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Perla del Ulua Area Program

Sponsor a child

Program Type

Community Development

Planned Life Cycle

2011 - 2026

Location

Honduras

Areas of Focus

Child Protection and Participation | Health

Program Timeline

Status: Active

Progress

12,892people had access to safe drinking water

Progress

5,481people are using water, sanitation and handwashing behaviours that protect against illness

Progress

3,680children received school supplies and resources for their education including books, backpacks, uniforms and bicycles

A white jeep driving through a muddy path, featuring a rainbow and trees in the background.

Program Details

Context

Perla del Ulua is a densely populated urban community on the outskirts of Honduras third-largest city. It's a marginalized community that was formed when migrating families squatted on available land, creating neighbourhoods along dry riverbeds that flood during the rainy season.

Many in the community work in "maquilas", or sweat shops. The situation is particularly difficult for children from women-headed households, whose mothers work long hours in the sweat shops. There is no formal childcare and few safe places for mothers to leave their children, so many have no choice but to leave their children at home alone while they work. This leaves children highly vulnerable to drugs and to maras, or gangs, that occupy most of the territory in the community area.

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Challenges
Education
The quality of education in the Perla del Ulua area, along with the level of public elementary school enrolment, is low. Parents who work long hours in sweat shops have little time to be involved in the progress of their children's education. There aren't enough teachers, and those who are available often lack training. School facilities are also poor. As a result, parents and children do not see value in attending school. Unmotivated by education, children seek self-affirmation in the gangs that flourish in this urban community.

Health Care
Living conditions in the Perla del Ulua community contribute to the poor health of children and adults. Most houses in this rainy area have dirt floors, walls that are not plastered, and poor roofing. As a result, families live in damp environments and experience a high rate of acute respiratory infections, along with ongoing colds. Many family homes are built alongside riverbeds and are susceptible to flooding, as there is no drainage infrastructure.

Poor sanitation and lack of knowledge of safe hygiene and water management practices result in a high prevalence of diarrhea. As a result of poor nutrition, 13% of children under the age of five are small for their age, increasing their vulnerability to illness. The incidence of HIV and AIDS in the community is higher than elsewhere in Honduras as it is a major transport route, with a high volume of people moving through the area.

Economic Development
Most of the people in the Perla del Ulua community work in the "maquilas, or sweat shops, for long hours at low wages, and most families do not make enough to adequately provide for their children. Families headed by single mothers are particularly vulnerable. A high number of single mothers don't have a permanent or secure source of income, and can't properly provide for their children. Employment opportunities in the area are limited, and people lack the training and skills necessary to increase their income or secure other jobs. ...
Plans
Education
To ensure children can access and benefit from quality education, World Vision will assist the community to:
  • Motivate children to stay in school by making them aware of the value of education.
  • Provide students with additional training to give them the skills they need to succeed and avoid falling into the drug and gang culture.
  • Establish child-to-child tutoring to help struggling students succeed by providing training to teachers and students who are performing well.
  • Provide "skills for life training for teens and youth to help them learn critical thinking and self-care skills, including how to prevent early pregnancies and abuse, and how to make healthy lifestyle choices to prevent HIV and AIDS.
Health Care
With the partnership of Canadian sponsors and the community, World Vision will work to:
  • Provide improved shelter and build latrines to help reduce poor health due to living conditions.
  • Develop early warning systems to reduce the community's vulnerability to flooding.
  • Distribute information and provide training to parents, children, and volunteers on hygiene, nutrition, prenatal care, and proper handling of water, in partnership with the local government and health volunteers.
  • Train "guide mothers and empower them to act as role models to the community.
  • Establish "common pot groups, where guide mothers will pass their learning on to mothers of children at risk of malnutrition.
  • Provide sexual health education to reduce the risk and spread of HIV and AIDS, focusing on young people, single mothers and women who work in the "maquilas, or sweat shops.
Economic Development
To ensure parents in Perla del Ulua can provide for their families, World Vision will partner with the community to:
  • Train entrepreneurs in business management.
  • Support innovation and improved processes to help increase profit from small business ventures.
  • Develop community banks to further assist families to grow alternative income sources.
  • Teach families about savings and credit, how to pool their resources, and how to secure small loans to start new income-generating ventures.
  • Offer access to micro enterprise loans.
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An image of children sitting on the ground in a classroom, writing in workbooks.

Results

Unless otherwise stated, data presented on this page reflects the most up-to-date results of World Vision Canada programs reported between October 2022 and September 2023, and any previous fiscal years available. Previously reported data may not match the current presentation as we continuously receive and refine data from our programs. If you have any questions, kindly reach out to us.