Harvard Aids In Hurricane Recovery

As Honduras struggles to recover from the worst hurricane in 25 years, Harvard students and faculty are pitching in to aid the international relief effort.

Hurricane Mitch tore through Honduras in the last two weeks, wreaking damage on much of Central America and leaving 600,000 to a million Hondurans--or at least 10 percent of the population--homeless.

In response, members of the Harvard community have launched a variety of different programs to help Honduras recover.

Project Literacy, a Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) program, collected canned food and light clothing to send to Hondurans in need.

Andrew D. Cooper '00, co-director of Project Literacy, said the program, in which volunteers tutor adults in English, took particular interest in the plight of the Hondurans because many of the people they tutor have family there.

"A lot of our clientele is in Chelsea," said Araz L. Zarikian '00, co-director of Project Literacy. "It would be a good thing to show that we care what happens to them."

Yesterday, Project Literacy brought a

total of 20 boxes of food, clothing, medicine,candles and blankets to Honduras Travel, a travelagency in Chelsea that has arranged for free cargospace on a plane going to Tegucigalpa, Honduras.The supplies will arrive in Honduras today.

In addition to the collections, ProjectLiteracy has started an unofficial Hurricane MitchRelief Committee, which includes concernedstudents throughout the College.

"We are beginning to work with otherorganizations on campus to coordinate andco-sponsor new projects," Cooper wrote in ane-mail message. Students are urged to continuecontributing money and supplies.

"I'm sure every little bit is going to be ofsome assistance to these people," Zarikian said."Anything we can do will help."

Bowditch Professor of Central American andMexican Archaeology and Ethnology William L. Fashorganized aid to be sent to Honduras through theDepartment of Anthropology and through his ForeignCultures 34: "Mesoamerican Civilizations" class.

"I asked [my students] to please help us in ourrelief efforts, either by donating their time inpacking up contributions, or in donatingcontributions or whatever funds they might be ableto spare to the effort," said Fash, who runs afield school in Honduras

total of 20 boxes of food, clothing, medicine,candles and blankets to Honduras Travel, a travelagency in Chelsea that has arranged for free cargospace on a plane going to Tegucigalpa, Honduras.The supplies will arrive in Honduras today.

In addition to the collections, ProjectLiteracy has started an unofficial Hurricane MitchRelief Committee, which includes concernedstudents throughout the College.

"We are beginning to work with otherorganizations on campus to coordinate andco-sponsor new projects," Cooper wrote in ane-mail message. Students are urged to continuecontributing money and supplies.

"I'm sure every little bit is going to be ofsome assistance to these people," Zarikian said."Anything we can do will help."

Bowditch Professor of Central American andMexican Archaeology and Ethnology William L. Fashorganized aid to be sent to Honduras through theDepartment of Anthropology and through his ForeignCultures 34: "Mesoamerican Civilizations" class.

"I asked [my students] to please help us in ourrelief efforts, either by donating their time inpacking up contributions, or in donatingcontributions or whatever funds they might be ableto spare to the effort," said Fash, who runs afield school in Honduras