Honduras is the third poorest country in the western hemisphere. It has extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, as well as high unemployment.

In 1959, Sisters of Mercy from Providence Rhode Island (USA) and Belize (Central America) established the first foundation in Honduras, located in La Ceiba. Today there are four Sisters of Mercy who live and minister in Honduras. Their sponsored ministries include:

Casa Corazón de la Misericordia—a home for 30 children who are living with HIV/AIDS. It is located outside of the city of San Pedro Sula.

Instituto Maria Regina—a secondary school which was recently declared the number one high school in the region of Altántida.

Misericordia Tejedoras de Suenos Misericordia Tejedoras de Suenos (Mercy Weavers of Dreams)—a women’s development centre located in San Pedro Sula. It seeks to help women fulfill their dreams. Everyday life for the Honduran poor is hard, and is often full of violence as well as poverty. The goal of the centre is to educate women in the areas of empowerment, equality and justice.

Additional Mercy involvement beyond those living in Honduras Honduras experienced a coup d'état on 28 June 2009. The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas has supported the Honduran Sisters of Mercy in protesting the coup and advocating for peaceful return of Honduras’ constitutional rights. The Institute Justice Team has been working with human rights organizations, prisoner’s relatives and relatives of missing persons to help redress the injustices and human rights violations by the new administration.