GVI Phoenix Project

Facts and figures

On an annual basis we aim to provide:
First time education or educational reinforcement to almost 2000 children in primary school
Secondary education to over 200 children and adults
Employment to over 75 local people; more-so indirectly
100 energy saving wood-burning stoves and 15,000 trees planted
Around 100,000 teaching hours
Over 500,000 pieces of fruit
1,000’s of pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, colouring pencils, work-books and erasers
Over 300,000 whole or subsidized meals
Daily education in 16 communities across Latin America
Direct benefits to over 500 families

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Weekend adventure in Honduras

Besides from all the work that the volunteers do in the school and their Spanish lessons during the week, at weekends they can take advantage of a number of activities GVI organises, (after they’ve finished all their lesson planning!) or travel independently further afield.

The most famous attraction here in Honduras is the Copan Ruinas, which is one of the best preserved Mayan archaeological parks in Latin America. The stone ruins are set in a lush green environment close to the Copan River and the volunteers can enjoy an informative guided tour which tells of the history and archaeological interpretations of the inscriptions.

A three hour guided horseback ride along the Copan River to a Mayan Chorti community is another of the activities on offer.
For the more athletic volunteer is a guided trek around the surrounding hills of Copan, both of which offer fantastic views of the Copan Valley in all its glory.

The Macaw Mountain Bird Park is an eco-tourism project where exotic tropical birds which have been rescued from captivity are re-homed in a forested area of ten acres. As well as attracting many tourists, it also serves as an educational centre for the local schools who frequently visit and learn about the importance of protecting the environment and its fauna and flora.

If the volunteers need to relax after a tiring week then they may opt to visit the nearby hot springs where they can relax in the thermal baths formed by the natural hot waters as they flow down the mountainside and also where the warm currents mix with the cool waters of the stream.

For the more adventurous, the Caribbean coast is a few hours away, with the Bay Islands a firm favorite for scuba diving, snorkling or just lazing on the beaches of Tela, West End in Roatán or Los Cayos Cochinos.

For those interested in wildlife, then the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, in La Ceiba is also well worth a visit...

...as well as La Lancetila Botanical Gardens in Tela.

All of these activities have been enjoyed by past volunteers and definitely add to the Honduran experience, either during their time with us, or afterwards if they are travelling onwards.