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Gl obal W ate r Br igades at Be r keley

Honduras: Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras is a democratic
republic in Central America. It was formerly known as Spanish Honduras to
differentiate it from British Honduras (now Belize).[2] The country is bordered
to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast
by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, and
to the north by the Gulf of Honduras, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea.

Economy: The economy has continued to grow slowly but the distribution of
wealth remains very polarized with average wages remaining low. Economic
growth in the last few years has averaged 7% a year which has been one of
the most successful growths in Latin America, but 50%, approximately 3.7
million, of the population still remain below the poverty line.[9] It is estimated
that there are more than 1.2 million people who are unemployed, the rate of
unemployment standing at 27.9%.

Honduras was declared one of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries by the
World Bank and the International Monetary Fund which made it eligible for
debt relief in 2005.

Both the electricity services (ENEE) and land-line telephone services

(HONDUTEL) have been operated by government agencies, with ENEE
receiving heavy subsidies because of chronic financial problems. HONDUTEL,
however, is no longer a monopoly, the telecommunication sector having
been opened to private-sector companies after December 25, 2005; this was
one of the requirements before approving the beginning of CAFTA. There are
price controls on petrol, and other temporary price controls for basic
commodities are often passed for short periods by the Congress.

After years of declining against the U.S. dollar the Lempira has stabilized at
around 19 Lempiras per dollar. In June 2008 the exchange rate between
United States Dollars and Honduran Lempiras was approximately 1 to 18.85.

Water Supply and Sanitation: Water supply and sanitation in Honduras

varies greatly from urban centers to rural villages. Larger population centers
generally have modernized water treatment and distribution systems,
however water quality is often poor due to lack of proper maintenance and
treatment. Rural areas generally have basic drinking water systems with
limited capacity for water treatment. Many urban areas have sewer systems
in place for the collection of wastewater, however proper treatment of
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wastewater is scarce. In rural areas, sanitary facilities are generally limited to

latrines and basic septic pits.

Water and sanitation services were historically provided by Servicio

Autonomo de Alcantarillas y Aqueductos (SANAA). In 2003, a new "water
law" was passed which called for the decentralization of water services. With
the 2003 law, local communities have the right and responsibility to own,
operate, and control their own drinking water and wastewater systems. Since
passage of the new law, many communities have joined together to address
water and sanitation issues on a regional basis.

Many national and international non-government organizations have a

history of working on water and sanitation projects in Honduras. International
groups include, but are not limited to, the Red Cross, Rotary Club, Catholic
Relief Services, Water for People, CARE, CESO-SACO and SHH.

In addition, many government organizations working on projects include: the

European Union, USAID, the Army Corps of Engineers, Cooperacion
Andalucia, the government of Japan, and many others.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honduras

To read more about drinking water in developing countries, here is a link to

an article by Dr. Ashok Gadgil, a UC Berkeley senior scientist at LBNL:
http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.energy.23.1.25
3

You should be able to access if you are connected via UC Berkeley.

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Vaccinations:

Typhoid
Tetanus
malaria
hepatitis A and B

You will need to check with your physician about the timing of your vaccines
and check your medical record to see which vaccines you require. (some of
you may already have tetanus or hep A). Remember to get vaccinated
sooner rather than later as some shots, such as hep A require two
vaccinations a couple of months apart. If you go to the Tang Center, and
schedule an appointment stating that you will be traveling abroad to
Honduras, they will make it easy for you by preparing a list of vaccinations
you will need for the country.

Traveler’s Insurance: For those of you do that do not have Traveler’s

Insurance, we can purchase it for $35 through APF travel, the agency that is
coordinating our flights.

What to Expect: A positive & flexible attitude and sense of adventure are
the first requirements for a meaningful mission experience. If you are on
your first trip to a developing nation you must keep in mind that things do
not always work as we are accustomed to, nor as we expect them to. The
infrastructure in Honduras remains several years behind that of the USA and
plans often change. Should inconveniences occur, understanding is always
greatly appreciated. Consider yourself ambassadors and Please be prepared
to go with the flow.

Water: NEVER drink the tap water in Honduras. Bottled water and juices will
be readily available at all times. It is very important to brush your teeth ONLY
with bottled water and to avoid rinsing your toothbrush with anything but
bottled water. It is also important to keep your mouth closed while
showering. The staff at Nuevo Paraiso will take all the necessary precautions
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when preparing our meals and beverages. Outside of Nuevo avoid ice and
only drink commercially bottled water or fruit juices.

Meals: All meals will be provided. Lunches will vary depending on the
location and timing of the day’s activities. Meals include lots of fruits and
vegetables, chicken, rice, beans, tortillas, and fruit juices. The meals are
typical Honduran. Please let us know before you arrive if you have any
special requirements (e.g. vegetarian meals). The kitchen staff tries very
hard to please their guests.

What do I pack!?

• A hat to block the sun

• Sunglasses

• Digital Camera or Regular Cameras, extra batteries and plenty of film

• Comfortable walking shoes

• Your usual toiletries (toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, etc)

• Sandals

• Lightweight cotton clothing (We will be getting dirty!)

• You may want to pack clothes that you could leave for the villagers.

• Insect repellant (deet)

• Jacket, sweater, and/or sweatshirt

• Reusable water bottle to carry on brigade

• Traveler’s pouch to carry cash and passport

• Waist pack and/or backpack to carry personal items to mission sites

• Snacks (a few granola bars, Pringles, etc.)

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• Rain poncho and/or small travel umbrella

• Kleenex tissues

• A light blanket

• Pre-moistened cloths ("Wash & Dry", "Wet Ones") and/or anti-bac gel

• Ample supply of any prescription medications plus OTC medicines for

allergies, upset stomach/ intestinal sickness, etc.

• Spending money ($75 - $100) for souvenir shopping, beverages, $40

exit tax (US dollars are fine). Hold this money back. You can’t leave the
country without it!

**You will be receiving more information about flights, arrival information,

internet and phones, luggage, travel documents, a typical brigade agenda
and more at our 2nd meeting.

Sociedad Amigos de los Ninos (SAN)

(Friends of the Children) Founded in 1966, the non-profit humanitarian organization,

Sociedad Amigos de los Ninos (www.saninos.org.hn), embraces the world of the
orphaned, abandoned, and abused children, teenagers and young women at risk of
Honduras. The organization has many projects in which it works tirelessly providing
food, clothing, shelter, medical services, education, training, and psychological
support to the underserved of this critically impoverished country. In an effort to
instill a sense of self-reliance and self respect, SAN places emphasis on family
values, education, rural development, agriculture and micro enterprises.

Sociedad Amigos de los Niños is a unique humanitarian organization that is based in

the Miraflores area of Tegucigalpa. SAN was founded by Sister Maria Rosa Leggol of
the Order School Sisters of Saint Francis. Some of the programs where SAN is
making a difference include:
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The Pedro Atala homes, housing more than 60 children whose parents are
incarcerated, deceased, or have abandoned them due to addiction or poverty.

Neuvo Paraiso, a village for single mothers and their children, was began with the
mission of transforming the lives of families through education, practical training,
healthcare, and shelter, allowing them to journey towards independence. SAN has
developed a “Kinder” for children of preschool age, primary and secondary schools,
Medical clinic with ambulatory services for the surrounding area, and several micro
enterprises within the Nuevo Paraiso village to provide employment for the
residents. Currently, several of the single family homes are being converted into
Orphanages as Nuevo Paraiso adapts to address a growing need.

Granja Flor Azul, a program that provides boys from ages 12-18 a safe place to
live with dignity, while providing an education, general life-skills, and training to
work the land. Currently there are 100 boys living at Flor Azul!

Young Women's Vocational School, providing educational opportunities to young

women wanting to break the often dangerous generational cycle of working as
domestics. The Vocational School helps young women complete their GED, teaches
computer, sewing, and secretarial skills, as well as music and traditional dance.

“Cielos de Honduras”, a brick factory micro enterprise developed to provide

economic opportunities for local residents.

“In working together through our unique gifts, we have moved a step
closer in bringing the Americas together through spiritual and physical
healing. Your involvement is what is important. The greatest gift is your
presence with us, giving and sharing community.”

- Sister Maria Rosa

Founder of Sociedad Amigos de los Niños (SAN)

Source: http://www.fhcindiana.org/about%20SAN.htm

Contact Info of your fellow brigaders in case you want to ask them
out on a date:

Name Email
helen@globalbrigades.o
Helen Yu rg
jazzmin_a@berkeley.ed
Jazzmin Adibi u
Ann Oh annoh@berkeley.edu
Mihir Bikhchandeni mbikhchand@gmail.co
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m
Andy Maxwell ajmax8@berkeley.edu
claremcinery@berkeley.
Clare McInery edu
trapham514@berkeley.e
Tra Pham du
chandrasekhar.radhika@gmail.c
Radhika Chandrasekar om
ftabassoom@berkeley.e
Farhana Tabassoom du
Jing Liu jingcliu@berkeley.edu
Elisa Lee leelisita@gmail.com
glorialu111287@berkele
Gloria Liu y.edu
dsouza_taffy@berkeley.
Stephanie Dsouza edu
Jaspreet (Pria) Mudan jmudan@berkeley.edu
radha.j.ramesh@gmail.c
Radha Ramesh om
Hae Jin Kang haejin.kang@gmail.com
hassankhan@berkeley.e
Hassan Khan du

GWB Director:

Orion Haas

orion@globalbrigades.org