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Land purchase clears big hurdle for local relief effort in Honduras Date published: 11/15/2007
By RUSTY DENNEN Seventy-two families in a squatter village in Honduras will be moving, and getting new homes, thanks to a Fredericksburg-based relief agency. Students Helping Honduras, headquartered at the University of Mary Washington, recently purchased about 12.5 acres of land in El Progreso for $66,000. El Progreso sits just outside San Pedro Sula, Honduras' third-largest city. The plan had been to build the homes in the village of Siete de Abril (seventh of April) where the poor villagers are currently living. Siete de Abril was established by squatters in 1998 after Hurricane Mitch devastated the Central American nation. But that became unfeasible because SHH couldn't get clear title to that land. Several weeks ago, Shin Fujiyama, a 2007 UMW graduate and founder of SHH, found another suitable tract of land nearby, which has been named Villa Soleada (Sunshine Village.) "Although nearly half of the land in Honduras is currently untitled, SHH felt very strongly that this was a critical precursor to any building project," Fujiyama, who is in Honduras, wrote in an e-mail. "SHH believes that this decision represents the first step to fulfilling meaningful promises made to the villagers, members and donors," Fujiyama wrote. He said villagers were consulted every step of the way. "Nearly every head of household had the opportunity to see the land and give input" prior to the purchase, he said. And based on a recent socioeconomic survey of the village, "it is unlikely that this move will force any village members to change their jobs." Sunshine Village is only a few minutes farther by bus from downtown El Progreso and near a new university and shopping mall. For more than two years, SHH volunteers--mostly college students--have been doing relief work in El Progreso. Their focus has been on Siete de Abril, and the Copprome orphanage nearby. In January, SHH volunteers, members of UMW's Campus Christian Community and a group of Fredericksburg Rotarians put new roofs on 21 houses in the village. Earlier, volunteers built and supplied a school. Villagers scavenge building materials from a nearby dump, are susceptible to malaria because they have no screening, and drink parasite-infested water.
Date published: 11/15/2007
Sure, there are needs in the US, but give these young adults credit for seeing a need in the world and doing something about it. Say what you want, but what have YOU done to help out those in New Orleans or in other areas of the US? SHH have made it their mission to make a difference and the world is a better place for it. Well done.
Honduras, how about New Orleans,LA right here in the USA.
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