About

Our Story: A Bridge of Friendship and Learning in Rural Honduras

Friends of Instituto Fermín Mayorga was born from a deep and enduring connection between a family in North Carolina and a secondary school in rural Honduras. The story begins with Jeff Boyer, whose relationship with Honduras stretches back to his time in the Peace Corps in the 1960s. During a later stay in the late 1970s, Jeff and his family became close with the Lainez family. These bonds remained strong over the years, with Jeff maintaining ties to Honduras and even leading student trips from Appalachian State University.

The Boyer’s connection with the Lainez family took on a new dimension when Juana Lainez, Jeff’s friend Omar’s sister, became the librarian at Instituto Fermín Mayorga. The school, however, had no books. Jeff rallied friends and family to raise funds, enabling the school to establish a library, which was fittingly named after him.

In March 2024, Jeff, accompanied by his son Josh, daughter-in-law Jen, and grandkids Alex and Molly, returned to Honduras. This visit, likely his last, was marked by an extraordinary school-wide assembly in his honor. The celebration included poetry readings, traditional and modern dances, storytelling, and a moving finale where students circled the Boyer family, singing “We Are the World.”

During this visit, the group spoke with the current librarian, Karen, who shared her vision for a “virtual library.” This concept envisions expanding the existing library space to create a dedicated computer lab. While the school has a few computers for specific courses, there are none available for general student use. The plan is to remove a wall and extend the library, providing space for computers that would be accessible to all students. This expansion would open up a world of learning and opportunity for the students of Instituto Fermín Mayorga.

Inspired by Karen’s vision and the enduring connection with the school, Friends of Instituto Fermín Mayorga was established. Our long-term goal is to raise funds to expand the library and equip it with technology, empowering students with the tools they need to succeed. We are a small non-profit board dedicated to building on the existing foundation of friendship and providing the students of Instituto Fermín Mayorga with the resources they deserve. We are working hard to develop engaging fundraisers throughout the year to make this dream a reality.