The SSVP and the Municipality of Puerto Cortés strengthen their partnership to promote inclusive education in Honduras
From left to right: Cinthia Josselin Mejía, Secretary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Conference in Puerto Cortés (SSVP Honduras); Omar Giancarlo Rodríguez Caña, Mayor of Puerto Cortés; and Flavia Giselle Guillén, Deputy Mayor of Puerto Cortés, during the signing of the cooperation agreement.
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SSVP) and the Municipality of Puerto Cortés have signed a cooperation agreement to continue advancing the project “IncluSemillas: Sowing Equality and Opportunities Without Barriers in Honduras”, an initiative born from the twinning between the National Councils of the SSVP in Spain and Honduras, aimed at strengthening inclusive education for children with disabilities in Puerto Cortés.
The agreement was signed by Juan Manuel B. Gómez, President General International of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, and officially endorsed in Puerto Cortés by Omar Giancarlo Rodríguez Caña, Mayor of Puerto Cortés, and Cinthia Josselin Mejía, Secretary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Conference of Puerto Cortés, which oversees the project, reaffirming the commitment of all participating institutions to inclusive, high-quality education.
This social innovation project, promoted by the National Council of the SSVP in Honduras, chaired by Andrea Fuentes, aims to become a model of reference for expanding inclusive education to other schools across the country.
With a planned duration of twelve months, the project strengthens the work carried out by the Emanuel Municipal Comprehensive Education Centre (CEIME), a public reference centre serving more than 300 children with disabilities. Its main actions include teacher training in inclusive education methodologies and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the creation of a multisensory classroom, the provision of accessible educational resources and assistive technologies, as well as support for families, helping to create more inclusive and accessible learning environments.
The project is being implemented in coordination with the Municipality of Puerto Cortés through the Municipal Education Programme, coordinated by Licia Isela de León Rivera.
This initiative forms part of the development cooperation strategy of the SSVP in Spain, focused on education, the promotion of human rights, the fostering of Vincentian values and the integral development of people. Through its collaboration with the SSVP in Honduras and local institutions, the organisation continues to strengthen community capacities and create opportunities for people in vulnerable situations.