City charity helps change lives with its 100th home
It feels good to know that we have got 100 families that are safe and ... have the money for food
A DERBY-based charity has reached a milestone in supporting poor families living thousands of miles away in Central America.
Locals have now managed to build their 100th house with money provided by the Children of Honduras Trust charity since the scheme started in 2012.
The money has come from specific financial donations to the Trust rather than its general funds that are used to help feed and provide education for children aged from four to 16.
The latest house is in the Valle d’Angeles – 3,500ft in the mountains above the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa. It has two rooms, measuring 12x12ft which act as living and sleeping accommodation, plus a covered part used as a kitchen and washing area.
Although small compared to British homes, it satisfies basic needs, though some others have already been extended by their owners. The occupiers either already owned the land or were given it by the local council.
Rental properties in Honduras are expensive and paid work is scarce so there is no security of tenure for families. If a family does not have home displaying the St George’s flag in gratitude Jennifer Cox enough money to pay the rent then they can be evicted with children and even babies which is very common.
Jennifer Cox, of Spondon, who is founder and trustee of the charity, which used to send containers of aid each year to Honduras, is delighted that the charity has been able to provide the money to build the homes, which cost £1,600 each.
She said: “It feels good to know that we have got 100 families that are safe and not paying rent and therefore have the money for food. They are secure and the uncertainty at the end of the month over having to pay the rent has been removed.”
The owner of the latest house, Vilma Franco, had been waiting for a house from the local authority for 25 years but nothing had materialised. She is a nurse who is paid on an hourly basis at a low level and was unable to build her own house without help because she is supporting three children.
She and her children had been living with her sister’s family prior to moving to the new home.
Anybody who wishes to give money to Children of Honduras Trust to help build homes for families should go to www.chtrust.org