Today’s post is in honor of Roatan, Honduras. Many people ask, so why Roatan? Many even ask what Roatan is. Roatan is an island off of Honduras part of the Bay Island chain. The people are kind, the weather is warm and lovely, the sand is white, and the water is crystal clear.
I was mystified when I visited for the first time in 2012. Everything about this place was perfect. Some personal luxuries I enjoyed included attractive men and delicious smoothies from Earth Mama Roatan.
Along with my personal enjoyment, I was a bit taken aback by the living conditions. The island was very impoverished, and that’s what sparked my need to help.
Some statistics about Roatan…
- Honduras is the second poorest country in Central America and has recently been declared a 4th world country.
- Most of its citizens live off approximately $1 a day, and have limited access to education that exceeds the 6th grade.
- Roatan itself has recently become a tourist destination due to the fact that it is almost entirely surrounded by the second largest barrier reef in the world, but the Islanders themselves rarely see any of the profit generated as most of the resorts and beaches that the tourists visit are entirely run by foreigners.
- Because Roatan is so far off of the coast of Honduras, the Islanders have very limited access to the medical facilities
- young children die of preventable and treatable sicknesses
- Most every young child has been through a bout of worms, most more than once in their lives. No child should ever die from worms, but it happens on the island.
- The HIV/AIDS rate is the highest in Central America. The rate of HIV in Roatan is 220 times the rate of HIV in the U.S.
These statistics devastate me, and that is why I have chosen Roatan as a main location for help. So if you get a chance to visit, not only take advantage of its gorgeous features, but aid its deprived people.
Little Known Help Zone 