Economic Development

You've heard the saying, "Give a man a fish, and he eats for one day. Teach him to fish, and he'll be able to feed his family for good." We're here to teach our friends in Honduras to fish. The Economic Development Program encourages budding entrepreneurs to follow their dreams by teaching them business skills and by helping them get their products to market. In our ranch store, we provide a regular outlet for local crafts and experience in running a retail operation. The Economic Development Program does not just give assistance, it gives opportunities to micro enterprises birthed by the exercise of creativity and initiative. Even more importantly, those opportunities grow out of Honduras own ambitions, not from an agenda imposed on them by North Americans.

We continue to broaden our work in this area. Currently, there are two areas which were started through the efforts of HOI and continue to flourish with some assistance from HOI groups. In the village of El Aguacate a woodworking co-op has been working together using peddle-driven ban saws to produce beautifully carved crosses and ornaments. In the village of Las Delicias a pottery co-op has been working together to produce hand sculpted pottery items. Products are sold in Tegucigalpa and through Christian stores in the US. The Agalta Valley Coffee Growers Co-operative is fluorishing and now produces over 100,000 pounds of high elevation organic coffee of export quality. Recently, high elevation coffee from Honduras won the highest award in a global coffee tasting event.