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 28, 2011

Day 25 - Sunday 6/26/11

Today, we got a much needed break - and not just a day to relax at the apartment, cooking and chatting between bursts of paperwork and testing. It took us a while to get in gear, but, finally, at around 10:30 in the morning, we hopped a taxi to West End. We spent about an hour goofing off in the water, which was just the right temperature. Then, on the recommendation of some other colonia do-gooders  that we bumped into when we arrived in West End, we rented some kayaks. Unfortunately, they were too small for Josh, who paddled his way back to shore after capsizing three times in the first ten minutes:) McWane and Mercedes went out just past the coral rocks that surround the beach and took some pictures. In a few spots, the coral was so high that our kayaks scraped the tops (I know, I know that's really bad for the coral). From the boats you could tell how beautiful it had to be under the water. Every now and then, I got a glimpse of a massive growth of brain coral or beautiful purple coral. Had we had time, I'd have rented snorkle gear and jumped in. McWane says the reef truly is a beautiful sight. We only got to spend about four hours in West End before we had to hustle back to shower and attend a meeting of the patronato of Policarpo. It was just enough time, however, to perk everyone back up and get us excited about our research again. 


McWane was able to complete water testing on a sample from the creek that flows through the colonia as well as the water sample taken from house #11. Sample below.
 

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