Nurse Lottie Brown helped deliver a baby for a 14 year old mother in Honduras and her life changed forever. After elementary school young Honduran girls were getting married and starting a family because they had no opportunity to continue their education. The “Futures” program began in 2001 when Lottie’s family educated 7 girls in lieu of giving Christmas presents that year. This gift is far-reaching because each year of education post elementary statistically reduces the number of children a Honduran woman will have, delays starting the family, improves her overall health, and increases economic opprtunities. This program now includes 150 students each year and has grown to include mothers wanting to finish their schooling (what a great example to her children of the importance of education). The program is only for females and research shows educating girls greatly improve the lives of the entire family- parents and siblings as well as their own future children. An additional literacy program is for all elementary children with portable box “Leonard Libraries” for rural 2-room Honduran schools. A Rubbermaid tote of 50 Spanish books is provided for the school year to encourage reading. Schools have no books and there are only a few poorly stocked public libraries in the area. Each year children gather to see what books are in the new box. There is almost always one child at the school who reads every book in the box. Different books will be in the next year’s box library. Now bilingual books are included since the government has mandated schools must teach English.

Damaris Sarmiento

Damaris was one of the original 7 students of the “Futures” program. She attended a 2-room rural school as a very shy but very good student. Her teacher heard about a program that assisted families who did not have the money for registration, uniforms and supplies for the junior high school. Damaris was interviewed and she was accepted into “Futures”.

Futures’ students would often arise early and do chores before taking a bus or other transportation to the school miles away. After returning in the early afternoon, homework had to be done before dark since many students had no electricity. Their homes often had dirt floors and leaky walls and roof.

From this humble beginning, Damaris completed junior high and high school and now University as she serves as National Director. She interviews each student, reviews their grades, determines the financial need, and makes the decision of which girls to accept into the program. Damaris understands the social challenges of junior high as well as the hard work required to maintain at least a “B” average in the core subjects. She is responsible for disbursing the initial funds and ensures that each student writes a letter to the donor sponsor. After she is provided with the 1st half of the school year grades, she disburses the remaining funds and obtains additional correspondence for the donor from the student. As much as possible she keeps up with past students and their current situations. Many students with this educational foundation have found ways and means to continue their education in university.

Her responsibilities also include talking with teachers, distributing the box libraries, cleaning the books, and organizing the libraries. She assists with groups that come to Honduras to teach English to local teachers and students and occasionally assists medical teams who come to serve.

Annually she travels to the USA to help promote the programs and meet face-to-face with the donors of Friends of Education. Some donors have traveled to Honduras to meet their student while others correspond with their student. These relationships have created a very successful program.