As most of you know, my family just returned from spending close to three wonderful years in Honduras. For those of you who haven’t been there, Honduras is a beautiful country located in Central America. However, it's among the top five poorest countries in the western hemisphere with over 60% of its 9 million inhabitants living below the poverty line. Among the poorest of the population are the people who live in the municipal dump outside of Tegucigalpa. Adults who make their living picking through trash in the dump earn somewhere from $3 to $5 during a 12 to 15 hour workday, on average. Many kids also have to work to help support their families and earn even less. The people who live there spend their days under the hot sun, picking through trash that others dumped there to try to support their families. Even before COVID-19, it wasn't a safe place to be. They could find sharp and dangerous objects and it wasn't (isn't) uncommon that someone gets sick or seriously injured. There are also lots of accidents with garbage trucks injuring people which can and sometimes does result in the loss of a limb.

     AFE (Amor, Fe, y Esperanza or Love, Faith, and Hope) is an organization trying to change this. Their goal is to have no more people living in the municipal dump. They provide food and education for kids living in the dump because their parents don't have the resources to be able to do so. In giving the kids an education AFE provides an opportunity to find a job that isn't trash-picking when they grow up. However, AFE relies entirely on donations as a means to fund their various programs because the families can't spare much money. Unfortunately, parents can and will pull their students out of school if they feel forced to contribute to the school. 

     I first got involved with AFE through my school when we helped raise money, school supplies, and toiletries for them. It was an amazing, eye-opening experience that really made me think about how fortunate my family and I were. I have since gone back with my family to bring toys, clothes, food and just to hang out with some of the kids. It's a great organization that really makes a difference in these kids' lives.

     However, COVID-19 has struck the community very hard. Most of the families have no running water with which they can wash their hands, and no biosecurity items such as masks and hand sanitizer. Due to this, and their inability to socially distance due to their lifestyles, COVID-19 is hitting their community particularly hard. I'm trying to raise enough money to purchase masks and other biosecurity items to help stop the spread. In addition to that, the community is also in need of bulk grains such as flour, beans, and rice, particularly to address immediate needs when it's not safe for them to be working. If you wish to be involved in a different way, you can also sponsor a child  and I am happy to facilitate a donation of school supplies, medical supplies, etc.

     Every donation, no matter how small, can truly make a difference in the lives of these kids and their families. So please, consider making a donation and thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.  For additional information on AFE and the great work they are doing, please visit their website.