Photojournalism students record
Honduran hurricane devastation
The heartbreak of poverty and nature's destruction in Honduras was documented by three University of Montana photojournalism students during winter break.

Juniors Jennifer Sens and James Shipley and senior Stuart Thurlkill traveled to Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, in early January to participate in and document the relief efforts of the Sisters of Mercy and Habitat for Humanity.

Residents of San Juan Bauptismo, a small agricultural community located in the southern province of Choluteca, receive free food from a Honduran charity organization called Sociedad Amigos de los Ninos. (Photo by UM student James V. Shipley)

Already the second-poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Honduras suffered huge setbacks when Hurricane Mitch struck late last October. The country is now struggling to rebuild.

"There was severe devastation to most structures near water, but it was the conditions before the hurricane that were most disturbing to me," Sens said. "It seems like natural disasters come and go in Central America while the social catastrophes stick around."

The UM trio saw areas, mainly along rivers, where flooding had completely wiped out nearly every home and business. The students pushed through language barriers and culture shock to form bonds with Honduran orphans, children with AIDS and others who had lost everything in the hurricane.

Funding for the students' trip came from a number of sources, including the Associated Students of The University of Montana, the Latin American Human Rights Network, UM President George Dennison, the Joe Durso Special Projects Fund of the School of Journalism and personal donations from professors, family and friends.

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