Intro: Most charities, from micro loan organizations and church groups, to larger organizations such as the Peace Corps, focus on helping individual families. The same can be said for Art For Humanity. But today, Art For Humanity is embarking on an exciting and totally new path toward building a better future for the poor of Honduras.

If working with individual impoverished families could be called a "grass roots" approach to fighting poverty, then the opposite might be called a "top down" approach.

Art For Humanity has used the "grass roots" approach successfully since 2001 assisting countless families escape poverty. But we have come to the conclusion that the poor are going to be helped in long- term systemic ways, by Honduran efforts much more than by "gringo" efforts. If Honduras is going to move away from being the second poorest country in the western hemisphere, it will require Hondurans leading the way.

The need for Hondurans leadership is the genesis of The Leadership University of Honduras. It will be the first English-speaking college in Honduras.. The goal for this new campus, will be to train the next generation of business and political leaders equipped with the necessary knowledge and resources to help guide their country out of the severe poverty from which it now suffers.

Students will be accepted from poor families and attend without cost. In the beginning, most of the faculty will be volunteers from the United States; later graduates will assume more of the teaching and management roles. However, even from the beginning, part of the curriculum will include courses in Honduran history, law, and politics, to be taught by Honduran educators.

Mission: To prepare Hondurans to lead their nation out of poverty.

Background: Over fifty years ago, the Peace Corps began their work in Honduras, making an important first step in recognizing and ameliorating the living conditions and endemic poverty suffered by most of the population. The Peace Corps has accomplished much and are to be commended and supported. We have enjoyed working with them on various projects. Yet much remains to be done. Despite half a century of hard work, Honduras continues to hold the unfortunate title of the second poorest country in the western hemisphere.

One of the main reasons for the persistent poverty is a tragically inadequate educational system. It is said that Honduras trails its Central American neighbors in education by 35 to 50 years. For that reason, many of the current political leaders lack sufficient education and leadership ability. In many respects, it is the "blind leading the blind."

An educated populace is the best hope for permanently lifting Honduras out of an endless cycle of hard lives lived in poverty without hope. It cannot be overstated that a critical component of self-sufficiency and an increased standard of living is the ability of a country to produce strong, competent, ethical leadership.

While outside aid in many forms can help individual families or serve as a temporary fix, nothing will replace a large pool of capable Hondurans ready to assume leadership roles. Politicians who hold themselves to a higher standard will govern well, step down peacefully and not loot the treasury or harmthe opposition.

Graduates of the Leadership University will be educated leaders ready to be employed at all levels of government. High ethical standards and hard work will earn these new leaders the respect of their own people. Rather than be burdened by poverty, Honduras can slowly emerge as a modern country known for a strong, diverse economy, promoting peace, education, and health care. We believe well educated ethical leaders can and will make this possible.

The Plan: The first step is to build, staff and support the Leadership University as the first English speaking college in Honduras using curriculum development and Honduran teachers where possible as an example of educated Honduran leadership. The students will come from poor families and attend tuition-free. Most of the faculty will be volunteers from the United States. The vision of the University is to break the cycle of poverty by training and educating tomorrow's leaders, by equipping them with the necessary tools to develop and staff good jobs, provide ethical political leadership, engage in sustainable agriculture, better health and sanitation standards that will support a future with an improved standard of living.

We are reaching out to the poor because without our assistance, their chance of a college education is almost non-existent. Otherwise they will be left behind with only a very small chance to improve their own future. The future of Honduras lies with the poor who are the majority of the population. They thoroughly know the plight of the impoverished because they are living it, currently without hope in the political process. We believe they are the ones who have the motivation to bring about the systemic changes needed to eliminate the causes of poverty in Honduras. We believe this new group of well educated ethical leaders can and will make these needed changes.

The second step is to build a teachers' college to build momentum in bringing an education to every Honduran who wants one. .

Thirdly, we want to build a nurses' college to train interested students in becoming professional medical personnel to help fill the severe shortage of clinic and hospital staff

The primary focus now is to launch the Leadership University with the Teachers' and Nurses' College to follow in stages.

The success of these plans is dependent on volunteers and financial support. Please consider volunteering and making a financial donation. Support can be made by check or credit card. Please send checks to Art For Humanity: 635 25^th St. South, Arlington, VA 22202 or to use a credit card click here. Art For Humanity is an IRS recognized 501c(3) charity and thus donations are eligible as charitable contributions.

A General Description: The Leadership University will be a five year residential college offering a degree in Business Administration.

It will be modeled after Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. Students unable to pay, attend Berea tuition-free. They work in college-owned cottage industries to pay for their room and board. The LU will function in a similar way.

Once established, the LU expects to be totally self-supporting and thus non-dependant on outside funding. However, it will remain dependent on outside teachers and other volunteers until enough students graduate and have sufficient experience to return as volunteer teaches for a week each year. In addition, we expect graduates to eventually take control of the college serving on the Board of Directors.

The class schedule will be similar to that of "Inter-term" on many U.S. campuses. In the U.S. during the three week inter-term (between fall and spring semesters) a student can take one class. That one class is the entire focus for that three week period.

While U.S. universities have only one inter-term per year, the LU would only have"inter-terms". That is, most classes would be completed in approximately three weeks.

By limiting a class to three weeks, volunteer professors need only be on campus for three weeks or less. In some cases, three professors will team-teach for a week. All students will be in the same class. So in the beginning, we will only need one professor at a time to teach the entire college until we expand and grow.

Students will study for four and a half years. The first six months will be intensive English classes to get the students up-to-speed so that when the first semester begins, the classes can be taught in English. After they finish four and a half years of classroom study, we will suggest students serve as interns for approximately three months in the United States. Returning from U.S. internships, they would gather back on campus for about a month to form and shape their plans for the future. In all, they will spend about five years in our program. Graduates would be invited back to the campus for a week twice each year to continue to evaluate and refine their career path.

During the inception of the LU, financial donations as well as other things such as clothing, toiletries and class supplies will be needed. However, once established, the college expects to be entirely funded by the organic coffee farm on which it is located. Farm income should begin in about five years and in about nine years the farm should be in full production. Preparation is now being made for planting the first coffee trees in 2009.

Regarding politics: Like the U.S., Honduras has two major political parties and a few small parties. The two major parties are Liberal and National. We have no interest or desire to influence which parties are elected. Our goal is to train and educate future leaders so they can effectively lead their country regardless of the party they support. It is our hope that the student body will be made up proportionately of both major parties and perhaps some of the smaller parties as well.

In addition to educating future leaders, we intend to invite the current elected leaders to various weekend seminars on campus. It is our vision to initiate a "Top Down" approach that will positively affect the future of this poverty-stricken country by educating both their current and future leaders. We believe well educated ethical leaders can and will make the future of Honduras different.

Volunteer Opportunities: We will need many English speaking volunteer staff. A Director of Administration will be needed to oversee the small campus of fifty to eighty students. This person needs organizational and administrative skills. Also needed is a Director of Teaching who will coordinate the teaching activities and also serve as a substitute teacher as needed. Both of these positions need people willing to volunteer for at least six months, but preferably longer. Recent graduates as well as retired professionals or people on sabbatical or between career changes, etc. would be welcome to serve in these capacities.

In addition to the above long-term volunteers, each week on a rotating basis we will need one professor/teacher and five to eight tutors. The tutors, among other things, will facilitate small group learning sessions. While these teams are only asked to serve for a week, those able to serve longer would be most welcomed and appreciated. Professors, teachers, lecturers, etc. are welcome to select and bring their tutoring team with them.

While volunteers are welcomed to serve longer, most will serve from one day to about three weeks. The exception would be the Director of Administration and the Director of Teaching who will be asked to serve for a minimum of six months.

Financial Needs: The Leadership University needs financial support. Donors will receive a receipt for tax purposes. Support can be made by check or credit card. To support this vision, please send checks to Art For Humanity: 635 25^th St. South, Arlington, VA 22202 or to use a credit card click here. Art For Humanity is an IRS recognized 501c(3) charity and thus donations are eligible as charitable contributions.

Curriculum: The core curriculum is currently being developed. Input is welcomed. To prepare the students for business, we plan to offer a well rounded education including classes in economics, world history, marketing, business law, science, math, geography, accounting, psychology, political science, human resource management, leadership, computer skills, statistics, business management, etc. In addition, we want to offer 30 to 50 short-term lectures series on topics important to the development of future leaders. Topics would cover a wide range from such things as developing emotional maturity to negotiating skills to broader issues involving third world development. Many of these short term seminars would be well suited to teachers able to come for only a weekend or even for a day. If you have expertise in such areas or know of others who do, please contact us.

Because Honduras high school graduates (even those at the top of their class) will be on a level similar to a typical 6^th grade student in the U.S., in the first year of study, we will need junior high as well as high school teachers for remedial work and improving English skills. We will be in constant need of elementary and junior high English teachers, with an emphasis on grammar.

Teaching style: Students in Honduras rarely learn to think, analyze or problem solve. Education is based on rote memorization. One of our challenges will be to teach our students critical thinking and analytical skills. To facilitate the development of skill sets we would like to have five tutors to accompany each teacher/lecturer. We would like to have the teacher/lecturer teach in roughly thirty-minute segments. English-speaking tutors would then meet with students in small groups to discuss the implications of the lesson just taught. The goal of the small groups is to not only promote understanding of the material presented, but to think about and analyze the ideas presented.

We would encourage the tutors to not only spend time tutoring and mentoring students in class, but also use the opportunity of informal times in the dining room, dormitory and beyond.

Student Requirements for Acceptance: To be accepted into LU, students would normally (1) Live in a rural area (2) Come from a poor family (3) Have graduated near the top of their high school class (4) Be recommended by their teachers (5) If a Peace Corps volunteer is serving their village, have the recommendation of that PCV and the recommendation of their pastor.

Location: The campus is about two hours outside of Tegucigalpa, the capitol of Honduras. Because the site is extremely rural high in the mountains, it has two intrinsic benefits. Unlike much of Honduras, the area is very safe with little serious crime. Secondly, it has very pleasant weather. The night temperatures range between 50 and 60 degrees while the day temperatures range between 65 and 85 degrees. These two elements make it an ideal and pleasant place for volunteers to come. It is truly a beautiful place with a scenic river, waterfalls, and mountain slopes on which to grow the organic coffee.

Summary: If Honduras is going to make the substantial changes needed to move out of the desperate poverty it now experiences, we believe it will require the active participation of Honduran citizens. Only educated ethical leaders can bring about the systemic changes needed to change the future in positive ways. In ten years, we believe the Leadership University will equip a generation of Honduran graduates to facilitate that change and make education and ethical political leadership a priority in that country. We believe well educated ethical leaders can and will make this possible.

For these important things to happen, we need your help as a volunteer and financial supporter. To help achieve our goals, would you consider joining with others to donate one dollar a day?

FAQs:

Can I really volunteer and be useful at the college or organic farm without speaking Spanish? Absolutely. On campus, English is the official language. If the students are to become fluent in English, they will need to be immersed in English. Therefore, we want many, many English speaking volunteers visiting campus twelve months a year. We hope volunteers will always speak English.

Which season of the year are volunteers most needed? We need volunteers twelve months a year. During the summer when U.S. schools are out, is the time when volunteers are most plentiful. So, if you could come in other months, that would be helpful. There will be no classes during Christmas week or Easter week but there will be plenty to do on the organic farm especially during Christmas week. Christmas is the middle of coffee harvest and all extra hands are welcomed.

What about airline service? The nearest airport is in the city of Tegucigalpa. Several U.S. airlines provide service, as well as Taca - the airline of El Salvador. We have used all of them without complaint. Christmas and Easter seasons are the highest priced times to fly. Tickets normally range between $400 and $800. Service is also available from San Pedro Sula and prices are often lower. But the alternative airport necessitates a five hour drive rather than two. However, if you will be volunteering with us in Honduras and then wish to spend time near the Caribbean or the Mayan ruins, you may want to fly into San Pedro Sula. In this case you would need to arrange your own transportation from San Pedro to one of the towns near the school where we would pick you up.

Are rental cars available? If you want to spend time driving around Honduras, rental cars are available at the airport. The best rates are available by making reservations online in advance. Because of the bad roads, we recommend you rent either a SUV or pickup.

Is public transportation available? Honduras has an excellent bus system. Buses go to most every location in Honduras and the rates are very low. There are two classes of bus service. One is the local yellow school bus that you will see everywhere in Honduras, often with cargo and chickens on top. The other is the executive or direct bus service. These direct buses are the quickest way to go from major town to major town. They are normally clean, safe, comfortable, quick and low priced. They are the "Greyhound" style of bus.

What are the living conditions like on campus? The location is very remote and very rustic, to say the least. Dormitory rooms are small, have concrete floors, tin roofs, and single beds. Showers and toilets are clean but not always in the same building. Showers may not always have hot water. Electricity is supplied by solar panels and thus in limited supply. The food is simple but nutritious - beans, rice, soup, pasta, eggs, tortillas, seasonal fruit and vegetables, coffee, tea, bottled water, occasionally fish or chicken. You are also welcome to bring some of your favorite snacks.

What are the seasons? There are two seasons, rainy and dry. Generally, the dry season runs from January to May. The driest months, and thus the starriest skies, are February, March and April, a great time to plan for some camping under the beautiful stars. The rainiest months are May through October. Unless there is a tropical storm in the Caribbean, the rain is normally intermittent with sun and clouds exchanging places in the sky during the day. Seldom does it rain all day. Much of the rain is at night. The coolest months are November through January when the nights are about 50 to 55 and the days are 65 to 75. Easter week is a big event with people coming from all around to swim in the clear mountain river running by the campus.

Should I get shots before coming? That is a topic to discuss with your doctor. Our general observation is that few short term visitors to Honduras get shots before coming but, many long term visitors do.

Are there many insects? Normally there are few, if any, mosquitoes. Sometimes during the dry season there are "no-see-ems" in the woods early in the morning but generally not a problem during most of the day. The climate is cool enough that long sleeves and pants can be worn comfortably helping to combat the few insects. .

Are there snakes? The campus is in a remote rural area with many types of wildlife but it is rare to see a snake. Most of the locals report rarely, if ever, seeing a snake even though they work out doors every day.

How far will I be from civilization? Tegucigalpa and Comayagua are both about two hours drive from the LU campus. Tegucigalpa, the capital, has the U.S. Embassy and two hospitals. Comayagua has a U.S. military base and a hospital built and sometimes staffed by U.S. volunteer medical personnel.

What should I bring? Pack very lightly. One back pack is all that most volunteers bring. In fact many young people spend months traveling all over Latin America and Europe carrying all they need in one backpack and, that is our recommendation as well.

Because of the remote area and very limited electricity, you will not need any electric appliances -- no dryer, or iron. Plan for an experience in simplicity. It can be very refreshing to be away from all electronic distractions. Feel free to bring a camera.

This is a typical clothing list for most volunteers coming for a week or more. The same clothing you wear on the plane to Honduras can be worn on the return trip. In addition, two lightweight pants, two long sleeve and one or two short sleeve shirts, four sets of underwear and socks. If you need clothing washed, the person cleaning your room will be glad to wash them. Wear your hiking boots on the plane because they are too bulky to pack and also bring a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of flip flops. If you are coming during the coldest months bring a jacket, hat and warmer clothing. If you are coming during the hottest months, consider some shorts and tee shirts. When you leave campus to return home, we would very much appreciate any shoes and clothing you choose to leave behind for us to give to the poor.

Keep your toiletries and wardrobe very simple. This is not a place of fashion. This is not a vacation where you need two suitcases of clothing for various occasions. Pack as simply as you would if you were taking a week-long hiking trip.

If you want to bring some insect repellant, the "wipes" type are easier to bring in your carry-on baggage. It would be good to bring some gardening type of gloves. If you come during the rainy season, a rain jacket would be useful.

How can I be contacted in an emergency? Before you leave home, we will give you a phone number for your family to call in an emergency.

What about liability? Art For Humanity requires all volunteers to sign a Waiver of Liability form prior to volunteering in Honduras.

Are there people who should not come? Only people in good health should come. If your health is such that medical attention will possibly be needed, you should not come. We need many different types of volunteers. If your health is questionable, we would prefer for you to volunteer with us in other ways at or near your home. While there are hospitals within two hours drive of the campus, they are not equivalent to U.S. hospitals and staff most likely will not speak English and medicine may not be available.

What will I experience while being on campus? You will experience life as it is lived by many Hondurans. While the campus is rustic by U.S. standards, it is somewhat luxurious by the standards of many of our students. The food and housing are better than much of the population of Honduras have. Because the campus is very rural with no public electricity, you will experience quiet evenings away from city noise. The nights are filled with the sounds of nature. Stars are abundant. People typically go to bed by 8 or 9 and get up with the sun around 5:30A.M. Your schedule depends on what you have volunteered to do, but normally you will be with students in a learning environment both indoors and outdoors. You will have the opportunity to do some hiking in the beautiful mountainous area. There is a large waterfall requiring a hike of only about an hour. In this region, the air is fresh with no source of industrial pollution or cars anywhere nearby.

Do I need to be physically fit to visit the campus? It certainly helps but is notessential. In addition to volunteering at the college, if you plan on working on the organic farm or hiking in the mountains, that will require good health and fitness.

Is visiting Honduras dangerous? Like most of Latin America, Honduras has abundant crime. The U.S. State Dept. rates Honduras as a dangerous place to visit. However, because of the extreme remoteness of the campus, crime is seldom if ever a problem in our area. Unlike most of Honduras, the region around the campus is relatively free of serious crime. We are located within a large national forest and one of the responsibilities of the Honduran military is to guard the forest. There is only one small dirt road leading in and out of the entire vast region. Both the military and the national police have check points on that road as well as daily patrols into the mountains to thwart illegal harvesting of the forest. The forest is one of the largest income sources to the government so they guard it carefully. With the military patrolling the area, it is not a place where criminals want to come, nor is there anything to attract criminal interests.

In our opinion, petty street crime and thievery is much more prevalent in Honduras than in the U.S., but violent crime is similar in Honduras to that of some urban areas of the U.S.

What will be my total expenses? There is really only one cost for you to incur and that is your plane ticket to and from Tegucigalpa which normally ranges between $400 and $800. You will buy that ticket. We do not make any arrangements regarding ticket purchase. We will cover your travel expense to and from the airport in Tegucigalpa and also your room and meals on campus. In turn we ask you to consider making a financial donation to this project to defray those costs if possible. The amount of your donation is your choice. Your donation makes the project possible.

Obviously, the expenses mentioned above only include your volunteer work at the college. It does not include any side excursions or travel you decide to do apart from your volunteering on campus. For example, if you want to rent a car or travel by bus and visit other parts of Honduras, those expenses are entirely your responsibility.

How do I prepare for personal expenses? If you are planning to tour Honduras with a portion of your time, you will need to prepare for those expenses. You will be able to use your credit card for car rental, in some gas stations in the cities, and in U.S.-owned hotels, which are only in the large cities. Everywhere else, you will need cash.

Many places will accept U.S. dollars, but not everywhere. Change will only be available in the local currency which is the Lemperia. There are ATM machines in the airports, at some banks and tourist centers. The ATMs dispense Lemperias. They normally only accept bank checking cards not credit cards.

Traveler's checks are generally not recognized and only a few banks will exchange them for you. The application to exchange them is somewhat similar to making a mortgage application in the U.S.

We recommend bringing a credit card and a "cash" card for the ATM machine and some cash.

What surprises should I expect?

Schedules and everything else are flexible, to say the least. In this culture being on time is not critical. Be prepared to "go with the flow". In Honduras, you will be much happier if you do not expect perfection. The pace is very different than in the States. You will first notice this as you observe the driving habits of Hondurans. For example, they will routinely park in the middle of a busy street to have conversation with a friend who is walking or driving by, oblivious to the obstruction they create.

Don't believe everything you are told. For Hondurans, there is a strong need to please. Answering your question is a sign of hospitality. For Hondurans, it is far more important to answer your question than it is to provide accurate information. When you ask a question keep in mind that, "I do not know" or "I am not sure," are not normally a part of the Honduran vocabulary. Therefore, you will always receive an answer but the accuracy is often questionable.

You will see many armed people. There are many police and military check points where personnel are heavily armed. In addition, you will normally see two armed guards at most gas stations and businesses as well as on delivery trucks. Banks normally have six.

Respect is recognized worldwide. Show respect to everyone and it will be returned multiplied.

What if I have other questions? Send an email to info@artforhumanity.org