Comox Rotary helping with

School desks in Honduras

The Rotary Club of Comox is proud to announce its involvement in helping school children in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. When Club members Kim Sleno and Charlie Sallis were there 4 years ago to help in the building of a water system, they saw the need for school equipment and supplies. Since starting its Public School System in 1998, the Honduras Government has not been able to supply desks for about 40% of its students. In many areas, especially in poor and working class areas, children must sit on the floor while studying. Kim and Charlie came back to the Club with the idea of raising funds for the purchase of school desks. With the financial support of club members and their local fund-raising efforts, a donation from the Castlegar Rotary Club, a grant from the Canadian International Development Agency, and matching grants from The Rotary Foundation, $48,270 is being sent to the host Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa. The host Rotary Club  will arrange for the construction, distribution and care of 1930 desks. The desks will be built in Honduras by local small shops so there is the added benefit of much needed employment in their economy. As schools in Honduras operate on a split shift day, each desk will serve two students.

For more information on the Tegucigalpa project, check out this power point presentation.