Eighteen months ago, we met Ramiro Ocasio and the team at The Foundation for Education in Honduras. For those who don’t know, FEIH is an organization that builds schools and delivers hope to some of the most underserved areas of Honduras. This week, I got to experience Honduras first-hand, and while there, we were able to distribute journals to students and teachers as part of our larger partnership with FEIH in which we donated 3,000 custom journals to support their efforts.
As someone born in the United States, it’s hard to understand what real struggle looks like until you visit a country like Honduras. Sure, we have our problems here in the states, but we are incredibly fortunate to live in a country where our basic needs are met.
Poverty, crime, and corruption have plagued Honduras for a long time, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it from the people you meet there. Instead, so many people I met while in Honduras are so proud of their country and happy to share it with visitors.
At one of the schools we visited - in the small town of Esquias - we were met at the driveway with a mini-parade and traditional Honduran dances. We were greeted by the mayor of the town and served tamales by a few women who came to cook for us. Together, we all celebrated the construction of the new school that will change the lives of so many children and their families.
It was a good day in this small town that has struggled so much, particularly in the past year. According to the Mayor, the town is situated in one of the best coffee-growing regions of Honduras, but due to a long drought, production has fallen. In this particular town, it is said that the average family lives on $1.20 per day. Covid-19 certainly hasn’t made life any easier.
But on this day, we were brought together to celebrate the students of Honduras and the immeasurable difference FEIH is making for the better.
I am so grateful that we at The Scribes got to play a small role in this special day. Since starting our business, we’ve donated over 10,000 journals to students, primarily here in the United States, but after this trip, our commitment to supporting FEIH, and in particular the students and teachers in Honduras has never been stronger.
Now a few days removed from this trip, I can truly say that my perspective on life, work, and purpose has been forever changed.
To the amazing people of Honduras who welcomed us into your community - thank you. And thank you to Ramiro ‘The Hero’ Ocasio for leading this trip, and more importantly, leading this initiative of giving students in Honduras the education they deserve.