Madison Rotarians first traveled to Honduras in 2007 to assist Rotarians from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee with an electrical project.
We also distributed vitamins, dental supplies, school supplies, toys, and clothes to children in outlying villages. Upon seeing the poor living conditions caused by their crude stoves, our International team returned home with a greater purpose: to bring clean, efficient, and safe stoves to these families. The EcoStove Project began the following year.
From 2008 through 2013, we built 562 EcoStoves, primarily with club funds and district grants. Beginning in 2014, we applied for and received global grants from the Rotary Foundation which will enable us to complete 960 EcoStoves from 2014-2018. In addition to the EcoStoves, our International Team started a dental clinic in 2014 and a vision clinic in 2015. We have also continued our alliance with Lawrenceburg Rotarians and began assisting them with their “Habitat for Honduras” building projects in 2016.
Our Honduras funding since 2007 totals approximately $207,000 whereby we leveraged our own $116,000 to receive an additional $91,000 from other sources. Of this total, $83,000 was paid to local Honduras craftsmen and laborers. The 1,500 EcoStoves that will be built by 2018 have and will continue to improve infant health (as confirmed by the Health Department in Choluteca), reduce meal preparation time, provide cleaner living conditions, reduce expenses for firewood, improve the environment, and promote the local economy.