Volunteers Join SFP's First Bi-National GPM Program Held in Guatemala and Honduras
August 12, 2010Twenty-two volunteers from 8 different countries combined efforts to improve the quality of life of two communities in Central America during the Global PeaceMakers program in July this year, through the collaborative leadership of our chapters in Honduras and Guatemala.
During the 2 weeks, local and international volunteers focused their efforts on the community development in the two Communities of Peace in each country. Volunteers offered their services to improve the infrastructure and recreational facilities of an elementary school in the rural community of El Quimal, Guatemala, as well as the construction of the multipurpose educational center in the Altos de los Pinos, Honduras, a suburb in the outskirts of Tegucigalpa.
Youth volunteers from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, France, Estonia, the Czech Republic and the United States, worked together with the goal of improving the educational capacity and local community development of the two communities.
“The friends I have made and the amount I have gained from volunteering for Service for Peace have changed me to live with no regrets, and recognize the problems people in other countries face”, Aika Erlandson, California, The United States.
Service For Peace in Guatemala coordinated the construction of a computer center in the El Quimal Elementary School, located in a rural area of the Chimaltenango province. The project included the painting of the school, as well as the creation of decorative murals in the external walls. The computer center will be a useful space for the children of El Quimal to access technology and acquire basic computer skills.
The next project was a phase of construction of the multipurpose educational center in the community of Altos de Los Pinos. Volunteers finished building the walls of the center, started by volunteers in March this year. This center will serve as a pre-school, youth center, adult night school and a place where community members can meet. In addition, the volunteers planted 1,200 trees together with community members in an effort to reforest the barren, drought-prone area.
“The gratitude that the community shows you and the power of working together with them in one team towards a better community proved to me not only the great need they have, but also the effort, determination, and hope they have to reach their goals”, Eduardo Garcia, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
The volunteers also helped the Green Cross Honduras mitigate the national security threat of rising dengue fever levels by helping to draw blood from community members. The volunteers received training before executing this activity, and were able to pass some of this training on to designated community specialists.
Service For Peace team members from Guatemala and Honduras executed this project with the support of Pro Peace Association Guatemala and the European Voluntary Service, unifying ideas, hopes, and experiences of 22 volunteers from 8 countries. It is important to mention the support of the Forest Conservation Institute, Arbol del Saber School, and the Military Technical School of Honduras for the successful execution of this GPM program.
For more information about the Global PeaceMakers program in Honduras and Guatemala visit www.serviceforpeace.org
Volunteers help the community of Altos de Los Pinos in Honduras to finish their
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