First Tolupán village library opens, two more in process
By Jack Cushman: Honduran Tolupán Education Program, Secretary of the Board
PLAN GRANDE, HONDURAS — Hundreds of kids, parents, teachers and community leaders gathered recently in the tiny village of Plan Grande, Honduras to celebrate the opening of a modern library in their community, which a year ago had no electricity, no communal Internet access, and practically no books. Now they have all three, along with a steady supply of printed workbooks for schoolchildren, frequent computer classes in a secure, air-conditioned space, plus a center for health and nutrition learning.
It’s the first big success for the Honduran Tolupán Education Program (HTEP), a partnership between Hondurans and supporters in the United States that is fulfilling dreams in several remote, impoverished villages with indigenous roots.
But it won’t be the last. Next in line is El Salitre, where a similar library and computer center will open this summer in a classroom where the rain used to blow in during stormy weather and where bookshelves were empty and even rickety chairs and desks were scarce. And villagers in La Conception, who cleared the land themselves and helped build a cinderblock foundation last year, will be completing a third project there before long.
Each of these centers also serves outlying settlements, places within walking distance that are now increasing linked together in a fledgling network of literacy. Thousands of people of all ages will benefit.
Who Are We?
The Tolupán are among several recognized tribes of indigenous people and their descendants in Honduras. Long victims of abuse and discrimination, they are proud of their heritage and are working to preserve their Tol language from extinction, a goal we share at HTEP. They are the poorest of the poor, and subsistence farmers among them suffer from severe food insecurity. We know that literacy and education are the keys to their very survival, and we’re confident that working together we can move forward.
HTEP’s supporters have been able to contribute financially without any aid from the government. Building and equipping each library can cost up to $50,000. We raise almost all of our funds through donations, large and small, from supporters primarily in the Upper Valley region near Norwich, VT, where HTEP is based, with additional support from a few foundations.
Our board and its advisory committee include experienced librarians, educators, farmers and physicians in both the United States and Honduras, including several with indigenous roots, where we now employ four Hondurans.
The key is to build a network in Honduras that can sustain itself for years. To that end, we are working closely with Partners of the Americas, where HTEP serves as an affiliate chapter, to create a Honduran entity. We are constantly learning by doing, and we know that Partners will be a huge help.
A modern library is a living organism. It’s a place to read, of course, which offers its own kind of sustenance. It doesn’t just feed the soul, though. We are refurbishing the kitchen in Plan Grande, and our plans include a community kitchen garden like the Hope and Faith garden planted by local women at a prototype library in El Rosario, where every change of seasons brings new growth.
