Weeks 5 & 6

  Hooooola!
  Apologies for the long silence - it has been a very busy fortnight.
  A large part of what I've been up to is murals.  Murals, murals, murals.  We are working on some murals designed by a local artist that are part of a larger project and some that I have composed out of designs drawn by local children and our volunteers.
  We have finished three murals ourselves so far and have another two to complete.  Picture time!
  Our first muralito (mini mural) in Rancho Grande:

 

 

  This muralito is on the side of the house of one of the farmer's that we work with. 

  

  Catatao's mural, based on the design of the local artist (now finished with our own message and twist!):

 

 

Another one based on the artist's designs:

 

 

  I can't upload a picture of our other, incomplete mural, so you'll just have to wait!  It's gonna be a good one!

  The other reason that we have been busy is that we have had our mid-term evaluation.  This involves staff from Progressio (including Lucy from London!) and Red COMAL visiting us at our project and a day of evaluation that includes a presentation from us volunteers on our progress so far.  The continuation of the project partially depends on the success of this evaluation, so it's a big deal.  It went brilliantly, because we have a brilliant team, so happy faces all round!

Ciao for now!

Ellen xx

Halfway

To mark the halfway point of our time here in Lempira, here are 10  things that are parts of daily life in Honduras:

1.  Bumpy roads - in minibus, or mototaxi (tuktuk), or on foot.  Pretty dangerous a lot of the time, but they add excitement to every journey!

2.  Chickens/pigs/mules - everywhere in the communities.  Not as many dogs as I expected, more chickens that I could have imagined.  Pigs and horses tethered by the roadside (be it main road or footpath) to root/graze.

3.  Corn tortillas - with every meal.  Eaten like we eat bread.  An acquired taste, but they've really grown on me.

4.  Hand-washing - all clothes and towels and sheets, etc.  Clothes fine.  Towels and sheets no fun at all.

5.  Water dispensers - we have one in each house.  Seven people in hot country go  through a LOT of water.  Carrying the replacement gallons is good for building upper-body strength.

6.  Flip-flops in mud - it's like skiing.  But hotter.

7.  Toilet paper bins - no flushing allowed.  It was the same deal in Chile, so I don't feel too phased.

8.  Noisy Sundays - we live next to a football field.  Sunday is football day.  All events in Latin America are accompanied by a large sound system and music.  Therefore, noise.

9.  Hand sanitizer - there's not always water.  There IS always dirt.

10.  Altitude - took some getting used to.  I felt very unfit on our first few hikes, but the ol' lungs are adjusting now.  Grateful for the altitude, as it is what gives us those views!

Week 4

  The end of this week marks one month of being in Honduras.  I cannot believe it!

  We presented our first full radio show on Monday.  I think it went VERY well for a first attempt!  Our segment discussed the value of the AloeVera plant as a traditional and readily available ingredient for natural medicine.  The other segments reviewed the group's previous activities in the communities, advertised our upcoming activities, discussed environmental awareness and (to make sure people actually listen), gave a sports roundup.

  Tuesday was our first experience of producing the natural agricultural products with a farmer who has been trained by Red COMAL.  We made the micro-organism base that I discussed in the guest post, "supermagro" which is an organic fertiliser and the calcium sulphate spray.  We had another session on Thursday with a different farmer producing the same products, although the weather was not so much in our favour then - stormy!

  We travelled to a new and veeery remote community on Thursday.  Half the group worked on a finca planting coffee and the other half held a drawing session with local children (school holidays) to develop ideas for the planned murals in several communities.

  Friday was another day and another community.  Los Altos de Guanteque is home to two of our Honduran volunteers, so we received a very warm welcome.  The group again divided and half worked on a finca while the others visited a school to teach English and hold a mural design session.  We were given lunch by one of our volunteer's families.  One of my favourite mealtimes so far.

  The weather has taken a turn for the worse in Gracias.  The ground is saturated, there's a chilly breeze and the temperature has dropped. It's fiiine, still warmer than the UK...

Abrazos.

Ellen xx

Guest Post

  Laptop on the blink, so proper week's summary post will follow.  In the meantime, I am guest writer this week on our team's blog, so here's a sneaky look for you guys:

Micro-organism Soup Recipe

  

 We spoke about micro-organism soup (definitely not the scientific name) last week.  This yeast-smelling concoction has been a recurring theme during our agricultural activities and this week we were taught how to create the base for the solution.

 This product is a very economical option for small-scale farmers and is an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical fertilisers.  Using the techniques promoted by Red COMAL - our partner organisation, the finished micro-organism brew would be applied to crops alongside a natural, organic fertiliser that we also learned how to produce this week.

  So, how does one go about creating a giant micro-organism stock cube?

Step 1:

Collect some rich, decomposing leaf litter/forest floor material.  We used four large sacks of the stuff.

Step 2:

Tip out one sack of organic material, get down on hands and knees and start sifting.  The organic gold we seek is the material already undergoing the process of decomposition; that’s already home to colonies of bacteria and fungi. Remove any healthy material such as green leaves, seeds, live roots and hard twigs.

Step 3:

Add grain and sugar.  Once the decomposing material has been isolated, the micro-organisms need food.  For this purpose we use grain (wheat or rice semolina) at a ratio of about one part grain to two parts organic material.  For further microbial sustenance, a sugar solution is added to the giant, doughy mixture.  This ideal solution is molasses, but it can alternatively be honey or dark sugar melted in water.  As the grain is tossed into the organic matter (on the ground, using elbow grease), this solution is sprinkled over the pile to keep it moist.  The ideal texture is firm when compressed, but still crumbly and not damp.

Step 4:

Dump out another sack and repeat steps 1-3 until all organic material has been combined with grain and sugar and mixed together.

Step 5:

Compact the mixture into a barrel.

The enriched organic material must now be compressed little by little into an airtight barrel and left in a cool, dark place to ferment for one month.

 Et voila!  We have one giant micro-organism stock cube for future dilution.  All for only the price of a bag of semolina, a bottle of molasses and a barrel.  The solution is applied with a sprayer direct onto the plant, just as artificial fertilisers would be.  The difference is that our natural spray benefits the crop without making its presence felt.  It gets on with its job quietly without the threat of water pollution, it enhances rather than depresses biodiversity.

And it (sort of) smells like bread!

By Ellen Shields

Week 3

This was our first week that involved hands on agricultural experience.  On Tuesday, we hiked up from La Azomada to one of our national volunteer’s family finca (plot).  We were told it would be quite a challenging 30 minute hike to get there.  I think it is safe to say that they had overestimated us Brits’ prowess at scaling steep mule tracks through cloud forest at altitude…

  We did make it though, after an hour of huffing and puffing and getting a bit cross when no matter how much further we climbed, we were told “Just twenty five more minutes.” Once we did reach the finca and looked back down on where we had come from, I was impressed that it hadn´t taken us longer than an hour! 

  At the finca, we divided into little teams and planted out young coffee plants.  This involved hoeing the area around the plant, removing the sapling from its plastic grow bag and settling it in to its designated hole.  It was a nice opportunity for us to see some of what is involved in the daily routine of young people in the communities and for the national volunteers to share their knowledge and skills with us. 

  When we reached La Azomada after lunch, it was time for our first, brief radio appearance.  We each introduced ourselves and I read out a sentence about Progressio to break through the fear barrier of speaking in Spanish on a radio station that reaches tens of thousands of Hondurans (no pressure).  Tomorrow (Mon) will be our first proper programme.  Eeek!

  Wednesday and Thursday were taken up with conducting surveys of businesses in the local area with the aim of identifying potential advertisers to generate income for the radio.  We also had another Spanish and English class.  My contribution was an English pronunciation workshop for the national volunteers.  It was nice to be able to actually use my degree!  How successful (or not) it was will be apparent in time…

  Friday was another agricultural morning.  This time we headed down into a valley to another volunteer’s family finca.  It was very muddy, but once again absolutely stunning.  We were shown how to clear the weeds around the young coffee plants so as to provide a natural compost and maintain biodiversity.  This involved the use of an azadón (big, heavy hoe) and machetes (yeah!).

  We also saw the farmer use a cocktail of natural goodies to spray the crops.  These included a suspension of good bacteria, calcium sulphate and some fairly ripe smelling organic fertiliser.  I have to say, I like the thought of the coffee I drink being grown that way.  Like I like the thought of pulling ripe fruit off a tree and biting into it without having to wonder what chemicals are coating it.  Even having grown up around farms, seeing where your food comes from still changes your view of it!

  The journey home was extra fun on Friday too.  The road was so bad we had to get out and walk at one point.  It all adds a bit of excitement!

  Yesterday, we went on a trip to Santa Rosa de Copán with most of our national volunteers.  Santa Rosa is a big town about an hour’s drive from Gracias.  It is the gateway to the Copán Ruinas, so is quite a bustling hub.  It was a bit of a surreal trip.  Our first stop was a mall on the outskirts of town.  I was pretty confused as to why we were there (I had been asleep on the bus) until I saw the television screens and clusters of men watching El Clasico.  Riiiiiight.  We were at a mall for the football….It gave me the opportunity to go earring shopping though (bigger, bolder jewellery than most shops would risk in the UK), so no hard feelings towards the game.

  The rain was falling hard and the temperature was scraping a chilly 16°C, so we dashed between shops briefly, took more photos than any Northern European is comfortable with and then headed home.  There were other memorable events, but not ones I’m going to discuss here!  Feliz día.

Ellen xx

  

Week 2

  The weekend was spent settling into our houses and the town with the help of the national volunteers.  Unfortunately, we had our first bout of illness in the group as well.  Not fun, but an inevitable part of the experience at some point.  Thankfully everyone is well now.

  On Monday, we took our first trip up to the community that is to be the base for our project – La Azomada.  The journey is about 40 mins from where we live.  The first section of road out of Gracias was a pleasant surprise, then we reach the turn-off for La Azomada.  Not so much a turn-off as a turn-up.  A turn up a very bumpy, very steep, very rocky and very twisty track.  Every bruise to the glutes is worth it though, for the views.  Oh, the views!  On our first morning we stopped at the radio hut, met a community leader and scrambled up a hill to see the radio tower, a water tank and…the views! 

  After a little further exploration of the village, we headed home.  Our street was randomly fumigated for bugs, with no warning.  By no warning, I mean “They’re fumigating the house.  You have to get out right now and stay out for twenty minutes”. Great.  For several hours after said fumigation, dying insects wobbled out from every crevice of the house and were met with the sole of my flip flop.  That night, just as we were drifting off, we felt a tremor that apparently lasted 30 seconds.  This tremor was a result of the 7.4 earthquake that had occurred in the Pacific Ocean.  Not the first I’ve felt, but still unnerving!

  Tuesday and Wednesday were dedicated to drama workshops which built up to our performance at a festival in La Azomada on Thursday.  We played microorganisms.  Yup, microorganisms.  The idea was basically that we were happy microorganisms doing our thing in the soil until humans came along and started throwing rubbish everywhere (litter is a massive problem here) and spraying harmful chemicals on their crops (also a big issue for the communities).  This obviously made us sad, sick microorganisms that could no longer help the farmers by decomposing organic matter.  The sketch had a happy ending though; the farmers changed their ways, cleared the rubbish, ditched the chemicals and replenished the natural material that we lived in.  And of course, we helped them in return by restoring soil fertility.  Volunteering certainly leads you places that you never thought you’d go…

  The festival on Thursday was titled “Semillas del Futuro” (Seeds of the Future) and was hosted by Red COMAL.  In addition to our muddy contribution, there were local musicians playing songs about the issues affecting the local communities, local producers displaying their crops and a forum with academics and producers that focussed on the value of traditional knowledge and passing it on to future generations.  It was a good, if exhausting, day and a great way to raise our profile in the community during our first week.

  On Friday, we were back in La Azomada for a radio workshop, because we have a radio show.  In Spanish.  This part of the project is going to be veeery interesting!  Our weekly programme will be split into four segments – I will be sharing the research and presentation of “Natural Medicine and Health” with Antoinette and two of the Honduran volunteers (Salomon and Ilda).  I am really looking forward to researching it every week…the presentation side, not so much.  I’ve already been told off for laughing, which will not come as a surprise to those of you who have performed with me in the past!

  In other news, I have switched with one of the girls, so am now in the smaller house with the boys and Lola.  It hasn’t really changed anything, but there is less squealing and running between houses at night due to insect sightings, which was the reason for the swap.  Antoinette and I are settling into our roles as the Monitoring and Evaluation volunteers and have sent off our first report.  I am getting back into the swing of Spanish - am not quite in dual language mode yet, but that will come.  That’s about it.  Another busy week planned, so I will be back next weekend with updates.  Que se vayan bien.

Ellen xx

Week 1

This post is a week late due to internet issues.  Lots more to report from last week - next post will be up tomorrow, all being well.

  I left Scotland on Friday morning, left the UK on Sunday, and left the Western world on Monday.  Our first stop in Honduras was a town outside the capital (which is Tegucigalpa – try saying that after a cerveza or two).  We stayed there until Thursday with the other Progressio ICS team in Honduras, whose placement is in the Olancho province, east of us.  We had our in-country training together, which consisted of a series of talks and workshops.  The kind of thing they covered ranged from the social/economic/political context of Honduras to creating dynamic community workshops to a UN security briefing.  Some were absolutely fascinating; some were like being back in school.  Definitely came out having learned more about the country and the role of international development here.

  It was sad to say goodbye to the Olancho team on Thursday, but off we went to Siguatepeque to  meet our partner organisation (Red COMAL) and our Honduran counterparts (9 young volunteers from the communities we will be working in).  We learned more about the work of Red COMAL and our role within that.  If all our projects work out, we will be doing very varied and hopefully interesting work.  A lot of what we do will be raising awareness and helping to survey the needs of the rural communities, so we may not see direct results, but it is sure to be a very valuable experience and will certainly contribute to the aims of the organisations and programmes that we will be working with. 

  On Friday, we travelled to the town of Gracias, Lempira; our hometown for the duration of our time here.  Between the seven of us, we have two little houses next door to each other.  The two boys (Jolyon and Daniel) and two of the girls (Lola and Francesca) are in the smaller house and our team leader (Anna), Antoinette and I are in the other house.  It is a slightly odd arrangement, as only our house has a proper kitchen, but 2 days in we are already settling in to the open-door, two-house lifestyle.

  We don’t have washing machines, so hand washing it is.  And no oven.  But we (usually) have running water, which is (sometimes) warm in the shower, and we have flushing (when there's water), indoor toilets and tiled floors.  I really, really cannot complain.  We are living in comparative luxury.

  Gracias is a nice town.  It was once a colonial capital, so has some lovely, crumbling architecture and there are insane views down the valleys and up to the mountains.  The climate here means everyone can mill around outside more or less all the time.  During the day that is.  We are, after all, in Honduras.

  We will be starting our proper work this week, so it will be an interesting, potentially frustrating and very educational week!  Hasta luego.

Ellen xx