| The Texaco Family Support Center |
 The Texaco Family Support Center has been in operation since January 2006 in the Unidad y Fuerza community in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Unidad y Fuerza is a marginalized community without basic resources, such as water, electricity or adequate housing. Its population consists of approximately 800 children in need of nutrition and education. The four surrounding communities increase the number of children and families in need to over 4,000. The adult population consists mainly of single and widowed mothers who play the dual role of ‘mother’ and ‘father’.The community is continually threatened by social problems such as gang-related violence, alcoholism, and lack of a strong family support system. The Texaco Family Support Center fulfills many needs for the children providing them with food, education, and safety throughout the day. This allows parents to work and help support their children without the burden of leaving them behind without supervision. Honduran oversight of the center is a joint effort of community leaders and teachers, and supervision conducted periodically by Jorge Mahomar, our affiliate in Honduras. Building a Future members and partners also make recurring trips to Unidad y Fuerza to visit the Texaco Family Support Center.    Educational ProgramsThe facility is open four days a week from 8 am to 5 pm hosting children (ages ranging from 4 to 14 years old) in and around the Unidad y Fuerza community. The majority of children that attend the Family Support Center either struggle with learning disabilities, receive inconsistent and low quality education, or have dropped out of local public schools entirely. On a daily basis, 40 to 80 children attend the center for scheduled educational programs.The center offers five educational programs and workshops - Library, Study, School Reinforcement (tutoring), Theater & Dance, and Toy Library. These learning-intensive programs and recreational workshops are tailored for children from 1st grade to 6th grade elementary school levels. Other special activities, such as community service projects or field trips, are also incorporated into the schedule periodically.
The Support Center’s programs are carried out by Lidia Rovira, a native from Spain with a Master’s degree in Education. She lives in the Unidad y Fuerza community eleven months out of the year and has committed to educating children in the area. Lidia works with other community leaders and volunteers to handle the administration of the center. |