Building schools for children in Honduras and Ecuador

Building schools for children

IN HONDURAS AND ECUADOR

Canadian Volunteer Charity Making a Difference

Only 15 years ago, two prominent Canadian architects, Doug Allen and Ron McKnight, travelled to Honduras to investigate the possibilities of constructing schools in places where there were none . They found that in this poor country the opportunities for children to acquire some education were minimal in the cities and almost non-existent in the countryside . Not to be dissuaded by this monumental fact,

Doug and Ron, men of action, began making acquaintances with a variety of

Hondurans who shared the same vital interest to build schools . They were taken to a site that was already under construction to witness firsthand some of the hurdles ahead of them . Getting to the site was an experience they retold many times . Two beaten up pick-up trucks with winches front and back were the mode of transportation . The need for the winches soon became evident as one truck would winch the other truck through rivers and washed-out roads . Once on-site, Doug and Ron pitched in carrying rudimentary blocks, made down by a river, up to the building site to bake in the sun . They immediately recognized that without Portland cement, the essential ingredient of concrete, these blocks wouldn’t last very long . Somehow, they made arrangements to get Portland cement to the site and were able to teach the locals how to make a decent building block . This was a beautiful moment in the budding relationship of these two men and the people of Honduras . It was literally and figuratively the first building block in what has now become an extremely successful program that has seen 26 schools built in Honduras and five in Ecuador .

Back home in Ontario, Doug and Ron worked tirelessly with friends and acquaintances to build interest in their desire to make change . Several people joined the infant Board of Directors and some made contributions – Schools for Children of the World Canada (SCWC) was born .

The next essential piece was to identify a person in Honduras who could put together a team and oversee the search for communities who were desperate for a school and then to become the project manager on the actual construction . On the agenda for their next trip, they scheduled interviews with young architectural students in San Pedro Sula, the second largest city in Honduras . A young lady by the name of Alejandra surfaced as the perfect candidate to fit the bill .

Money is key to the success of such an ambitious charitable endeavor and the novice Board of Directors tried a variety of events to entice folks to become donors and/or supporters . Although these gifts and donations were very much appreciated, they needed much more to make an impact .

The Directors on the Board hit on an idea that was, in reality, right before their eyes . They were all involved in some aspect of the construction industry and had many contacts, from builders to architects and engineers, from school

board personnel to designers . A golf day would be held and all these contacts would be invited . Of course, a lot of them knew each other and appreciated the opportunity to have some down time with their peers and to help such an excellent cause .

I cannot stress enough that SCWC is one of the rare charities that is completely volunteer driven . Every dollar donated goes directly to the building of schools . The board directors do not receive any money; in fact, they pay for their own expenses and contribute freely of their own time . There are no middlemen involved . These funds that are given so generously are coveted and protected so that they reach the final destination: a school in a village in a mountain where there was no school before .

The annual golf tournament is a great success that sells out in half a day . Nobleton Lakes Golf Club is our host and they put on a great day of golf on their beautiful course followed with a wonderful buffet dinner . A quality prize table and raffles are but secondary to the feeling we all have about doing something so meaningful in our troubled world .

The diners are treated to a short video presentation of one of our most recent schools being built or being dedicated . The happiness on the kids’ and villagers’ faces is the greatest thing to witness . The entire village comes out and the kids put on plays, musical performances, and folkloric dances .

Up to a couple of years ago, our work has been building elementary schools grades one to six, and kindergartens . This presented a significant problem . After grade six, when the kids are 11 or 12, they had nowhere to go to

This house was used temporarily for a school room. Although it was a demanding mountainous site with steep hills and water runoff issues we constructed a wonderful kindergarten and a two classroom elementary school.

continue their education unless they found a way to go to one of the Honduran cities . A virtual impossibility .

In 2017 an extensive search was undertaken to find the right place to build a high school . By this time Alejandra had moved to Barbados and another young lady by the name of Karina took over the duties . On one of his many trips to Honduras SCWC director Don Pocock, author of this article, found the perfect site . It is in the town of Las Lajas, which is surrounded by several villages . Las Lajas and vicinity has about 800 kids of high school age with no further educational hope in their future . The local Mayor, along with Karina and Don, created a rudimentary plan

A panorama of a recently completed school celebrating their dedication. Washrooms are part of our plan and our logo with the Canadian flag can be seen on the wall of the school. A playground made from recycled things to create swings, hop scotch, and other kid games.

that would be presented to the SCWC Board of Directors . Don requested and was given the naming rights of this school . It will be named after one of our founders Mr . Doug Allen and will consist of instruction in the trades, a wish that Doug constantly expressed .

The first phase of this High School, the Instituto Doug Allen, is currently under construction . The global COVID-19 pandemic hit poorer nations the hardest . Adding to that, Central America suffered from two hurricanes in 2020 that made the roads impassable . Still, work is progressing at a slow pace and may reach completion in the fall of 2021 . The other three phases will be done as money, supplies, labour, and need demonstrate . Sadly, Doug passed away in 2020, but he was well aware that this school was being built to honour the work he has done for so many underprivileged kids .

SCWC graciously accepts any help that is offered . Sometimes an interested person comes to one of our Board meetings and finds a way to fit their talents to our overarching objectives, or a company would enter a foursome in our golf tournament . The following year that company might sponsor a hole and the following year fund the après golf cocktails . There is a plethora of ways to help .

You can become part of this dream . You could visit our website (www. scwcanada.ca) or speak to the author; we are always interested in new ideas or ways to improve . You could come and golf with us .

Our world is full of refugees fleeing their own countries . Honduras is no different . I share this most obvious observation: No one wants to leave their home country and if things were better they never would . Honduras is a beautiful country full of mountains, rivers, lush forests, and bustling cities . The Honduran people are welcoming and warm . They laugh easily and enjoy their families and friends . There are many problems but education is a key part of the solution .

About the author

Don Pocock is in his late 70s and leads a full life devoted to this cause and many activities such as squash, golf, woodworking, building, real estate agency, piano, a trust fund at York University in the name of his late daughter Adrienne, Grandfather of two boys . Don retired from the Province of Ontario at age of 50 . He was a Commissioner of what is now called MPAC . Email him at donpocock@rogers.com.

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