David Clifford, an adjunct business professor at John Carroll University, is rebuilding a one-room school in the Flora Azul Village in Honduras.
“It's been long days for sure,” Clifford said. “It's like 85 degrees down here, and you're in the hot sun all day. We're drinking lots of water and just trying to make a difference for these kids.”
Clifford is the founder of the nonprofit For The Greater Good. He first visited Honduras a decade ago as part of a trip to teach entrepreneurship. He’s returned to the country yearly, sometimes up to three times a year, to complete mission work.
“I saw so many opportunities down here to really be able to make a difference,” Clifford said. "I fell in love with the people in the communities, and you just saw so much need down here that you can't unsee what you see."
Clifford was in Honduras this past November and learned teachers were struggling to lead classes in a one-room school with a leaky roof and crumbling walls.
“It was clearly a place that they needed to fix,” Clifford said. “And when I was down here in November, she (teacher) was showing it to me and I said, ‘All right. We got this.’”
Clifford said the work has been grueling, but a small but mighty team is leading the way.
“We literally had to take pickup trucks and buckets to the river to get the water that we needed to make the cement,” Clifford said.
The new one-room school will be about 30 feet by 40 feet, giving the Flora Azul Village school space to separate younger and older students. Clifford said it would be a safe place for children to learn and build dreams.
He said $10,000 was raised to construct the school through his nonprofit. Four John Carroll University students, Christian Dwyer, Chase Hudock, Vladimir Tchepak, and Mohammed Ghanem, decided to travel with the nonprofit to assist.
“They're down here, and they're working their tails off,” Clifford said. “They were down here on a medical brigade last May and they saw the same thing that I saw. It's planting seeds…all ready to come back again next time and we haven't even left yet.”
Zachariasz Zoladz is one of Clifford’s students. He didn’t go on the trip but donated to the project.
“I just love helping people,” Zoladz said. “I think we need more of that in this world.”
Zoladz wasn’t the only student to donate. The entire class did following an assignment that called for developing an idea to support any charity of their choice.
Zoladz said students think highly of Clifford and all his work in Honduras and wanted to donate.
"I think he's (Clifford) awesome. And he's really an inspiration to me,” Zoladz said.
Zoladz said he launched a business, Cleveland Pretzzel Company Co., as part of the class assignment and, through sales, was able to donate $400.
Clifford said students raised about $2,000, and John Carroll University alumni and others across Northeast Ohio donated the rest.
“It's just been so humbling to see the support that we're getting from just so many great people,” Clifford said.
Zoladz said he would like to travel to Honduras with Clifford one day.
“John Carroll is all about giving back, and I love that,” Zoladz said.
Clifford said the school should be finished by the end of the week. He said additional fundraising is ongoing to fill the purchase of supplies like whiteboards and desks.
Those wishing to donate can do so through Venmo using @ForTheGreaterGoodInc. Checks addressed to For The Greater Good can be mailed to 17502 Riverway Drive, Lakewood, OH 44107.
