Educational enrichment and healthy living programs for children, teens, and adults

Honduras Child Alliance

About

The Honduras Child Alliance helps children gain access to opportunities by developing essential skills and coordinating community-based programs to support educational enrichment and healthy living. The Porvenir Enrichment Program (PEP+) includes Spanish and English literacy, computer science, art, music, social skills, team-building, and more. Programs are offered in three locations (all walking distance) in our beachfront community of El Porvenir. Honduras Child Alliance welcomes volunteers from a wide variety of backgrounds. We seek volunteers with open minds and open hearts and we believe that our diversity is our greatest strength!

Founded
2009

Reviews

Default avatar
Laura
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Experience, Changed my Life

Honduras Child Alliance was my first longer volunteering experience. I had originally planned to stay 2 months, but I fell in love with the community and realized I had a lot left to learn from its people, that I returned for another 4 months.
The way the organization is set up, it truly fosters a great team spirit amongst the volunteers, and an opportunity to really integrate into the community. I loved every part of my day - planning with the team, carrying out the activities with the kids, going for a run after classes and being joined by the kids leaving school, ordering fresh watermelon juice at Iris's, a quick soccer game with the Bomberos, baleadas and a stroll on the beach, adult class, and guitar jam sessions with our in-house band.
The activities are set up so that, after some initial training, you can quickly integrate into the day-to-day, yet the management is open to new ideas and really supportive. When I extended my stay, I was able to set up a literacy program and work with some of the kids that we had spotted needed an extra little bit of support. My time in El Porvenir was really rewarding; I look back fondly and often remember amazing times - and whenever I do, temptation strikes and I start looking at flights... I'll be back one day, for sure!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The organization works hand in hand with the local Bomberos - the fire brigade - and in an initiative to raise awareness of the effects of drunk driving, we enacted a car accident and rescue mission. We were fully briefed, everything was planned and controlled - from a rough script to hair and makeup! - and it turned out to be really effective... so effective some of the younger kids forgot we were acting and wanted to help rescue us!!!
Default avatar
Emma
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing

I first volunteered with HCA in 2016 and came back two years later to develop a program. I directly felt welcomed there, by the volunteers and the community. Teaching English to kids and adults is really inspiring because you can see the impacts on them. So there are different types of classes: kindergarten in the early morning, then during the day, there is the kids’ class (from 6 to 12 years old), and at the end of the day, adult class. All of them are really different and it can suit to everyone with different levels of Spanish. Moreover, it is a good opportunity to learn Spanish with the community, and English with volunteers. HCA allows volunteers to develop projects such as mine: develop the “baños program” and helps you to connect with the community. I would definitely go back to build baños and teach English if I can.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
I first went to Honduras for 2 months, and I felt it was not enough. When I came back, I decided to stay 6 months. This is the time I would recommend to stay to get to know the kids, the community, and to meet people from all around the world.
Default avatar
Emma
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience

I first volunteered with HCA in 2016 and came back two years later to develop a program. I directly felt welcomed there, by the volunteers and the community. Teaching English to kids and adults is really inspiring because you can see the impacts on them. So there are different types of classes: kindergarten in the early morning, then during the day, there is the kids’ class (from 6 to 12 years old), and at the end of the day, adult class. All of them are really different and it can suit to everyone with different levels of Spanish. Moreover, it is a good opportunity to learn Spanish with the community, and English with volunteers. HCA allows volunteers to develop projects such as mine: develop the “baños program” and helps you to connect with the community. I would definitely go back to build baños and teach English if I can.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
I first went to Honduras for 2 months, and I felt it was not enough. When I came back, I decided to stay 6 months. This is the time I would recommend to stay to get to know the kids, the community, and to meet people from all around the world.
Default avatar
Yamit
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

VAP is SO much fun!!!

Vacation Activities Program, or VAP, was one of the best parts of my time at HCA. Every week, we taught a different subject, such as geography, science, and animals! During Geography week, we explored different parts of the world through food, music, art, and language. Not only were the kids able to make/label their own maps, but they could even count to ten in Mandarin! All of the kids and volunteers learned a ton and had an amazing time!

El Porvenir is an amazing town! It's fairly quiet, but very friendly and welcoming. I don't think I ever walked to class without seeing people that I knew and I always felt incredibly safe, even at night. I loved that we got the opportunity to see more and more of El Porvenir every day on our walks to class because it is such an amazing place!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be engaged, build strong relationships with the students, and have FUN in classes!
Default avatar
Yamit
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Truly Amazing Experience

I volunteered with HCA for four months after graduating high school and I am so grateful that I did. When I arrived in El Porvenir, I was warmly welcomed by a wonderful and enthusiastic group of volunteers from all around the world (Germany, Scotland, Israel, Australia, Spain etc.) The classes were definitely my favorite part of the HCA experience. I loved getting to know the kids and both learning from them and teaching them in class every day. Our classes were filled with art, games, music, healthy snacks and laughter, and were just a ton of fun! After leaving HCA I couldn't really stay away and ended up coming back a year later to work on a Baño Project. I miss El Porvenir, the students, and the volunteers all the time and I can't wait to go back!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would stay for longer! 4 months was amazing but I'd highly recommend going for even longer and/or going back more times!

Programs

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Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Eddy Moran

Job Title
Director of Volunteer Engagement
Edwina (Eddy) Moran (Australia) is HCA’s Director of Volunteer Engagement. Eddy first volunteered in El Porvenir in 2016 and then returned for a year as the 2017-18 Program Manager. With a wealth of multi-talented volunteers who wish to remain connected from afar, Eddy’s role is to develop and oversee committees and individual projects to support Curriculum, Fundraising, Volunteer Recruiting, PR, Finance, Technology, and more.
Woman smiles with children in Honduras.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Piling into the back of a pick up with a bunch of volunteers from all over the world and heading to a day at the beach. We had music playing and we were watching the Atlantic coast of Honduras zoom past us. We were really squished and most of us had pins and needles in our legs, but that was drowned out by the top of our lungs group rendition of Ke$ha that we were belting out into the world.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Working for a not-for-profit has really given me the confidence to get things done. HCA is a great, little organization that, if you have an idea and you are willing to commit time to make the idea happen, then there is nothing in your way to making that idea happen.

I have continued to apply the skills I learned with HCA to my professional life where taking initiative and working hard have served me very well.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

The most important part of what HCA does for the community of El Porvenir is to provide a safe and fun place for the kids. No matter what kind of day the kids have had, or what is happening at home, HCA's classes are a complete change of pace from the rest of their lives.

Our activities are engaging, fun and the kids are valued by volunteers and their peers. This is evident when you walk around El P and all the kids run up to you to ask when the next class is, even if they've had class that day.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I'm a big fan of university workgroups and all the organized chaos that they bring. A whole lot of preparation goes into the week-long period that we host a group of university students to do construction projects in the Honduran sun. It always involves a lot of hard work which brings together the workgroup and HCA volunteers and managers.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I love that we are small and the donations that we receive go exactly where donors want them to go. One example of this is a local family that HCA was able to fundraise to get a new wheelchair for their disabled daughter. The managers on the ground saw that there was a problem that HCA donors could help with, so we set up a fundraiser and got it done pretty quickly.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

The heart and brains possessed by HCA Co-Directors, Eve and Liz. The commitment of this duo has kept HCA growing and continually achieving new heights. They are both so talented and as a 'junior' director, I am continually learning from how they operate. They are constantly guiding every aspect of the program and often at the expense of their sleep schedule and time with loved ones.