This summer I worked in El Progreso, Honduras as a Students Helping Honduras intern. I was primarily working with a small group of women to form a women’s cooperative that sells recycled bags and wallets. This project was my main focus for the nine weeks. Megan was the primary contact for La Ceiba, while we were in Honduras. However, because Megan and I were both working with the women in Siete de Abril, we tried to help each other with our seperate projects. During the first week, I helped Megan introduce the concept of microfinance to each woman in Siete de Abril. We gathered information about each woman, and distributed flyers for an interest meeting. It was difficult to tell if the women grasped the concept. We were afraid of rumors spreading that we were simply donating sums of money to groups of women. It can be difficult to control information in Siete de Abril. Marcio, one of our best local staff members, warned us to be careful in our explanations, because rumors of free handouts had circulated in Siete overnight. From then on, Megan and I made a point of emphasizing the hard work and responsibility that would be involved in this project. After emphasizing this aspect, several women told us that they were “not interested in working.” There was also a lot of mistrust among the community members. The concept of peer pressure lending caused some women to shy away from the project. Megan and I both agreed that we wanted to see a stronger community among the women at Siete de Abril.
During our one-on-one consultations with the women, I noticed that most women wanted to use the loans to either sell clothes or food. I was concerned that there wasn’t enough variation between the different business plans. The second thing I noticed was a lack of confidence. Abstract questions about self-esteem and character traits were difficult for the women to grasp. It was as if no one had taken the time to really ask them. However, I noticed more assertiveness in the women from my eco-bag class by the end of the summer. Megan and I were both frustrated how petty arguements or grudges could break apart solidarity groups. We quickly realized that no matter how much prep work you do, you will always run into road blocks like these. They are inevitable, so it is best to be prepared for them. Working in Honduras forces you to put theories into realities, and this is an amazingly great challenge. Now that I’m back in class, it’s strange to study development theory. Although Honduras was a difficult experience, I just want to take action versus discussing theories of action. This class is so amazingly unique, because it gives me and other students the freedom and power to be active about poverty versus theorizing about poverty. On a more personal note, I really grew to care about the women in Siete de Abril, particularly the women in my bag class. They are so strong and beautiful, yet suffer from the constraints of a male-dominated culture, where domestic and sexual violence are rampant. It was almost revolutionary to see these women drafting their own business plans for financial independence. Beyond loans, I see La Ceiba as a vehicle to promote women’s rights and equality.
Rachel