Graduation Ceremonies
Shannon Crawley
November 28, 2011

It's hard to believe, but our time in Honduras has almost come to an end.

Last week, graduation ceremonies were held for the women of Iriona who had participated in the Leadership and Business Development Programs. The week before, the graduations were held in Esparta and, according to our director Elmer, were very much enjoyed by the participants. Ali designed a new diploma for the classes, and we made decorations and helped coordinate the program for each community's big day.

We had 4 ceremonies, with speeches, dramas, singing and dancing (of course!), the presentation of diplomas, the distribution of the women's personal savings, and a meal. We also distributed the diplomas earned by the women who completed the pastrymaking course that CAUSE offered with the Honduran Institute for Professional Training.

The graduation ceremonies are important because they represent ten months of dedication and active participation by each woman. It was an honour to present the diplomas to such hard-working and determined people, and to share in their proud day. It was also a sad time for Ali and I, as it was the last time we would see most of the women we had worked with for the past 8 months. However, we feel so very fortunate to have shared this experience with all of them, learning from them and gaining an understanding of their challenges and triumphs.

We're now in our last week in Honduras, wrapping up all of our reports before heading back to Canada. It's a bittersweet time, as it's always difficult to say goodbye to the people who have welcomed us so warmly and become close friends. However, we're both so excited to see our families and friends, so it's a time of mixed emotions. One thing I can say with absolute certainty, though, is that this has been a life-changing experience; the people who we've met have touched our lives, and will not soon be forgotten.