Ten years ago Funadeh decided to expand its operation to include development in poor communities with special emphasis in training and education. Our principal project is based in Chamelecón, a suburb of San Pedro Sula, with a population of approximately 120,000 people most of whom live in precarious conditions.
The project there is organized in the four following programs:
The Educational Center.
Through institutional alliances with organizations of international cooperation an Educational Center was built and operates as a center of educative, cultural and technological resources that offers its services to the community, with particular attention to children and youngsters. It is equipped with excellent educational material and has a children’s and a juvenile reading room, a library for investigation and research, two conference rooms, and two computer laboratories with 20 computers each, installed in network with high speed connection to Internet. Computer courses are offered continuously to youngsters and adults. During the past five years the Citigroup Foundation has sponsored scholarship programs which have allowed 1,231 sixth graders to receive complete computer basic training.
In the Educational Center we have recently added the Activiteca program which was developed by a couple of retired American volunteers. It is a collection of educational material used in conjunction with an interactive learning system. The program is open to children, youngsters and teachers of the area schools; demonstrations, and fairs are frequently scheduled to familiarize the public with the program.
Making good use of our facilities in Chamelecón and considering the needs of the community, we regularly have various instruction sessions for children and youngsters on themes such as Puberty and Adolescence, Gang Prevention, Values, Self Esteem, AIDS, Sexual Orientation, Civic Values, Community Life and Police Work in the Community. Additionally we conduct a few health related campaigns such as dental hygiene every year.
Sports and Cultural Activities.
A multi sport facility was recently donated by Coca Cola International. It is now in full use and a number of basketball, volleyball and small scale soccer games are happening continuously. The facility also allows for indoor events to take place so cultural activities such as theater, dance, and music are also scheduled.
Small Businesses.
Over the years we have conducted special training programs for small and very small business owners. We have also assisted a group of small business entrepreneurs in organizing a multi activity cooperative and group of shop keepers in the formation of their own cooperative.
Special Projects.
Funadeh has often been contracted by different institutions to carry out different projects in the Chamelecón area and also in other nearby areas. Recent projects include the installation and training in the use of water filters donated by the Rotary Club in 70 schools in the Chamelecón, La Lima and Villanueva areas; the supervision of the installation and training in the use of plumbing facilities in 12 communities in the San Antonio de Cortes area; the realization of the Rotary Club Academic Excellence trip to the capital city of the outstanding sixth graders of the Chamelecón area; and the Primer Empleo project of the Labor Ministry to provide job training for 24 youngsters from the Chamelecón area.
Please contact us at aleman@funadeh2.org for any additional information required in English.