Humanitarian Project in Roatan, Honduras
December 2023
C.D.R.I. humanitarian project for 2023 materialized at the end of the year, in December.
A group of dentists and volunteers travelled with all the necessary dental equipment and supplies to Roatan, a Honduran island in the Caribbean Sea.
C.D.R.I. staff is happy and proud of their volunteer work in Roatan. There is significant poverty among the local population of the island, as well as in mainland Honduras.
C.D.R.I. dentists and volunteers provided free dental services for about 170 people in need during
a week of work.
Through Dina and Ian, connections were made with local volunteer Roatan groups who work on the island to provide various basic services to the under-serviced population. After several months of planning, a group of 4 dentists and 5 auxiliary staff arrived in Roatan on December 1st, 2023. Each member took a 23 kg. suitcase carrying everything needed for a week’s work.
The first day, free dental services were provided at the Mudhole Clinic, located beside the island’s landfill.
The families living in that area work at sorting out the damp “deposits” looking for recyclables; they are near
the bottom of the local economy. Dental care remains an unattainable luxury for most of them.
Through "Roatan Mission" arrangements, C.D.R.I. was provided with a comfortable area to work in, on the second floor of a community centre right beside the landfill.
The following 4 days, Roatan Mission (Directed by Travis and Tish; who arranged for us the spaces where we would work, as well as lodging, meals and transport) planned for C.D.R.I. staff to work at Oak Ridge in the New Life Clinic. This place is located over one hour ride from the place where C.D.R.I. stayed during this assignment. However, this was not an impediment to work a” full-day work” every day.
Oak Ridge is a picturesque sea village of bright coloured houses situated in the south east shore of Roatan.
It acts as a landing site for people living on nearby small islands. Most of the time, people took boats to receive their free dental treatments. Staff had to take into consideration boat schedules weather and tides as well as
the patients dental needs.
The days went fast as the staff was always busy. Many times, having to choose to treat the most urgent conditions instead of complete treatment to any one person, to be able to service most people waiting,
including some of the staff working at the adjacent health centre as well as the administrators of New Life Clinic.
Dr. Eckert said: Something called our attention during this humanitarian project, we did much more restorative treatment than surgery.
At the end of the week, C.D.R.I. reflected happily on their work, while cleaning and packing the equipment;
there is always more work to be done, than time, equipment and supplies allow us to accomplish.
C.D.R.I. team this time consisted of Doctors Rolf and Matthew Kreher, Ramón Humeres and Brian Eckert, assisted by Georgette Kreher, Maureen Black, Francine Couture, Sandra and Helmut Trepte.
C.D.R.I. would like to give special thanks to Roatan Mission (Travis, Tish, Melissa , Bill and others), New Life Clinic personnel, Dina and Ian (who also volunteered assisting Dr. Matthew Kreher), Faculty of Dentistry,
University of Toronto, Greenwood Pharmacy, C.D.R.I. donors who provided funding, volunteers and everyone who made this humanitarian project possible!
