Nachos Para Todos

Better education prospects for underprivileged Honduran kids

Our nachos are all about reading skills

Yes, nachos is a Mexican dish. But to us the word nacho rather means 'Nacho Hondureño', a series of school books commonly used around Honduras to teach young children how to read. And they are at the center of our cause. Got a few minutes to hear us out? We'd love to explain!

Understanding the written word is one of the most vital skills a kid should acquire. It helps in the development of language skills and the brain in general. It offers a pathway to learning other subjects. And it's just such an important tool for everyday life. But in some places, even something as basic as learning to read can be quite complicated unfortunately.

Literacy challenges of a developing nation

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. This fact also reflects on the state of the education system. Most schools in rural areas consist of only one or two classrooms for no less than six grades and are unable to provide the teachers with the means to help the children adequately.

Too often the pupils have to share the learning materials and they do not get to take their reading instruction books home with them. It is no wonder that, although Honduras has an overall literacy rate of over 80%, that number drops to well under 50% in the countryside.

An important mission, a clear approach

At Nachos Para Todos, our aim is plain and simple: we collect donations from generous sponsors, use those to buy Nachos for grades 1 and 2, we personalize those books to discourage resale and distribute them in the local schools of small communities in the western highlands of Honduras.

At a unit cost of only 5 US dollars, the Nacho is a modest and very affordable gift. But for many children in these rural areas it is a first step towards a better basic education, and we have been able to help thousands of them in different schools around the region.

Money matters

In addition to sponsoring, our funding also comes from the Copán Alternative Hike. This is a walking tour that our founder Gerardo (more about him in a bit) has been running for over a decade in Copán Ruinas, a small Honduran town close to the border with Guatemala that is surrounded by villages inhabited by Mayan Ch'orti' indigenous people.

During this tour, Gerardo talks at length about the realities of local life, about the reasons behind the poverty levels in the region and why this situation is unlikely to change soon. Half of the proceeds collected from this tour go towards the purchase of Nachos. Participants get to personalize theirs with a short message at the end of the tour.

How you can help

That's easy actually! Come to the ViaVia café when you are in Copán Ruinas and walk the Alternative Hike with Gerardo (min. 6 people required). Or get in touch with him at gvanvaeck@yahoo.com in order to make a donation or for any other question.

Every cent to you give will be used towards the purchase of Nachos, there is no hidden overhead! We'll send you a copy of the purchase invoice and of course pictues from the distribution in the schools. You're guaranteed to see many smiling grateful faces in those!

And now that you are here: spreading the word by sharing Nachos Para Todos on social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter can help us a great deal too!

Get to know Gerardo, our founder and driving force

A true globetrotter since the 90s, the Belgian Geert "Gerardo" Van Vaeck has seen many corners of the world. He has written travel stories for a magazine and even done research for a book on the philosophy of backpacking.

A long time ago his journey brought him to Copán Ruinas,. And he has hardly left ever since. These days Geert is running the ViaVia bar, restaurant and hotel, the travel agency Basecamp Outdoor Adventures and Nachos Para Todos of course.

Working with the local population for 2 decades has given Gerardo a great deal of insight into the challenges of pushing things forward in a country like Honduras. This experience has also convinced him that tourists visiting a developing nation have a unique socio-economic responsibility there.