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September 1

They have started putting up the walls!  It is quite exciting.


August 18

Newest pictures of the construction:

August 15

Here is a recent photo.  It may not look like much, but a huge trench was dug and rockes were moved.  An interesting side-note on the construction of the library: when Nelson was looking into who should build the library, he did a lot of homework.  He compared past work, prices, and personality.  Of four teams of men, he picked one constractor and his team.  Apparently, the head contractor of the chosen group was held up at gunpoint and accused of stealing the job by one of the men who was not picked. As a result, the guy coordinating the construction decided he was done with the library, and filed suit in town against the other guy.  Since that point, Nelson has had to find a different contractor to complete the construction, which he did the next week.  To date, progress is being made.  More pictures to come as change is taking place every day . . .

August 05, 2008

Construction has begun on the library.  A few months ago, the land was excavated.  Now, beginning last week, workers have begun to dig out the trenches for the foundation.  It is exciting to see the start.  I will post pictures soon.

In 2007, Shoulder to Shoulder opened the first library in Santa Lucia, Intibuca, Honduras.  The goal of the library was to have a place where the community could come to read, study, learn, and play.  

The library is the only place in the community where children can actually pick up a book to read.  Though schools have a limited supply of books, the children are not allowed to touch them.  

Given this knowledge, we wanted children to have access to books and to have the ability to check out a book to take home. We wanted to get children excited about reading. 

Since its inception, the library has been a tremendous success.  Weekly activities include Story Hour, Geography Club, Life Skills Class, and exercise classes.  During the summer, additional programs include Reading Club and a craft class. 

Children come daily to the library to read, do crafts, color, play “Memory,” and put together puzzles.  Students use the library to research different projects and check email.  Adults come for exercise classes and to use the computers. 

The library is also available for visiting patients and families.  Many children come to the library to read and color while their parents are being seen in the clinic.  The majority of these children are coming from villages surrounding Santa Lucia where the attendance for school is drastically lower than in town.  The library is able to provide a place of creative learning for these children. 

 In late summer 2008, the space the library is currently occupying will be remodeled to be used as a maternity wing for the Hombro a Hombro Clinic.  We are going to have to build a new library to be finished by August of 2008.

 We need your help to do this!  Please consider making a donation to support the construction of the new library!  The total amount needed is $48,500.  With your help, we can continue to serve the community of Santa Lucia, Honduras, making a long-term impact on the literacy and education of the children here.

To donate, click on this link.