Political uncertainties in Honduras have led members of a student group at Missouri University of Science and Technology to cancel their humanitarian trip to Honduras.
Some 20 Missouri S&T students - all members of the university's Engineers Without Borders student chapter - planned to travel to Santiago, Honduras, a town of about 6,000, Aug. 2-12 to continue work there to improve drinking water systems. Last year, students installed a 2,000-gallon water tank in Santiago, built rainwater collection systems and provided water filters for individual homes.
Earlier this month, the team put its plans on hold due to the political situation in Honduras after that nation's president, Manuel Zelaya, was ousted by the army and flown into exile. On Tuesday, July 14, the group decided to cancel the trip, said Katie Fritts, president of the Missouri S&T chapter of EWB.
Fritts, a mechanical engineering major from Kansas City, Mo., said the trip included plans to improve communication between the group and area residents, to install a rainwater collection system, and to complete project plans that include the installation of a pump to bring water from a spring at the bottom of a steep ridge to the village above.
The team plans to reschedule the trip during the semester break in December and January.
It's unfortunate that the current circumstances put a hold on humanitarian efforts to improve living conditions of the rural population. Hopefully things will settle down after the November elections and that you will be able to come here in December.
Thank you for the great work you have already done.
I think you students have made a very wise decision not to travel to Honduras at this time. We have a young man friend their now trying to get out and all the flights have been put on hold. He also, was there to bring help and better communications between the groups.
I think the things you have planned for Honduras are wonderful and will be a real blessing to many there.
Willie Jones, UM Records Management, Analyst