Honduras Water Project 2010
Community: El Coyolar/Tilapa
Partner agency: Diaconia Nacional
Team: Northern Alberta Deacons Conference and King's University College
Date of departure: May 9, 2010
Funds needed per person: $3,200 for travel expenses and materials for the construction of the
water system
Funds needed for team: For 14 team members, nearly $45,000
Grant from NADC: $14,400
Remaining funds needed by May 9: $30,600 for the team
If you would like to make a direct donation to the team, please make
your check payable to NADC/CRWRC Honduras Water Project
This year marks the 15th anniversary of King’s partnership with NADC and CRWRC in the Honduras Water Project. Over the years more than 200 team members have participated in this excellent learning and service project.
We are pleased to introduce you to the 2010 Honduras Water Project Team:
· Julie Paquette
· David Schermers
· Eric Selles
· Amy Wisselink
· Ashlee Brandsma
· Deana Davis
· Gresham Veldhuisen
· Rebecca Wierenga
· Pawel Zygmunt
· Marie Dening
· Elton Wierenga
· Joelle Degroot
· Eileen Ewald
· Justine Vandergrift (Team Leader)
We will be holding a number of fund raisers in and around Kings that we want you to know about:
· A CAR WASH on Friday, April 16- Be sure to keep your car dirty for this date!
· A benefits concert on Thursday April 15 – Musicians TBA. Keep your eye open for the posters closer to the date.
· An on going bottle drive – bring us your cans, bottles, cartons and we will do the rest.
· Bake sales at as many Kings events as we can handle! Starting with Battle of the Bands in the SAC this Thursday (March 25 at 7pm). So be sure to bring some cash whenever you go to any major Kings event because you will probably see our bake sale table.
· Once again the team is available to do any kind of yard work, or other grunt labor, for those who might need it in exchange for a donation to the project. If you need any work done around your yard/house, let me know and we will get a work crew out for you.
· Another head shaving fundraiser. Last year this was a hit. Anyone willing to be shaved for a good cause??!! What would President Fernhout look like without his curly locks? What would Beukes look like without a beard? This may be our last chance!
· A sports tournament of some kind (this one has not been fully determined yet)
Thank you for helping to support the community in Honduras and the students who hope to learn so much from them.
Description of the Community
El Coyolar is a village located south 10 kilometers from the San Francisco de la Paz municipality, department of Olancho. Approximately 30 minutes from the downtown area, the community is connected to the municipal ground road, and is accessible every month of the year. The most important job sources of El Coyolar are related to agricultural production. The main crops for survival or for sale are: corn, bean and livestock. The organization of El Coyolar consists of a board, water council and parents’ society; there is also a thriving church.
About 15 persons who lived in El Coyolar have emigrated outside the community; 50% of the homes report one or more relatives living outside the country. In El Coyolar, remittance from foreign workers is considered an important source of income for the families. Many have to go to the downtown area (San Francisco de la Paz) to collect the remittance and do their financial transactions.
The Project
The HWP is primarily a learning experience. Participants will experience life in an economically depressed rural community, be introduced to basic community development principles and practices, see first hand how the community works together to solve their problems and gain a deeper understanding of the integrated dynamics of community life. This cross cultural experience will challenge your assumptions, test your communications skills, and change your dietary habits (for a while anyway)
Members of the team will meet for several Wednesday evenings, and for one overnight retreat, throughout the winter term to get a good orientation both to Central America and to the basic principles of Christian community development. You will fly to Tegucigalpa early in May, where you will see both the resourcefulness of Honduran people and the hardships that challenge them day to day. After a brief orientation in Tegucigalpa, the team will travel to the rural community of Coyolar-Tilapa where you will work side by side with Honduran villagers to build a water distribution system. You will live with them, eat their food, sing their songs, play their brand of soccer (and lose), learn to love them and their kids, and perhaps make them love you too! You will experience a new culture and, more importantly, gain an awareness of what Jubilee means in a place like Honduras.
Students who wish to receive academic credit for this incredible learning opportunity can register for the SSCI 300 Field Course in International Development course, worth 3 credits. (See the King’s calendar, page 150)
For more information contact Justine Vandergrift, ext 8107, justinevandergrift@kingsu.ca. or roy.berkenbosch@kingsu.ca