The Spirit of Christmas -- In Honduras

AHMEN – SIFAT Initiative

HONDURAS TRAINING PROGRAM REPORT

CUSUNA Community Agents Training Program: Workshop II – Intermedium Level

The program continues at the Cusuna community, the base community to concentrate a group of 52 community agents in leadership development. The Second Workshop of the Intermedium level took place with a number of 45 attendants and 7 of them with justified absences. We plan two more workshops during the months of February and June, with a possible fifth workshop in August in case of uncovered material. We expect to graduate from the Second Year no later than next summer.

We enjoyed special visits from Kathy Bryson, SIFAT’s International Training Coordinator, who

encouraged the agents to continue their involvement in the program and search for new life in the

communities.

Sara Mamani of Five Talents

We also took great pride in the presence of special guest instructor Ms. Sara Mamani of the Five Talents Organization in Bolivia. Sara taught an informative, progressive lesson on microfinances over the course of the three day training. The program of Five Talents trains community leaders to organize small groups for savings and credit with monetary contributions of the group members.

Sara with the agents' full attention

As a result of the information and methodology received on microfinances, the agents organized

savings groups by community areas. The groups organized a committee to send information

about the organization process and to report monthly about the saving funds beginning January

2013. (It would be neat for AHMEN teams to follow up on this new development!)

The group was highly motivated by the facilitator who used living testimonies of successful

groups in Bolivia and Guatemala. Living testimony is the “proof of the pudding” for workshops like the AHMEN-SIFAT Initiative.

Josue, instructor of the Deaf School, continues attending regularly the training. e is a challenge to the other community agents. His effort and enthusiastic participation is a great motivation to the all group. 

Ms. Sara Mamani and Byron Morales will pursue follow up and future visits to continue with the

strategy on microfinances and the multiplication of the experience among the community agents' home communities. This is an important step for the coming third year of training where the community agents must start their “dissertation” for graduation, the development of a community project related to the different fields of training.

Wilinton, one of the rising starts out of La Moskitia

Goals for the coming months include:

-coordinating with Nahun Flores the visits and follow up to the organization of the saving

groups: December & January.

-continue reporting and communication with Sara Mamani to follow up the organizational process and build a bridge of communication between the agents and Sara

-coordinating next Workshop-III with the Firemen Team from Tocoa to facilitate the subject on

First Aid and Emergencies: Byron & Nahun: February 18-20

-find a new source to support Nahun Flores as chief facilitator and liaison to the

communities: 2013

Edenia, in the center of the picture, nutritional project director in Cusuna, is responsible for part of the logistic (meals) during the workshops. Despite the time she needs for this logistic, she continues attending the workshops and accomplishing the learning goals.

If you think you would like to be a part of something bigger than yourself but you don't know what, consider making a monthly contribution to the AHMEN-SIFAT Initiative starting in 2013.  Sponsorship works, and you can be the difference! The three ASI workshops spread throughout Honduras are changing the way communities feel about their position in the world. Please join me in helping Honduran families transform their own situations and those of their fellow citizens. Contact me today!

Together, we are the difference.