Read CAMO IN FOCUS SEP – OCT 2025
In rural western Honduras, children discovered a love for reading through libraries donated by CAMO. Inspired by these books, they participated in the annual speed and comprehension reading contest, nurturing their personal and professional growth, while over 1,600 students benefit from CAMO’s Literature Program.
We’re excited to share our more recent newsletter with you! Inside, you’ll find inspiring stories, updates on our projects, and highlights of the incredible impact your support has made this year.
At 66 years old, Oscar Ovidio Arita had spent much of his life working as a garbage collector—an honest but demanding job he carried out with dedication for eight years on the sanitation team.
However, as time passed, cataracts began to cloud his world.
At first it was a slight shadow… then a constant haze… until the day came when he could hardly see at all.
He had to stop working. The street—his daily route—became an uncertain maze. Even inside his own home, stumbles, falls, and bruises became frequent. He struggled to recognize faces, even those of his four children; he lived with the weight of being a widower who could no longer support his family as he once had.
Ovidio describes those months as a darkness that moved forward without stopping.
That was when he arrived at CAMO’s Social Ophthalmology Program and the Robles Ophthalmology Center, where he was given a new opportunity.
Specialists operated on his left eye using phacoemulsification—a technique used to remove cataracts—and placed an intraocular lens.
That lens had been donated… and within it, two stories came together: the story of the one who gives without knowing who will receive it, and the story of the one who gains a second chance to live with dignity.
“I couldn’t work anymore because my sight just wasn’t there… I slowly kept losing my vision, and I was very worried because I have four children and I’m a widower,” Ovidio shared.
Today, after surgery, his vision is returning. For him, seeing again is not just the ability to work; it is walking with confidence, recognizing the faces he loves, and feeling that he can still move forward.
Since its founding in 1993, CAMO has operated with the heart of a mission and the discipline of an organization deeply committed to strategic planning, accountability, and measurable results.
Although many view CAMO as solely a humanitarian entity, what has truly set the organization apart for more than three decades is its ability to plan with clarity, work with transparency, and sustain real impact in the communities it serves.
From November 6–10, 2025, leaders from CAMO Honduras, INSSA, and CAMO USA gathered for a joint strategic planning session to define the institutional roadmap through 2031.
Facilitated by Jay Brinegar, with the support of Ethel De Jesús Tábora and Scarlet Melara, the meeting aligned all entities under one unified vision for a new era of growth and service.
The session included an extensive visit to the projects where CAMO has intervened throughout these three decades, reinforcing the value of work that is not only planned but lived in the field.
The boards of directors of CAMO USA and CAMO Honduras toured the current distribution center, the Trade School, the Women’s Shelter, the Daycare Center, the Community Gym, and the Public Health Center.
The visit concluded at the construction site of what will become CAMO’s new distribution plant—an effort that symbolizes the organization’s expansion and the continuity of its legacy.
Throughout its history, planning has been the engine behind every achievement. Thanks to this consistent cycle of clear goals, responsible follow-up, and disciplined execution, CAMO has remained efficient, transparent, and highly impactful—providing 220,801 medical and educational services last year alone.The 2026–2031 Strategic Plan was built upon this foundation of experience and proven results, focusing on:
Over the years, many have asked what makes CAMO different. Today, the answer is clearer than ever: planning, accountability, and the unwavering belief that honesty, faith, and hard work truly transform lives.
And for more than 30 years, this has proven true.
In the underserved community of Potrerillos, Corquín, Copán, where material shortages are evident, something even more valuable stands out: the desire to grow and improve through education.
This community hosted the fourth edition of the Annual Speed and Comprehension Reading Contest in the municipality of Corquín. Participation increased this year: while 50 students competed last year, this year 73 children and schools took part, reflecting that more and more children are improving their reading skills.
Over 70 students from Schools and Kinder levels participated in the contest, which measures how many words children can read in a minute, as well as their comprehension level. This year, students from 37 Schools and 13 Kinders in Corquín competed.
Among the participants, Angie Sofía Murillo Valeriano, a third-grade student and winner in the comprehension reading category, shared her excitement:
“I have already read about 50 books. It makes me feel a deep joy.”
A speed and comprehension reading contest represents much more than a school activity for children from communities affected by poverty. It is a gateway to new opportunities. Through reading, these children discover worlds different from their own, expand their imagination, and strengthen their hope for a better future. This experience enhances their academic skills and self-esteem, sparks their curiosity, and shows that knowledge can truly transform their lives and the lives of their families.Winners
Speed Reading – Kinder Level
Speed Reading – Schools Level
Comprehension Reading – Kinder Level
Comprehension Reading – Schools Level
Through its Literacy Program, CAMO, with the support of donors, assists 16 educational centers in Honduras, providing textbooks and reading materials and helping to establish libraries in these schools.
With dance and testimonies from survivors, CAMO celebrated life today and highlighted the courage of women facing breast cancer.
The event took place in the framework of World Breast Cancer Awareness Day, with the support of authorities from the Ministry of Health and the local government. The activity, called Encounter for Life, aimed to raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of this disease.
Among the attendees were Dr. Alexander López, head of the regional office of the Honduran Ministry of Health in the western region; Dr. Michelle Flores, coordinator of the public health center; and Kendra Peña from the municipality, along with other special guests leading medical care for women in the region.
The President of CAMO’s Board of Directors in Honduras, Patricia Bueso, joined the event alongside the Folkloric Dance Group Casa de la Cultura and Promissa Danza y Arte, who offered artistic performances to celebrate life.
A very special moment of the event was the participation of Olga Vásquez and Altagracia Ayala, who shared their stories of resilience and overcoming challenges. Their testimonies inspired thousands of women to get a mammogram and take care of their health.
“I am a cancer survivor, and thanks to God, today I can share my testimony. Today marks 10 years since my surgery,” said Altagracia, who underwent a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy to overcome the disease.
This brave woman sent a powerful message to all women: “Cancer detected early can be treated.”
Meanwhile, Olga Vásquez shared her experience since being diagnosed in 2022. “I have fought for my life, receiving eight chemotherapies, a radical surgery, and 25 radiation treatments. But here I am, as living proof that cancer can be beaten if detected early,” she expressed with strength and hope.
For more than 30 years, CAMO has provided free mammograms to women in need of this diagnostic study, reaffirming its commitment to prevention, early detection, and comprehensive patient care.
Jovino Sánchez, 73, comes from Belén Gualcho, a town nestled in the mountains of Ocotepeque.
For as long as he can remember, his life has been rooted in the countryside—agriculture was his work, his school, and the way he provided for his family. Though he never owned land, he never gave up; each year he rented plots to plant corn and beans, from which he sustained his household and created opportunities for his loved ones.
Fourteen months ago, his world went completely dark. The blindness caused by cataracts took away not only his sight, but also his ability to work and live the active life he had always known.
“I’ve always loved to work,” he told us with enthusiasm as he recalled his past. But his voice broke when he added, “It’s been 14 months since I stopped working, but thanks to God, I haven’t gone without tortillas,” referring to the fact that even in hardship, he has always had the basics to survive.
His heart filled with joy when he received a call from CAMO’s Ophthalmology Service, inviting him to be part of a cataract surgery campaign. He arrived at the operating room with high blood pressure—he suffers from hypertension and hadn’t been able to buy his medication due to lack of money. Still, he underwent surgery on his left eye with faith and hope.
Today, Jovino can once again see with that eye. His recovery is progressing well, and he looks forward to his next surgery, which will allow him to regain his full vision.
With gratitude and hope, he dreams of returning to the life he has always loved: working the land, walking confidently along the paths of Belén Gualcho, and once again seeing the fruits of his labor.
The life of Reina Caballero López (68) has been one of hard work and sacrifice. Since childhood, she worked in the fields to earn her daily bread, and later, she spent decades as a domestic worker. She raised her two children—now 48 and 35—on her own, always with the strength and dignity that define her.
Just a few days ago, Reina welcomed us into her home in El Derrumbo, a village in Santa Rosa de Copán. With a shy smile, she began to share one of the hardest chapters of her life: her battle against breast cancer.
It all started five years ago. While bathing, she noticed a small lump in her right breast. Since it caused no pain or discomfort, she thought it wasn’t serious. But when she went to the Public Health Center—where CAMO has its Women’s Care Services—the doctors recommended she get a mammogram right away.
“Five days later they called me to pick up the results,” she recalls. In that moment, she had a feeling: something wasn’t right. The diagnosis confirmed her fears—breast cancer.
Fear took hold of her, especially when she thought about the cost of treatment. But her faith was stronger than her fear. “God was my first doctor,” she told us with conviction.
The doctor reassured her: “Don’t worry, there is treatment for your illness.” And so began a long journey in San Pedro Sula and Santa Rosa de Copán: chemotherapy every 21 days, a mastectomy, and later, radiation therapy.
It was a painful process. “I lost a lot of weight because I couldn’t even eat during treatment. But even then, I never stopped going to church or believing that God would heal me.”
Today, Reina is living proof that early detection can make the difference between life and death. Her message is clear and full of hope: a mammogram can save lives.
In Honduras, about 1,260 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every year, and at least 400 women die from the disease, according to the Honduran Breast Cancer Foundation (Funhocam). That is why programs like CAMO’s Women’s Care Services—which last year allowed 1,236 low-income women to access a mammogram—are more than just health services: they are opportunities for life.
From selling fresh tortillas around town to housekeeping, Patricia (57) has worked hard over the years to provide for her family. What many people don’t see behind her smile, is a story of loss, courage, and redemption.
At a young age, Patricia lost her mother to cervical cancer (dying at just 50 years old). With pain in her voice she shares “My mom died only a year after being diagnosed.” Determined not to repeat her mother’s story, Patricia faithfully went for annual scans beginning in her early 20s. At age 52 Patricia’s biggest fear was now a reality when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, but I knew it was time to fight, this would not be how my story ended”.
In the midst of her long and painful journey the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and like many others, she was no longer able to work or go to her radiation treatments. It was during this time that Patricia learned about CAMO and what we could do to support her. “I had no job and no money, but CAMO helped me with my check-ups as well as the encouragement and support I needed to continue healing.”
Now cancer-free, Patricia is encouraging others with her story “I tell women to get their Pap tests every year & not to neglect themselves. If someone doesn’t know what to do, I will personally go with them. There’s no need to be afraid—you just have to take care of yourself!”
Because of the generosity of supporters like you, CAMO’s Women’s Health Programs continue to provide affordable Pap smears, mammograms, ultrasounds, and life-saving care to over 5,000 women each year in a dignified way. Patricia’s life—and the lives of so many others—stand as a testimony of the hope your partnership makes possible.
Since its launch in 2012, CAMO’s Women’s Health Program in Honduras has provided colposcopies, cryotherapy, and now conization procedures for women referred by their general physicians or OB-GYN specialists.
