A total of 94 1st-6th grade students received their classes from Monday-Friday in a single classroom in the community of El Rancho in Santa Cruz, Lempira. Because the space was so small, students suffered from stress and discomfort. The building was in very bad shape and water would come in through the cracked roof in the rainy season. They only had 2 bathrooms, so students would frequently get sick because of the bad hygiene.
Many of the students walked long distances of up to 6 kilometers to get to this overcrowded school. When we asked the principal why she had allowed the student population to grow in this way when she did not have the adequate space for them, she replied that she had no other option as this school was the only option that students had to get an education and become someone in life.
The students did not have adequate spaces, but thanks to the collaboration between CEPUDO and Food for the Poor, the Modesto Rodas Alvarado School was built. The school has 3 classrooms with a space for 90 students, 6 bathrooms, a hand washing station, electricity, and lighting. We hope that students can start using the school as soon as in-person classes resume in our country.
