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.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Day 10 - Sat 6.11.2011

Josh and Shannon went to the colonia to look at the water system valves for each distribution zone, and headed back to base at around 1 pm thoroughly baked from the heat - there’s a definite climate change compared to Flagstaff. Mercedes and McWane, in the meantime, went to Coxen Hole to activate another cell phone internet connection and get plastic trash bag for McWane’s solid waste study, and then they spent the remainder of the afternoon trudging around the hills of the colonia to do some mapping of the watershed and enlist some households to participate with the solid waste study.  

We had heard of recent efforts to encourage colonia residents to reduce debris, and finally got the opportunity to see these efforts in action. There are several new neighborhood trash collection structures being built of concrete block in various locations that can be reached by the municipal garbage truck each Tuesday. In addition to being more visually appealing, it is hoped that the construction of these structures will reduce the amount of refuse on the ground and in the stream channels.

         
The other interesting project encourages residents to recycle plastic water and soda bottles to help the construction of a new community multi-use field and ball court located along the entrance road into the colonia. The bottles are filled with sand and then mortared into a wall being built to separate kids and balls from the road. Benches and trash bins will be built the same way. Old tires are being collected, probably to make retaining walls on the slope behind the new field.


Another handwritten sign says 2,567 bottles have been used so far and about 10,000 bottles will be needed to complete the project. Several collection bins like this one below are located throughout the colonia. The attached sign refers to this as the Sandy Bay Recycling Project and asks residents to help build it one bottle at a time.



Mercedes and McWane started on the Monte Frisco side of the colonia and hiked up to the ridge that is between Monte Frisco and Policarpo Galindo. They then hiked the entire ridge of Policarpo Galindo and stopped at the 65000 gallon water tank. They met 2 people that live close to the tank and interviewed them and asked them to participate in the trash collection project. Mercedes and McWane found out that they compost a lot of the food scraps they have left over. Also, much of their trash is burned, because their location is so high up on the hill top. It appears that the location of the people in the colonia can affect the trash disposal practices. After a very pleasant interview, Mercedes and McWane walked back down to the bottom of the colonia, taking the opportunity to talk to a few other people people left and right as they trudged back to the hotel. 




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