The last week has been incredible, filled with new experiences and opportunities to learn more about Predisan, Progressio’s partner organisation here in Catacamas. We have also learnt about some of the Honduran culture along the way too. Predisan are a Christian organisation which offer holistic healthcare services and operate in many regions across Honduras in lots of different facilities. One of these facilities, CEREPA, is based in Catacamas and is a rehabilitation centre which offers treatments for addiction. This is where Team Catacamas will work from for the next nine weeks. On arrival at CEREPA, we were greeted by many of the staff members and we enjoyed some informative yet informal presentations on the work they do at CEREPA and Predisan. We learnt about the drug prevention programme they offer, called ‘La Aventura de la vida’ (the adventure of life), which will be the main body of our work here, and we had the opportunity to learn about the work done by the previous Progressio ICS cycle (January - March 2015).
After the initial presentations we then enjoyed a few team building exercises which proved to be very fun. Some of these exercises included a water activities day in which all volunteers participated in a water balloon fight and enjoyed a home-made CEREPA style waterslide which proved to be most popular and was an excellent way to cool down from the 38°C heat. During the last week we also began work on the running track, which was initially developed by the previous cycle of Progressio volunteers.
We started working on the running track soon after we arrived. The running track will be an invaluable tool for the patients once it is finished. The previous cycle of volunteers had begun working on the track and the cycle I’m currently a part of will be responsible for finishing it. Exercise is an important part of the rehabilitation process, not only does it encourage healthy lifestyle habits but it helps patients sweat out toxins accumulated from drug use. There are plenty of options for patients to exercise; there are dumb-bells, barbells and weight machines. On top of that there is a volleyball court and basketball hoops. Helping people break bad habits by creating new positive ones is what our aim here is. There have been many success stories of people breaking free from their destructive habits here, and we hope that building this running track will drive others to do the same. We have scattered motivational messages on sign posts at 50 metre intervals on the running track that will inject a little energy into the patients when they need it the most. Working in the sweltering heat heaving rocks and soil is tough, but when it is all finished, we will be very happy to know that our work here will benefit all the patients here.
Written by ICS volunteers Henna Hussain and Pritesh Pankhania
