A Research Project in Roatan, Honduras

Roatan is the largest of the Bay Islands, located 35 miles north of mainland Honduras. The island is approximately 3 miles wide and 30 miles long with a resident population of 65,000. The local economy is dominated by tourism- the tropical setting with resorts, beaches, and reef diving are the primary attractions. Visitation has increased substantially- from 15,000 in 1990, to 700,000 in 2010, and 1 million plus expected in 2011. Visitors arrive by airline, ferries from the mainland, or cruise ships that make frequent stops at the two docks recently constructed for them.

Colonia Policarpo is the largest of four colonias clustered in a relatively new settlement that lies on a steep hillside on the northwest side of the island near Sandy Bay. Most of the colonia residents have migrated from mainland Honduras seeking service and construction jobs in the tourism industry. Policarpo has approximately 520 households and 3,000 residents, half under age 16. Prior to 2006, most colonia residents obtained their drinking water from rainwater catchment or shallow hand dugs well subject to pollution. Since that time Living Water 4 Roatan (LW4R), a non-governmental organization, has worked with Policarpo residents to develop a self-sustaining water system that provides treated drinking water to households on a limited basis.

The Global Partnership Project student organization at Northern Arizona University (GPP-NAU) is collaborating with this community, LW4R, and a local health clinic in an effort to improve the quality of life in the colonia. This partnership is considered to be a multi-year endeavor between NAU and Colonia Policarpo. The long term goals for this and future trips include:

- Build relationships in Roatan and within the colonia community.
- Provide for adequate sanitation systems to all residences to reduce the chances of disease outbreaks such as cholera, malaria, and dengue fever.
- Expand and improve the water system, reduce the energy costs for operating it.
- Provide for adequate solid waste collection and erosion control.
- Perform social network mapping and interviewing to gain a better understanding of the community and their needs, particularly for public works improvements.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Day 17 - Saturday 6/18/2011

From Mercedes:

Miss Peggy is truly, truly a God-send. Not everyone who does fieldwork in remote locations has the good fortune of having a first-class health clinic just around the corner. Thanks to her care, I was able to get quickly back on my feet after a bout of dehydration brought on by motion sickness and perhaps some food that didn't sit too well in my stomach. Despite the late start, the photovoice group went well. It helps that I didn't have to teach feeling like death warmed over. I've taught while sick on numerous occasions, but it's not my favorite thing to do.

My biggest challenge with photovoice will be getting the children out of their shells and talking freely. I got a lot of blank stares and shrugged shoulders when I asked things like "What do you like about your community?" and "What do you dislike?" As class progressed, however, they opened up more and more. A couple are clearly more vocal than others, but for now that is a good thing because I can use them as a foundation upon which to draw out the rest of the kids. On Tuesday, I think I'll start by having the kids take pictures of objects that represent them and then having them come back and share with the rest of the group. The great thing about photography is that what children find difficult to verbally express, they are often able to convey through pictures, so the cameras will be a solution in themselves.


Meanwhile McWane, Shannon, and Josh went with Dale, Sam, and Ken to the Hospital Roatán. The conditions of this place are nothing like the conditions of a hospital in the US. The hospital had beds and equipment from the 1980s. The Conditions seemed unsanitary, although it was acceptable to the island. The trip to the hospital was a realization that if someone gets hurt really bad they could die!

After the visit to the hospital in Coxen Hole Josh and McWane headed back to Pirate’s Din to pick up Mercedes to go do the Photovoice project at Sand Castle Library. They went to pick up Mercedes then to the colonia to pick up all of the kids. When they arrived, Miss Peggy said that she could help Mercedes by giving her fluids to rehydrate her. Josh and McWane took all of the kids to the Sand Castle library and started setting up the projector and computer.  McWane and Josh talked to the kids in English while Emmy and Ki helped translate all of their nonsense. Finally after 30 minutes of messing around on the computer and trying to figure the whole project out Mercedes showed up. McWane left and went to meet Dale, Sam, and Ken to have lunch. After the photovoice project finished they returned to pick up Josh and Mercedes.

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