limón, San Joaquín and Quebrada Grande. These trips can involve several-hour car rides and then long journeys on horse or foot once the paths are too small or dangerous for vehicles.

The deep ravines and mountain ranges that surround these isolated communities make it difficult for staff to deliver benefits. Seasonal, wet weather in these areas also makes travel difficult. Oftentimes the dirt paths are muddy, causing people and horses to slip or get stuck. Families and staff members work together to repair roads or do whatever is necessary to carry out the mission of serving these communities.

Sponsor a child in Honduras

Read a letter from Miriam del Carmen Cartagena de Jaco, Ocotepeque project coordinator.

Read a letter from Manuel Pineda, Santa Barbara project coordinator.

Read a letter from Ricardo Antonio Garcia, Santa Rosa project coordinator.

Read a letter from Sandra Yamileth Portillo, Suyapa project coordinator.

Sources:

World Factbook