Norton resident Daniel Greaser, LISW, traveled to Honduras for the seventh time in February

2008-04-30 23:31:08 -

SANTA ROSA DE COPAN, HONDURAS-Norton resident Daniel Greaser, LISW, traveled to Honduras for the seventh time in February. He volunteers with Central American Medical Outreach, Inc. (CAMO) teaching woodworking in a trade school in Santa Rosa de Copan, a city in the mountains of the western region of the country.
'What's the connection between CAMO and the trade school?' Dan is frequently asked when he returns from Honduras and tells about instructing lathe training. 'People think only in terms of medical help, but CAMO has interest in the health of community development in Santa Rosa as well,' said Dan.
'The genesis of this idea to support the trade school was high unemployment of young adults,' explained Dan, psychiatric social worker by profession and carpenter by hobby. 'The trade school establishes artisans who then engage with younger students.'
'One of the English class students learned how to make jewelry at the school and now teaches others,' said Linda Pratt, special education consultant to the State of Ohio, who taught a total of 39 students in three English classes per day for two weeks along with Chrystal Hummel-Mizer, Wayne College administrator.
'We think we have poverty in the U.S., but we also have resources. There are food stamps and school lunches,' said Chrystal. 'The students we taught hadn't eaten lunch and came all week in the same clothes. Waleska Pineda (Director of the Trade School CAMO assists) told us that she was providing crafts and games in the community because many children go through the trash for something to do.'
'I think it says a lot for them to even want to learn English because the chances of overcoming poverty are slim.' said Chrystal. 'These students want to ‘rise above their raising' so to speak.'
'The folks getting a lot of economic advantage as we had hoped are artisans in town who put out consistent products to improve standard of living by virtue of having those skills learned at the trade school,' said Dan.
Don Antonio, a farmer who walked two to three hours to attend the trade school, set up his son in the carpentry business and is teaching his grandson. Dan had the privilege of delivering his own father's lathe to the Antonio family last year to replace a bicycle powered lathe Don had constructed. Don set it up right in the middle of his living room.
Dan has worked with his counterpart, Jorge Humberto Carvajal, the last three years giving basic lathe training and how-tos for student instruction. 'Jorge is an accomplished turner,' said Dan.
'I'm happy with the progress the school has made. We're at a place where Jorge can sustain that part of the program. The challenge will be to get equipment to the individuals the trade school has trained so they can be more productive in the cottage industries they have developed.'
Seven boys in the morning English classes were all from villages outside of Santa Rosa. They live together in Santa Rosa-away from their families for the first time-to attend school. They want to learn English because they know it is an important world language. Others want to become teachers.
They took classes with Linda and Chrystal, studied carpentry with Daniel, and then went to school in the evening to continue their education. Their day began at 5:00 AM and ended around 10:30 PM or later. 'I'm sure it was a difficult transition for some of them,' said Linda, 'but they arrived each morning smiling and ready to learn.'
Since 1993, CAMO has renovated the Hospital de Occidente, public health and community Trade School, in Santa Rosa de Copan. CAMO, a humanitarian aid organization based in Orrville, OH, cares for more than 143,000 medical needs with an average of $2 million in donated medical supplies, equipment and expertise annually. CAMO, a 501(c) 3 non-profit, multiplies every $1 donated into $4.
To learn more about the caring work of CAMO, visit: www.CAMO.org