la mosquitia, Honduras
100CAMERAS X REACH OUT HONDURAS
100cameras X Reach Out Honduras is a part of a 8 class course that is custom designed by 100cameras to equip passionate creatives with the tools to empower youth in a community they care about with the opportunity to learn how to process their stories and create change. Pictured here are 100cameras students during the course.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
100cameras X Reach Out Honduras took place during the summer of 2021 in La Mosquitia, Honduras. In partnership with Reach Out Honduras (ROH) and The Abundant Life Institute (ALI), an organization that provides community quality and accessible secondary school opportunities to help support in the gap that leads to school dropout due to financial or safety barriers. Beyond working to provide a safe and accessible place for youth to study, both organizations are committed to providing a holistic environment for students to learn, grow, and thrive. Through nutrition programs and counseling in addition to any school materials needed, students receive important foundational support as well.
"Located on the Eastern coast of Honduras, the remote region of La Mosquitia is often referred to as 'The land of the forgotten people’. Inaccessible by land, the only way in or out is by boat or plane, a significant barrier for many in the community lacking resources to access the educational and health resources available in mainland Honduras. Additionally, drastic income inequality has long existed within the community due to many barriers”, reflects Reach Out Honduras Executive Director, Katie Slaughter. “Thus, the Abundant Life Institute was started so that the youth coming from lower-income families could continue on in their education and go on to university afterward should they desire to do so.”
Together, the youth documented their perspectives and stories through photography, uplifting how they view themselves and their role in their community. “Having a path and framework through the 100cameras curriculum to transfer the lens of perspective from the hands of adults to the students to tell their own stories was one of my favorite parts of the partnership. The work of Reach Out Honduras and at Abundant Life Institute is to empower our students and staff to be the leaders and heroes of their own community, and I think it was/is really powerful to include them directly in the process of shaping and sharing that narrative as well as the cultural and situational context of the community around the organization. They definitely understood that the pictures they were taking were going to help share the story of La Mosquitia and that was something they saw as an honor and important responsibility,” reflected Slaughter.
“It was really exciting for me to watch each individual begin to reflect and connect their work with deeper parts of themselves...Knowing how resilient and important all of our student’s stories are, I don’t know if I’ve ever really realized that many of them are completely unaware of how powerful they and their own stories can be. The whole program was really a deep reminder of how important the work of drawing their stories out is and helping them see the value and beauty in them as well.”
ABOUT THE PROGRAM LEADERS
Jonatan Moncada started at the Abundant Life Institute in 2014 at just 19 years old, with the dream of starting a school band. In just a few years he grew the band to a 100+ student operation that is known and loved throughout the community, and today is the Art teacher at ALI as well. He is deeply passionate about empowering the creative expression of all of his students, and was excited about this opportunity with 100cameras for students to express their feelings, thoughts and share about how they see life through photography. He said that the whole journey of the program was his favorite part, and that he is really proud and thankful that they get to share about the beauty and culture of their country and people.
Juan Charles, one of the Accounting and Finance Program Coordinators at Abundant Life Institute, is also a huge hobbyist photographer who loves to take his camera everywhere he goes. He is passionate about seeing his students reach their dreams and becoming all that they can be. He loved helping facilitate the 100cameras program and is excited for people to see the student’s work and the beauty of their community.
Katie Slaughter, Reach Out Honduras Executive Director, works in stateside operations as well as working alongside their staff on the ground to champion and support the students of Abundant Life Institute. Already being a longtime fan of 100cameras’ work and an avid photography amateur herself, Katie saw the lull in hours students were spending in the classroom due Covid-19 as an opportunity to facilitate their first (and hopefully not last!) 100cameras program. Along with her friends and ALI Teachers, Jonatan and Juan Charles, the trio were excited to involve their students more directly in the telling of their own stories and those of their community, and are committed to continuing that work after the program as well.
MEET THE STUDENTS
STUDENT IMAGE GALLERY
“Having a path and framework through the 100cameras curriculum to transfer the lens of perspective from the hands of adults to the students to tell their own stories was one of my favorite parts of the partnership.”
Follow us on social media to see images from the field as captured by the 100cameras X Reach Out Honduras team and the student photographers.