My name is Norma Angélica Licona, welcome to the Educational Family Center for Honduras Development, located in Nueva Esmeralda, Guaimaca, Francisco Morazán. Since 1999, when the center was created, we have been dedicated to training young people who have very limited resources and come from protected areas close to Guaimaca. Many Young people come to us with hope, enthusiasm, the will to succeed and looking for better opportunities.

A number of economic constraints have to be considered. It is hard to meet basic requirements for a proper and good quality education. There is no computer lab, for instance, and the buildings have to be maintained and repaired. Parents, students and mentors are fundamental for the development of the ‘sandwich training’. Boys acquire skills in fields such as carpentry, masonry, staple food and get also administrative training. Girls, on the other hand, acquire tailoring skills and handicraft techniques.

Study visits are part of the program. Youth gatherings at a national level including the 7 centers across Honduras. These gatherings filled with cultural and recreational activities create a pleasant atmosphere during the gatherings. Five years ago, the ninth grade was added to the artisanal training program.

Despite not having a large building, the students and parents have expressed their satisfaction with the development of the activities and the training since the trade go accordingly with the activities of the area. Would you like to support our project? We are always looking for allies in order to keep going with the development of young people, avoiding delinquency and drug addiction, both major social issues in our country.

Translation by: Ana Irazú Alfaro Molina