“We are not just the future, we are the present.” Exploring the developmental needs of young Garifunas in rural and urban Honduras

This thesis explores the developmental needs of Garifuna young people living in rural and urban Honduras. Employing both qualitative and quantitative methods, the research traces the individual, familial and community development needs expressed by this highly migratory segment of the Afro-indigenous population. The study utilizes the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework to understand both the data obtained from the interviewees and the programs offered by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working with youth in the rural and urban settings. At both research sites young people identify access to education, traditional and alternative, as their principal need. Interviewees confirm that obtaining an education, often via urban migration, is a process which simultaneously facilitates personal development and a young person’s ability to contribute to their family, Garifuna community and culture. This thesis demonstrates the applicability of PYD to contexts outside of North America, while concurrently highlighting themes and questions that PYD fails to address