It’s been almost a year and the time is quickly approaching for the big move down to Honduras. Elly and Rob have been working hard over the months preparing for Un Mundo’s reinstatement in the Cuenca.  It all started back in January 2007 with an email from Tim.  Over the months, one thing led to another and in June we flew down to Honduras to meet Ken and the community of El Pital for the first time.  Since then, we’ve been busy gathering information, talking with past volunteers, coordinating fundraising events, cultivating partnerships, and planning for Un Mundo’s future. 

Our first real dose of Un Mundo work came in October when we attended Project Honduras’ Conference in the beautiful town of Copan Ruinas, near the Guatemalan boarder. While we were there, we began to expand Un Mundo’s network and gathered tons of resources.  A panel of Honduran professionals introduced us to some of the most pressing issues facing rural communities today, particularly the impacts on the youth, which was the main theme of the conference.  We met other individuals and organizations working to combat different challenges throughout various regions of the country.  We intend to deepen the relationships formed at the conference in hopes to forge lasting partnerships, particularly those working and living near the Cangrejal River Valley. 

Recently, we’ve been working with an organization called WorldCamp which is based out of North Carolina. We’re trying to collaborate with World Camp to bring college students to Honduras during the summer and work in the public schools to educate students on issues surrounding HIV/AIDS.  We are also researching the possibility of conducting a community needs assessment in El Pital this coming year.  If implemented, this assessment will be a collective project to gather information about their needs, existing conditions, demographics, etc.   We are hoping to generate support from local and international universities, using professors and students to assist with the assessment.  We’re excited about all the work that lies ahead.

 Rob & Elly