Behind the Smiles

Yesterday I had the chance to see a different side of Honduras, a side that lies behind the smiles of the ordinary day to day interactions with my neighbours, friends and students.

Edward, a man I met at the Copan conference, heads a small organization which seeks to make a difference in the lives of children who are in State child welfare institutions. We visited two such places in San Pedro Sula yesterday.

The first centre was for girls who are deemed at risk, girls who have no apparent family and, sometimes (rather strangely in my mind) girls whose parents are unable to deal with them and want them somewhere for a time out of greater severity. At present, the population of the centre is only about sixty girls. It fluctuates with up to 150 at times (two to a mattress - four to a bunk bed - in +30 degree weather). These girls range in age from 12 to 18. A number had babies and about 20% had obvious mental and physical challenges. The majority have suffered physical and sexual abuse.

The staff were friendly and, obviously, did what they could for these girls. The kitchen was clean and the noon meal included meat and vegetables. There was a tiny classroom with a teacher who teaches the different levels throughout the day. Difficult to establish a routine when the girls come and go as their time in the facility comes to an end.

In the centre of the small plot (about 3 residential plots) was a large building with offices, storerooms and so forth as the 'walls'. The centre of the building was a cement floor. No chairs, no furniture. The bedrooms are locked during the day (understandably - many of these girls come from horrific backgrounds) so the girls are free to sit on the floor and amuse themselves. Quite bleak.

Edward's group has set up a small library (first major lesson is to sit quietly in a library - his words) and a small computer lab. They have a staff member who runs these two rooms and interacts with the girls. We hope to help them with our education program so that girls can use the time to study.

The girls are not allowed out of the facility (it has twenty foot walls topped with razor wire - to keep people in and out) because, as bad as their situations are, they are still home and that is where the girls would run to. So, the walls are to protect the girls from their own 'home' situation. Truly staggering.

What was most troublesome to me were the unanswered questions. Where do these girls go when they turn 18? What are their options when they have no family, no education and no skills? I have no idea how the people working there are able to deal with that.

The second stop was at a boy's detention centre with about 95 boys under 18 being held for various crimes (from murder on down). Again, staff who were trying their best to make the boys' stay meaningful in some positive way. Again, very little space and very little activity options.

The day was fascinating but, of course, rather depressing. I feel so very helpless. The good news is that our program will definitely be of use in these situations. When one thinks of the prisons for adults and other such juvenile facilities, we could have a huge student body very quickly.

TTYL

BB