For the second time in his life, Fred Makowecki is in the Roatan to witness first hand the difference the Morgan Jayne Project has made for families in the poverty stricken country.
Makowecki’s return was made possible through an anonymous donor who sponsored his passage. He left last Friday, the 6th anniversary of is daughter Morgan Jayne’s passing.
Today Makowecki will be attending a donor appreciation celebration. At the gathering, Johnny’s Library and Playground, set up in memory of John Charmont, the Drumheller youngster who died in an explosion at a hotel in Mexico will be dedicated.
“In a word...we are STILL making one heck of a difference thanks to all those who send donations and love to a world 3000 miles away,” said Makowecki in a dispatch to inSide Drumheller.
While he is hopeful, the snapshot he is seeing of the island is bleak.
“Drug abuse among the poor remains a horrible scourge laying waste to families and resulting in a never ending circle of crime. Three minutes before we walked through the “swamp” one of the poorest places on the island, a young man was fatally shot. Everyone on the street was visibly disturbed. The economy is flat with tourism leading the way for employment. Lots of development and new condos hide behind tall fences and armed guards,” he said.
Makowecki founded the Morgan Jayne Project in memory of his daughter. Its primary goal is to supply infant formula to HIV positive mothers to curb the transmission of the disease from parent to child through breast milk. It has built on that success, and while this remains its focus, it also opened a clinic, and now many of the children who were saved in the initial years of the project are school aged.
“I am impressed with the scope of the schooling that has been undertaken on behalf of the children born of the program but have now grown to school age. We need many more sponsors to make sure the circle of non-education does not doom these children to the same path as their parents,” said Makowecki.
He said because of the community of Drumheller’s efforts, it is held in high esteem in Roatan.
“The name Drumheller is held in reverence and rightfully so...well done Drumheller, you have saved lives and made this small island a better place,” he said.
