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We are the University of Michigan's chapter of One Thousand Schools (OTS), an international non-governmental organization (NGO) that aims to alleviate violence and extreme poverty in Honduras through education and youth empowerment.
What OTS Does
What OTS Does
Honduras is currently battling high levels of economic inequality and widespread gang activity, with 66% of Hondurans living in poverty and 62% of children in the poorest quintile dropping out of school by 16. OTS is driven by the belief that this can change. However, we understand that the Honduran people are the heroes in this story of change - not us. We embrace our role as sidekicks and do our best to assist the Honduran people in their fight.
OTS works directly with Honduran leaders and local communities on projects dedicated to addressing the root causes of poverty and gang violence in Honduras.
School Builds
School Builds
OTS partners with local communities and local governments to build schools where they're needed. We have completed 63 schools so far, impacting over 14,000 students. It is our mission to build 1,000. This project is the main focus of our chapter's fundraising efforts. Our goal is to completely fund one new school every year—this comes out to roughly $35,000.
Villa Soleada
Villa Soleada
The result of a partnership with members of a shanty slum community in Northern Honduras, Villa Soleada was designed to give former residents of Siete de Abril the ability to lift themselves out of generational poverty by comprehensively addressing all of their challenges. 44 families initially moved into the village when construction finished in 2009—gaining access to a water well, electricity, land titles, adequate housing, and a sewage system for the first time. Whereas originally no one from the community was a high school graduate, now almost 100% of children in the community are on track to graduate.
Villa Soleada Bilingual School
Villa Soleada Bilingual School
The Villa Soleada Bilingual School (VSBS) provides the children of Villa Soleada with access to a quality bilingual education that is typically only available to the wealthy elite. All children from the village are able to attend the school on full scholarships in exchange for sweat equity from their families. Meanwhile, wealthier students from nearby areas can pay approximately $40/month in tuition to attend. The VSBS promises that every one of its graduates will be fully fluent in English, opening the doors for much higher paying jobs.
Our Chapter
Our Chapter
Started in 2013 at UofM, we are now one of over 25 official OTS chapters across the United States. Like the others, we fundraise throughout the year, spread awareness for our mission, and take an annual trip to Honduras to help build the very schools we are fundraising for. University and high school chapters remain an integral part of OTS and are the primary support for the organization's school building efforts. In fact, 100% of the funds raised by chapters go toward this specific project.
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