A Collaboration Across Communities
December 2, 2024
We recently had the privilege of witnessing the kindness culture that thrives in the Garifuna communities we visited in northern Honduras. In San Juan, Profesora Martina opened her classroom on a holiday to share with us the cornerstones of the Garifuna culture classes she teaches to her primary school students. And local dentist, Rosemery from Baja Mar, dropped everything to help make arrangements to host our dental brigade team in the New Year. Sharing resources, working collectively, and helping one another are central to the Garifuna way of life.
We are excited to announce that with the support of Global Affairs Canada, we have recently begun working in partnership with Garifuna and Indigenous communities in Honduras to implement a 3.5-year Intercultural Bilingual Education project with the aim of reducing racial and gender disparities and promoting mother tongue learning for thousands of students lagging behind global learning standards.
In coastal communities, we encountered leaders like Marcelo from La Ensanada who participated in leadership meetings with our team and wrapped things up by sharing a paranda rhythm on the maracas, teachers who describe the opportunity for intercultural education as a ‘dream come true,’ and neighbours speaking Garifuna —a language that is a cornerstone of their heritage. Yet, this culture is at risk. Garifuna communities, their traditions, and their mother tongue, face increasing threats of erosion, confronted with systemic challenges, migration, displacement, and limited access to resources.
That’s why we’re committed to supporting intercultural education projects that empower these communities to preserve their language and traditions for future generations. Community development of mother-tongue language materials coupled with teacher-training initiatives and technology for educational resources and are not just about preservation—they’re about fostering pride and self-determination.