Dave Philps

UPDATE....August 2016 - a very generous supporter of FOH has offered to match any donations made to FOH by September 15, 2016, up to $5000!  So far an additional $2700 has come in and we are hoping to be able to raise the full $5000 to take advantage of the donors very kind offer.  Check the Donations page at www.friendsofhonduras.org to see how easy it is to be part of this fundraising campaign!

UPDATE....March 2015 - we are back from a very successful 12 day trip to to Honduras.  We were able to provide books, backpacks and school supplies to two rural schools, distributed clothing to some very needy families in Macuelizo, purchased a small two bedroom house adjacent to the school which we hope to renovate and use as a medical clinic, saw the completion of a new and vastly improved bathroom for the school (the old bathroom was renovated and is now being used as a classroom)....lots more info at www.friendsofhonduras.org.  Fundraising efforts are now underway for the renovation and creation of the medical clinic, the construction of 3 more classrooms on top of the exisiting lunchroom (Grades 7, 8 & 9...very exciting) and the continuing provision of school supplies and daily meals at the school.  

UPDATE....Fall 2014 - another trip has been booked and four of us will be at the school at the end of February 2015 to see the children, obtain supplies, school books and other items for the school, get updates on the infrastructure work that has been done and is in progress on the school grounds, and further the plans to build a medical clinic at or near the school.  If you would like to make a tax deductible (Canadian sources only) donation to help support this charity then please either contact me or go to the "Make a Donation" page on the charity's website at www.friendsofhonduras.org.  All donations gratefully accepted and appreciated.  

UPDATE....Fall 2013 - lots of great things happening at the school!  Check out the photos & information at the Society's website: www.friendsofhonduras.org.  

UPDATE....January 2012 -  Four of us will be at the school during the first two weeks of February 2012 to work with the children and prioritize the projects that need doing.  Since the trip to the school was announced last month over $8000 has been generously donated...that money will be used to provide a daily meal to the children, to purchase much needed textbooks, school supplies, shoes & clothing and  to repair and rebuild the classrooms.  If anyone is able to donate medical supplies such as bandaids, bandages, children's Tylenol, Motrin, antibiotic ointment (ie Polysporin), etc, it would be much appreciated.  Further information on Friends of Honduras can be found on the Society's website at www.friendsofhonduras.org. 

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In April 2008 I went with a group of 6 other people to a small school in the mountains of Honduras, about an hours drive from the capital of Tegucigalpa, to help build a bathroom for the students.  The school was destroyed in 1998 by Hurricane Mitch and work has been ongoing since then trying to get everything rebuilt.  A number of the buildings have been replaced and improved but up to now the 170 students have only had a single outhouse to use and our mission for the two weeks was to assist in completing the new bathroom.

We got a lot done during our two weeks in Honduras and I have over 300 photos of the school, the new bathroom, the students, the countryside, a couple of hospitals, an orphanage and the city of Tegucigalpa.  Over the next few months I am going to post some of those photos on this site so that all the kind people who so generously donated money and supplies towards our efforts will be able to see what their donations accomplished.

To get started, here are a few photos of some of the children that I met during my two weeks in Honduras.......




































































 

Now..…on to our 2008 project.  First of all, here are a few photos taken in 2004 that show the entry to the school grounds,
 

 

the playground,

and “the bathroom” (yes, that green box with the corrugated tin roof  is the bathroom!)

 

These next two photos were taken in April 2008 from basically the same locations as the first two above…what a difference 4 years of hard work can make!

 

The new bathroom building is at the far right of the new playground.


 

Here we are at the "ribbon cutting" ceremony for the new bathroom, organized for us by the students and faculty.

This is Raul, the school principal, showing off the nino’s side of the bathroom



 

and here is the nina’s side, with two of the teacher assistants. 

 

The bathroom was later decorated with student “hand” prints,

 
 

 and we also had an opportunity to paint our names on the front of the building. 

As part of the bathroom dedication festivities, candy filled pinata’s were provided for the children, quite an exciting time for all concerned!!  

Thanks to all those whose generous donations of supplies, money, prayers, time & energy  helped to make all of this possible. There are still lots of needs to be filled at the school (ie. getting a dedicated & clean supply of drinking water for the students, getting a lunch program started where the students would be assured of getting at least one good meal per day, getting more textbooks and other teaching supplies for the school, etc) and if you would like to make a donation toward this very worthwhile cause (charitable donation income tax receipts will be issued for all monetary donations)  please let me know.....I would be happy to chat to you about it. 

 For more information please visit the Friends of Honduras website at www.friendsof honduras.org.