- Messages
- 10,951
- Reaction score
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These are all great places to direct your funds and materiel.
Honduras is dirt poor, the Bay Islands had a slight edge until the influx of mainland Hondurans and tourist money made it more expensive for the locals to survive. Subsistence living is all but impossible.
The Island of Roatan is divided into (at least) two "municipalities" that I am aware of. Coxen Hole and the East End is known as Roatan, and from French Harbour to the east, the municipalidad is called... you guessed it: French Harbour.
There may be a further division farther East, but suffice to say that the revenues generated by taxes in these zones generally stays within those zones. The wealthy Roatan zone, as bad as central services are, stands hands above French Harbour.
Peggy is facing a tough, uphill task in Punta Gorda. Every ethnic group in the Bay Islands has its own personality, every group falls into a socio-economic pecking order.
I have often encouraged divers to bring new supplies and materiel (NO clothing!) so that you will know that instead of "liquid money", you know what is being done with it.
We throw so much away, we waste so much. Medical instruments are easy for many of us to come by. I have a pipeline of un-needed (but fresh) medicines and perscription items (largely Insulin, Syringes and oral meds for Diabetes) that we ship down through an arrangement with Jackson Shipping. We can also buy at WalMart school notebook paper, which is very dear on the islands due to its weight. Crayola brand Crayons are ideal because they do not melt in the heat.
For those who have not been- do not think that you are going to see the visuals of destitute poverty that one might see in Haiti or Central America. The Bay Islands people, no matter who- keep their kids cleanly dressed, they value education and you will see that their meager homes are usually clean, orderly and ringed by laundry lines with clothes drying.
The Bay Islands grew wealthy in the 50's and 70's through the labors of their sons, just as their Cayman cousins began in the 40's... through service in the Merchant Marine. Even cruise ships tapped this inexpensive labor sorce back then. This ethnic group was poised to take advantage of the 80's when Red Lobster showed up with Wolmanized Lumber and built fish processing plants.
That influx of cash encouraged "the Spanish"... mainlanders- to move from the mainland to the Bay islands to flesh out the labor pool. The Garifuna, the black population descendant from the 5000 dumped on Roatan in 1796- the were and still are at the bottom of the heap.
There's lots to do there. If you can contribute money, that's great. If you can carry down supplies- wonderful. The best thing? Find an opportunity to volunteer your time and abilities.
Any medical personnel, tradesmen, or...? Got a few weeks to spare?
Honduras is dirt poor, the Bay Islands had a slight edge until the influx of mainland Hondurans and tourist money made it more expensive for the locals to survive. Subsistence living is all but impossible.
The Island of Roatan is divided into (at least) two "municipalities" that I am aware of. Coxen Hole and the East End is known as Roatan, and from French Harbour to the east, the municipalidad is called... you guessed it: French Harbour.
There may be a further division farther East, but suffice to say that the revenues generated by taxes in these zones generally stays within those zones. The wealthy Roatan zone, as bad as central services are, stands hands above French Harbour.
Peggy is facing a tough, uphill task in Punta Gorda. Every ethnic group in the Bay Islands has its own personality, every group falls into a socio-economic pecking order.
I have often encouraged divers to bring new supplies and materiel (NO clothing!) so that you will know that instead of "liquid money", you know what is being done with it.
We throw so much away, we waste so much. Medical instruments are easy for many of us to come by. I have a pipeline of un-needed (but fresh) medicines and perscription items (largely Insulin, Syringes and oral meds for Diabetes) that we ship down through an arrangement with Jackson Shipping. We can also buy at WalMart school notebook paper, which is very dear on the islands due to its weight. Crayola brand Crayons are ideal because they do not melt in the heat.
For those who have not been- do not think that you are going to see the visuals of destitute poverty that one might see in Haiti or Central America. The Bay Islands people, no matter who- keep their kids cleanly dressed, they value education and you will see that their meager homes are usually clean, orderly and ringed by laundry lines with clothes drying.
The Bay Islands grew wealthy in the 50's and 70's through the labors of their sons, just as their Cayman cousins began in the 40's... through service in the Merchant Marine. Even cruise ships tapped this inexpensive labor sorce back then. This ethnic group was poised to take advantage of the 80's when Red Lobster showed up with Wolmanized Lumber and built fish processing plants.
That influx of cash encouraged "the Spanish"... mainlanders- to move from the mainland to the Bay islands to flesh out the labor pool. The Garifuna, the black population descendant from the 5000 dumped on Roatan in 1796- the were and still are at the bottom of the heap.
There's lots to do there. If you can contribute money, that's great. If you can carry down supplies- wonderful. The best thing? Find an opportunity to volunteer your time and abilities.
Any medical personnel, tradesmen, or...? Got a few weeks to spare?
