Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the world. Conflicts lurk on every street corner. The prospects are anything but rosy. Many try their luck in neighbouring countries - including children. But in the middle of Honduras, six-year-old Daylin harbours the dream of becoming a vet.
Daylin slides impatiently back and forth in her chair. Actually, class is over. The school bell should be ringing now. But there is no bell at the Jose Filiberto Gonzalez school. Classes are held in the open air. Señora Denia Rosibel Flores, Daylin's teacher, cheerfully continues to explain the subject. The six-year-old Honduran would love to go home and play princess with her pretty dresses.
Just going home is not always possible for Daylin. The first-grader attends school in the village of Guasucaran in the community of El Plomo. The village is around 45 kilometres south-west of the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa.
Daylin's journey to school takes around 35 minutes and is anything but a walk: the paths are very exposed to the weather and lead through various conflict zones. An everyday challenge for Daylin, which the six-year-old can only overcome with her mother.
When four books mean the world
"I really like Spanish," says the petite first-grader. It is one of her favourite subjects. Her mother emphasises: "She loves going to school." Her thirst for knowledge doesn't stop with school lessons. "Daylin does her homework very conscientiously," says her mum proudly. She is particularly pleased that Daylin is also allowed to use her four school books at home. What is normal for pupils in Western countries is a privilege for Daylin.
Honduras is one of the poorest countries on the American continent. Due to a lack of prospects, many seek their fortune in the USA. When children and young people flee, they also drop out of school. However, only a few succeed in migrating northwards.
The majority of refugees are sent back to a reality in which they have missed several months of lessons. Our projects in Honduras help these children to catch up on what they have missed at school and develop prospects in the country itself.
The joy of learning
End of lesson: Daylin jumps out of her chair, grabs her rucksack and hurries to the school kitchen. Her mum is waiting there alongside the nutritious lunch. Together with other women from the community, Daylin's mum has cooked lunch for the 36 or so children at the school. Daylin is beaming. It's her favourite meal: Patatas fritas!
The Jose Filiberto Gonzalez school benefits from the "Joy of Learning" project, which is implemented together with the local partner organisation AyO. The aim of the project is to help children throughout Honduras improve their school performance in maths and reading. To this end, around 223 teachers are being trained in strategies for multi-level teaching and non-violent education. The partner organisation AyO also offers support in cases of family violence.
"I want to be a vet"
The long road
Hand in hand, Daylin and her mother leave the school grounds. Schooling gives Daylin a perspective and lets her dream of the future. "I want to be a vet," she says. Whether she will make it is written in the stars. But the first-grader certainly has courage and drive.
Stories like Daylin's have spread beyond the borders of Honduras. Daylin, her school friends and all the children in our project countries need your support so that they can continue to enjoy learning. You can make a big difference with a donation.