When Miguel Ángel Matute opens the door of Asociación Compartir’s truck at a community center in San Antonio de Oriente, Honduras, children come running to meet him. Their families follow behind the children, quick to offer a drink, candy or a smile after his drive across the rugged terrain. 

“Every time I arrive with the mobile library, the love that parents and children have for this colorful project is reflected, showing that they are happy and willing to learn,” Matute said. “They wait for the time of fun, fantasy and reading with open arms, wanting to find books that make them smile or think positively, as well as educational games and puppets to dramatize the stories.”

The children help him set up chairs, tables, books, “receiving me with a warm hug, and [they say], ‘We already missed you, teacher!’ ”

Teachers are also glad to see him, he said, and the playful learning space leaves students inspired.

Thanks to a collaboration between JustWorld International, the Fédération Equestre Internationale, the Honduras Equestrian Federation and the generosity of the global equestrian community, Education on Wheels rolled into the new year with a new truck, a JMC Vigus diesel double cab 4x4, with more space to carry additional books and other items, such as platforms for theater, film, puppetry, crafts and digital learning sessions. The four-wheel drive makes navigating the remote terrain easier, with larger wheels and improved traction, extending the reach of Education on Wheels.

For students like Yeimy Nicoll Munguía, a fifth grader, that means more school supplies. Yeimy started attending Compartir when she was 5. “I really like participating in the library, where they support me in my homework,” she said. “They have also taught me to write stories, to have the habit of reading and to create drawings from my own imagination.”

In her free time, Yeimy likes to paint, draw and read. “When I was given the book bag during the pandemic, the book that interested me the most is called Caramelo,” she said. “I thank Asociación Compartir for the support it provides to all the boys and girls in my community.”

Compartir reaches more than 5,635 students, and its comprehensive approach to child welfare has become a model for other groups in Honduras. 

A New Need Arises

The need for such services grew in the 1990s, as a wave of neoliberalism swept Honduras and other Central American countries. Schools and other government services suffered massive funding cuts, amid a poverty level of 69.5 percent, primarily in rural areas. In 1991, migration from the countryside to the cities, especially in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, resulted in an alarming increase in the number of children living in the streets.

At that time, Asociación Compartir’s founder Rosa Nieto was working at the National Social Welfare Board (JNBS), coordinating a care program for children at risk in Tegucigalpa. With contacts from JNBS and a team of consultants from a French non-governmental organization, a study was carried out, showing a total of 2,000 boys and girls living on the street. This led to the creation of Asociación Compartir, a non-governmental and non-profit organization with a new approach to caring for children from their communities of origin in a comprehensive way: child, family and community.

The approach sought to tackle education, health, nutrition and therapy as well as bring awareness to children’s rights, prioritizing education over child labor and the responsibility of the family. This community model, pioneering at the time, has now become a model for various organizations and institutions at the national level.

For 20 years, Compartir’s Education on Wheels initiative has been traveling to communities in need. It currently serves 17 communities on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa and 20 communities in the rural area of San Antonio de Oriente, visiting each once a month.

The activities have changed over the years, in response to the interests of the boys and girls. The main objective is to promote appreciation for reading and learning. They offer creative writing workshops, talks on topics of interest, interactive activities related to books and technology, and attendance at cultural events, museums and presentations by local artists.

In risky environments, including during the COVID pandemic, books offer the opportunity to leave a child’s home and learn about other worlds and times via imagination. Delivery of reading and learning resources to communities that may not have easy access to physical libraries makes knowledge more accessible.

“By bringing books closer to places where people live, work or study, mobile libraries encourage the habit of reading and continuous learning,” Nieto said.

Students can choose a book from a traveling reading bag and enjoy it. After a week, they return it to the teacher, and the adventure begins in another home. Children are also exposed to music, art and literature and have the opportunity to participate in musical bands, youth concerts, inter-school choral groups, folk dances and art workshops.

If you’re interested in supporting children like Yeimy, ensuring they have the opportunity to learn, grow and explore different worlds, find out more about JustWorld’s work with Asociación Compartir and consider making a donation to support the delivery of books, snacks and other essential educational and cultural exposures, changing the trajectory of the lives of these children and their communities.