Honduras

Reading Light Project

In spring of 2009, Light Up The World partnered with Philips Lighting and CAUSE Canada to bring solar-powered light to the people of Honduras.  Honduras is a beautiful country that stretches across 820 km of coast, the majority along the Atlantic (northern) side.  This area is particularly susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods; it was here that Hurricane Mitch wreaked havoc in October 1998, resulting in the death of 5,600 people and more than US $2 billion in damages. Honduras is one of the world's heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), and is considered one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere.  Given its high levels of social imbalance and inequality of income, fifty-three percent of the population live below the poverty line. 

Amongst Honduras' poorest are the Garifuna people, an Afro-Caribbean ethnic group that inhabits 36 northern coastal communities.  They have perhaps been the population most affected by natural disasters, due to their geographical location.  The Garifuna people comprise about 2% of Honduras' population, the greatest concentration living in the northern municipalities of Limón and Iriona.  The closest Garifuna villages are located 100 km from urban areas, and the underdeveloped road infrastructure makes it difficult to travel to these locations. Basic social services are available to some extent in certain villages; however the majority of Garifuna communities have no electric light whatsoever.  This deficiency has contributed to the growing illiteracy rate amongst the Garifuna people, which in turn has greatly affected the capacity of their subsistence economy.  The following estimates detail information about the unsatisfied basic needs (UBN) in Garifuna villages.

 Estimates of Unsatisfied Basic Needs

*results compiled in a study done by Comitato Internationale per lo Sviluppo dei Popoli

As a response to the lighting deficiency of the Garifuna people, Light Up The World worked in partnership with Philips Lighting and CAUSE Canada to bring reading lights to Honduras.  The lightweight, hand-held lights were distributed throughout Garifuna communities, thereby allowing families to read, write, and study into the evening hours.

Projected outcomes of the Honduras Reading Light project were: increased levels of literacy in the Garifuna communities, greater effectiveness of child education in schools, and the elimination of ongoing expenses for candles and kerosene fuel used for reading light.