CAFOD is the official Catholic aid agency for England and Wales

Honduras

Elena Rosemary & Maira Lisette from Palos Ralos, which was relocated to make way for the Entre Mares goldmine [Annie Bungeroth]
Elena Rosemary & Maira Lisette from Palos Ralos, which was relocated to make way for the Entre Mares goldmine [Annie Bungeroth]

While the richest 20 per cent of Hondurans receive nearly two-thirds of the national income, the poorest 20 per cent receive less than three per cent.

As in other Central American countries, many people depend for their survival on the money sent home by family members working abroad.

Those working in the US are now the country's largest source of income, yet the country is rich in resources such as gold which could be used to fund development.

Instead, the government allows foreign mining companies to exploit the gold while giving relatively little back to the country or to local communities.

CAFOD spent £182,000 in Honduras in 2008/09

Coffee remains the main export, with 15,000 coffee farmers, but since 1997 the price of coffee on the world market has halved. Up to 85% of coffee farmers need all the income from selling their crop for food and healthcare.


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People in the Siria Valley speak out about the damage gold-mining has caused their community
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Goldcorp staff face criminal charges over mine pollution after CAFOD investigation

Authorities in Honduras last week filed criminal charges against senior officials of Entremares based on evidence from aid agency CAFOD of severe water contamination.

Related Article: Unearth Justice Campaign: tough action on pollution>>

Communities in Honduras living alongside the Entermares mine

Unearth Justice campaign: tough action on pollution

Mining is often a cause of conflict, environmental destruction and toxic pollution. Since 2006, you have been calling on companies and governments to end this injustice, and give poor communities a greater say in whether mining is allowed, how it operates, and who benefits, as part of our Unearth Justice campaign. Find out how our actions are seeing results.

In the studio at Radio Progreso, the "voice of the people" in Honduras

Honduras: "Frank and truthful dialogue" needed

We are relieved our partners’ demands have been heard and the oppressive decree imposed by Micheletti’s “de facto” government has been lifted to pave the way for negotiations

Some of the hundreds of people imprisoned in Tegucigalpa's sports stadium by military officers and police for defying the imposed curfew and demonstrating peacefully outside the Brazilian Embassy [Radio Progreso]

Honduras: Partner faces death threats amid unrest

Amid the ongoing political unrest in Honduras, we are deeply concerned at reports of death threats against Fr Ismael Moreno - director of our partner organisation Radio Progreso - and other staff members

Published on 05/11/2006, last updated on 26/10/2009
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Chemical waste pipe in Honduras Blogs from Honduras

Just One World - the CAFOD blog - tackles issues affecting poor communities in Honduras

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