On the last Thursday I was in Honduras (June 30, 2011), Janet, Lori, EA, and I ventured to Valle, where I had the opportunity to meet with Vahid Moavenzadeh, who is currently working for the Children's Village of Honduras (CVoH). Vahid and I met for coffee, and he told me about how he ended up in Valle.
Vahid practices the Bahá'í Faith, which emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind. When he graduated from high school, he decided he wanted to do his year of service in Honduras, and got connected with the Children's Village in La Ceiba, which is on the north coast of Honduras. The man who was running the CVoH in La Ceiba had been doing so for the past 25 years, and also practiced the Bahá'í Faith, which is how he got connect to that area. Vahid went to Honduras for the first time in April 2008, but after three months, country officials were realizing how corrupt the man was in running the children's home, many people outside of the home wanted to shut it down.
It turns out that the man was very powerful, and could pay people off who were trying to investigate what he was doing within the children's home, which housed around 120 children. The man brainwashed the children into believing that he was a good person, when in reality he was abusing them - sexually, physically, and emotionally. The children wore raggedy clothing, the girls had shaved heads because of lice, and the place felt like a prison because the children were not allowed to leave. When country officials tried to send IHNFA (Honduran children's services) in to get the children, someone tipped the man off and he locked all of them inside the compound. He then called the media, and had all of the older children get the younger children to cry so the media would think the children did not want to leave the home.
Meanwhile, Vahid was doing everything he could to try and convince the children to leave, and that this was not a good place to stay. Vahid didn't realize how dangerous the situation was becoming until some of the leaders of his faith came in, explained the situation and how powerful the man was, and got him out of there. From La Ceiba, Vahid went to Costa Rica for three days, but wanted to try to go back to Honduras to get the children. Unfortunately, the coup against former President Mel Zelaya prevented him from getting back into the country, so Vahid returned to the United States (he's from North Carolina). IHNFA and country officials were unsuccessful in their investigation of the corrupt man, and were unable to close the children's home in La Ceiba. The home is still open today, and about 30 children live there.
Two years later (present day) Vahid is back in Honduras. He returned at the end of May to a new Children's Village in Valle de Angeles. Ironically, the CVoH has rented former President Zelaya's old house, and we got to see it! It's so beautiful! About 25 children are were living there when I visited, and 25 more were expected to come this week from the home in La Ceiba. About 60 to 70 children were displaced as a result of the investigation of the man, and are spread out all across the country. Vahid's main job now is to follow leads and look for the missing children in order to bring them back to the new children's home. We saw some of the children walking to school, and they are so happy! The children receive two hours of English per day, and the high school kids have English class at their school. They are all allowed to play in an intramural soccer league, and have been given a childhood.
Front of the house
Front yard and caretakers house
Backyard and garden where Vahid started growing some produce. He had the kids plant pumpkins so they can carve them for Halloween!
Vahid and me infront of the former President's house, that's now the Children's Village of Honduras in Valle de Angeles!
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