Nicaragua Delegation Notes, by David Ment

It was a great privilege and opportunity to travel with the Dos Pueblos delegation and visit the communities of Tipitapa. The trip overall was a success due to its careful planning, and also due to the wonderful group of people on it: Lupe, Helen, Sarah, Amy, Steve, Paul; I learned much from everybody. The citizens of Tipitapa were amazingly open to showing us their successes, problems, and living conditions. This must reflect both their positive and cooperative attitudes and also the long-term intensive work of Rosa and others in building confidence and relationships. People like Marina and Estela were unbelievable in their dedication and it was an honor to meet them.

The first days revolved around water projects, and I gradually came to appreciate the careful way our community visits proceeded. We started in Via Japon where the pump was turned by hand and buckets were carried by hand or on the head. We visited communities where handcarts and burros took over the task of carrying, where the pumps were electrified, and ultimately, where the electric pumps fed networks of plastic pipes to bring the water to each home.

Among the key elements for the water projects’ success seem to be the continuing commitment of the community; the creation of committees with a structure to support water planning and assessments; the backup of that structure with the formal CAPS legislation and staff; the ongoing coordination, encouragement, and monitoring by Rosa, which helps keep community members positive; the physical task of infrastructure construction at this level, supported by CAPS; and the ability of Dos Pueblos to provide financial resources where needed. That last sentence is a bit long. But maybe that is the message: you need all of those elements to make real permanent community progress. It has clearly taken years of hard work by Dos Pueblos, both by folks in NYC and Tipitapa, to reach this stage.

In Ciudadela San Martin, the little children’s library was a gem. It is a model of practical community self-help that can be readily replicated. Essential is the heartfelt adoption of the project by a volunteer librarian, and providing books is a natural for partners like Dos Pueblos. A step for the future could be to partner with an educator or librarian from the university or other agency who could select books that can be purchased in Managua and thus avoid international shipping.

In the same community we also visited a health clinic, which was part constructed by Dos Pueblos. The nurse was very clear in suggesting that planning and management could be improved (for example the seemingly random staff turnover, carried out by the Ministry of Health and a continuous problem for Dos Pueblos in trying to develop long-term relations here). It was often hard to sort out the overlapping problems of a shortage of health centers and transportation in such rural communities. At times, I recall feeling that problems raised in the communities could be solved by effective transport to medical services; perhaps an “access-a-ride” service would produce the greatest improvement in access to care.

Perhaps the most emotionally wrenching project was the special education class: the attempt by volunteer Estela to teach kids with a broad range of disabilities, many of which were serious. More impressive to me was the level of support she was receiving from so many members of the community – the willingness of so many people to spend two days at our workshop really struck me. Looking to the future of this new project however, I think it now needs some of the support elements that the water projects had: formal recognition, technical and political support, linkages with medical services, and of course financial support.

I guess I end where I began. It was such an honor to meet the people of these communities who are making such an effort to build from such a difficult starting place.

The Board Discovers the Adaptability of Cardboard

After working closely with Physical Therapist Andrew Suseno to provide workshops on adaptive design and basic rehabilitation in Tipitapa, our Board of Directors was eager to learn more about how cardboard, a ubiquitous material worldwide that is very strong and highly versatile, could be used to improve lives. So when we were all invited to visit New York-based organization Adaptive Design, which engages children and families in adaptive design solutions that enhance the developmental, social and academic potential of children with disabilities, we were very excited, and also very curious…

Adaptive Design runs their office and workshop from the heart of Manhattan, and as you look around you start to realize how many things are made of… cardboard! The seats we were all sitting on, in a variety of customized designs, footrests and a storage unit/office desk which covered an entire wall. Before letting us loose in the workshop, Executive Director and Founder Alex Truesdell explained how important and relevant the organization is throughout society – it investigates ways to integrate people with disabilities, it is not only environmentally friendly but also environmentally sustainable, and it offers grassroots solutions for tackling all these issues, bringing together therapists, teachers, parents, students and children. Two short videos, Among the Giants and A World of Difference with Cardboard provide an inspiring introduction to their work, and leave you wanting to know more about how you could help.

Alex began the workshop by building a simple box – at least, she made it look simple! But once we had learned the basic skills through narrating her actions as she glued, cut, perforated and bended the cardboard, we were on our way to creating our own “adaptive designs”. By not using verbal cues when teaching us how to build, Alex had demonstrated that sharing the skills of working with cardboard was not dependent on speech, and linguistic barriers can be broken down. This is especially relevant to our work in Tipitapa.

Within the hour, most of us had made a box out of cardboard, the only rule being that the box could not be four sided. The chairs, stools, tables and cardboard educational tools around us started to make sense as we learned how to seal any gaps, make curved edges, and increase the strength. A coat of Primer and then paint further secure the cardboard structures from deteriorating over time or water damage, creating a durable, colorful, fun piece of equipment. We will be showing some of these at our Fall Fiesta – please do come and take a look!

With huge thanks to Alex Truesdell, Kathy Goldman, Andrew Suseno and the team at Adaptive Design for this fantastic opportunity. For more information please visit the Adaptive Design website: www.adaptivedesign.org.

http://acuns.org/

Food for Thought – What Should Your Taste Buds Expect on the Delegation?

It may not be the first thing you think of when you decide to go on a delegation, between seeing our projects firsthand, meeting the communities you support and traveling logistics, but food plays an important role to any visit to Nicaragua. And it’s not just about the ubiquitous rice and beans! Nicaragua has a raft of national dishes, and the best way to sample these on one of our trips is in the communities where we work. Our volunteer Marina is an excellent cook, and never misses a thing when preparing “la comida nica” for the uninitiated. Here are a few of the things you might expect…

Gallo Pinto

Hearty and healthy, Gallo Pinto is Nicaragua’s traditional dish. It can be served as breakfast, lunch or dinner (and is often all three for Nicaraguans) on its own or with eggs, cheese or tortillas. Made from rice and red beans and cooked with onion, garlic, red pepper and salt, the recipe for Gallo Pinto (‘Painted Rooster’, from the maroon coloring of the beans) barely changes. A bit of cilantro or hot sauce will spice it up a bit if you find you are eating it every day of your trip.

Nacatamales

These are usually served on special occasions, but they sometimes crop up for a nice Sunday “brunch”. Similar to Mexican tamales only a lot bigger, nacatamales consist of a corn mix (or “masa”), potatoes, pork, rice, beans and tomatoes, along with spices and seasoning, all wrapped in a large banana leaf. It’s no wonder they are only served in times of rest, and they are so tasty it’s impossible to leave any behind!

Pio Quinto

Allegedly named after Pope Pius V because of its five ingredients (cake, custard, cinnamon, raisins and rum), this is a Nicaraguan dessert made to perfection by our volunteer Marina. The Flor de caña rum is hidden at the very bottom of the cup, meaning you have to dig past the cake with your spoon to reach it.

Indio Viejo

A hot beef, tomato, orange and achiote stew might not be the first thing you think of when it’s 90 degrees out, but if you’ve spent the day digging trenches for water pipes, building shelves for the libraries or walking dusty paths to visit rural communities, it might be just what you need. Legend has it that the name goes back to the days of Conquistadores in Nicaragua, who would take advantage of food offerings from the local population. Eventually, tired of having to share their food with their oppressors, the indigenous Nicarao waited until one Conquistador asked what was cooking. “It’s an old Indian (indio viejo) who had breathed his last breath”, he replied. That night, and from then on, the Nicaraos were able to enjoy their beef stew alone.

Tipitapa Communities Continue the Great Work of Andrew Suseno

By Andrew Suseno

In our final advanced round of workshops Rosa, Gretchen and I were honored to be joined by Alejandro Aldana Solares, a physiotherapist from Guatemala who traveled to Tipitapa especially to share his training with local communities. Alejandro quickly integrated into the curriculum and took on a leadership role which would guide the community rehabilitation teams beyond this weekend.

Thanks to a successful meeting with the director of the Tipitapa hospital and a very supportive Director from the Ministry of Health, we were able to schedule a fourth workshop in Tipitapa while I was still in Nicaragua. The Director commented that my method of teaching was unique and that she wanted her educators to learn how to palpate, stretch and exercise muscles, evaluate children and learn my pedagogy. They would be joining us in our final “talleres”.

The workshop in the center of Tipitapa went very smoothly. Challenges were presented on how to turn a box which could be stood upon into a balance board or balance chair, and participants were tested on the joints of the body to figure out how best to help a child with cerebral palsy to stand up. Five participants in this workshop also attended the Advanced Workshop as per the request of the Director of the Ministry of Health, along with 20 others from Ciudadela and San Benito. Here we focused on reviewing rehabilitation skills, working in rehab teams and the construction of four pieces of adaptive equipment for children in their communities. By the end of the day, I could feel that the educators were hungry for more and participants were super charged, ready to continue developing their skills, and ready to work in teams to make a difference in the communities.

I am so grateful and appreciative to the donors, the Dos Pueblos staff, Alejandro, and the open hearts of all 70+ family members and educators who attended these workshops. I drew such joy from feeling their sense of accomplishment and empowerment, and their new understanding in being able to evaluate and treat another person through the construction of beautiful, functional and specific adaptive equipment. I am looking forward to supporting and building this project. Since we were able to raise above our minimum target, we have resources to support Alejandro in teaching more “talleres” in the months to come. We also discovered several leaders in the community ready to stand up for the underserved or unseen, and ready to make well-being and quality of life for all in the community something to fight for.

Jermania from Tipitapa Shares her Thoughts on the Adaptive Design Workshops

In the Basic Rehabilitation and Adaptive Design workshops recently held in Tipitapa, Board Member Gretchen Craig spoke to Jermania from Ciudad de Dios. Jermania’s community recently worked together to dig trenches for pipes, and now they have been attending workshops with Physical Therapist Andrew Suseno to see how they can improve the lives of children with disabilities. These workshops will provide caregivers with the necessary skills to construct rehabilitative equipment out of cardboard, and to integrate all members of the community, regardless of their disability.

By Gretchen Craig

Q: How will you use the information you learned in the workshops with your family or community? A: I can use what I learned in many ways. As a community leader, I hope to share the workshops with other leaders, educators, and parents so they too can learn what I did. I can show them the tools they need to work with disabled children and sensitize leaders to offer more support to disabled people in our community, teaching them that many children can recuperate – maybe not completely, but by a great amount with the right therapy. As an educator, I can also share these skills so that the needs of disabled students at school are better understood. I would like to form a cooperative to make adaptive equipment for parents who can´t afford to buy it elsewhere.

Q: What was the best part of this workshop? A: For me the best part of the workshop was constructing the adaptive equipment out of cardboard. I didn’t think we would be able to complete several large pieces in just two days. Once it was painted it looked just like wood. I also liked learning more about physical therapy exercises and massage.

Q: Would you like to learn more about physical therapy and/or the construction of adaptive equipment using cardboard? A: Primarily I would like to learn more about the physical therapy exercises, because they are what people need most. I think that the basic movements are the most essential thing for disabled children.

Q: What did you think of how the workshops were conducted? A: The methodology used was excellent. The workshops were creative, participatory, and very hands-on. Now I understand that with more support, disabled children really can do more. Overall, I loved how easy it was to learn because it made us think and we could be creative. When working in a team it’s great to imagine, create, and find solutions.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share? A: Well, one thing is that for many the boxes are hard to obtain and people can’t afford to go into Tipitapa or Managua to pick them up. It would be great if we could have a central place near our communities, such as the school where the workshops were held, where we could get boxes and borrow tools to make adaptive equipment.

See what Jermania thought of the workshops in this short video: Tiptapa interview

Adaptive Equipment Makes a Difference

By Andrew Suseno

“1, 2, 3, Freeze. Please stop measuring, cutting, and gluing!” The eyes of four closely huddled groups willfully peeled their attention away from their projects to look my direction. They were engrossed in their last cardboard construction challenge of the intro workshop: to make a cardboard box strong enough to stand on. “Okay," I said, "I want you to take one minute to reflect about the past 15 minutes with your group. Together, name one good theme and one bad theme that arose in your experience of working together as a team. And think of something to do differently to address the bad theme.”

The approach to this taller - or workshop - differed greatly from the first. Rosa and I realized that this was the first time that all seven of the different communities would be together. Many participants did not have much experience working creatively in groups – and some were perhaps too used to being the outspoken leader of a group! I also learned from my first taller that touching each other with attention was so new to some of the students that we would have to do much of it to overcome the initial shock, in order to begin engaging in learning about the body.

And so when the director of the Ministry of Health came to observe what we were doing that day, she arrived to see five different groups clustered together attempting to figure out how to find the exact beginning and end of the bicep muscle. When a group was ready, I randomly chose two members and brought them outside to demonstrate how to find the muscle on my arm. If they were unable to locate it or say how they found it, I gave them a tutorial and sent them back to the group to share their training with the others. (I'll share more about the director in the next blog.)

As this taller drew to a close, I could feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment among the students. All the groups had successfully worked together to construct boxes that I - at just under 150 pounds - could stand on. People who had not spoken before now jumped in with ideas and ways to evaluate and treat the final case studies I role-played with them, and those who had previously led listened and welcomed the teamwork. It seemed to me that we had achieved a level of understanding about what a muscle was and that they could help alleviate pain in it, stretch it, strengthen it and make a difference in a community member’s life.

Reflections from Andrew's First Rehabilitation and Cardboard Construction Workshop

By Andrew Suseno

It’s hard to put into words how it feels to hear that most of the adults who attended the first workshop on rehabilitation and cardboard construction are already talking about coming back for the advanced session. Around 15 adults took part both days, and I can surely say that the “taller” was a great success.

My initial intention was to teach participants how to take a simple history, assess passive range of motion and strength, and to build a small box, followed by balance assessment, assistance requirements and making the necessary equipment from our cardboard supplies on the second day. But we had to adapt some training along the way – we discovered that some participants could not read or write, while others were writing down every word I said. As we determined the character of the class, I realized that we should focus on the skills learned in day one in more detail, and save day two for the advanced session. This meant we were able to devote time to assessing passive range of motion and strength testing at different joints.

The cardboard experience was interesting, to say the least! We had asked everyone to bring in 15-20 pieces of cardboard, but most people turned up with two. Fortunately the first day we were only making single-layered small boxes, and so in preparation for the second day we went to the super market and picked up a trunk full of cardboard. When we started on day two I asked everyone to glue pieces together to form multiple-layer pieces which we would use for our actual equipment (kind of like a cardboard version of plywood). Some planks were three layers and others were 6-9 layers, and in the end we had six planks for just over two teams to each make an inclined seat insert that would change the angle of a seat for a child with hypotonia.

I am very excited to try a new approach for learning with the second introductory class. My goal is to have them walk away with simple but applicable concepts, and more importantly to foster a class where participants can develop confidence with touching each other and thinking about the movement of the muscles and joints of their bodies and others, regardless of their ability to talk or write about it.

I want to give a special thanks Jonathan for translating for me when things got a bit hairy, and Gretchen, Karen, and Rosa for working alongside me with the individual groups.

Dr. Andrew Suseno Teaches Rehabilitation and Cardboard Construction in Tipitapa

After helping children with mobility issues in an orphanage in Managua in 2011, Physical Therapist Andrew Suseno was eager to  continue sharing his skills in rehabilitation and cardboard construction in Nicaragua. After meeting with Dos Pueblos to organize workshops which would train caregivers in adaptive solutions for living with a disability, Andrew is now in Tipitapa. The warmth of those in the communities is more than he could have imagined as he sees months of careful planning come to fruition.

Andrew Suseno:  I finally landed in Managua at 1:30 early Friday morning, and was greeted by Rosa, Dos Pueblos' lead coordinator, and Gretchen, a New Yorker who is fast becoming 'nicaragüense', holding a sign that said "Dr. Andrew".  The sound of confused roosters and the tiny 'zancudos' (mosquitos) did nothing to stop me falling into a deep sleep, ready for the week ahead.

On the first day we headed to the Tipitapa hospital to meet the director. His office felt like the refreshingly cold air of the subway after being outside in the New York heat. He was excited about introducing cardboard construction to the families of Tipitapa, where there was currently no solution to address the adaptive equipment needs of children.

In the afternoon we attended a community meeting, sitting in white plastic chairs with men, women and children on the porch of a concrete clinic. Family members crowded around with interest and concern, mothers held toddlers on their laps, and men sat on the paint-chipped floor. At first I was nervous about how to connect with everyone, but once we started talking they told me about a child with a learning disability, another who is unable to use her entire body except her head, a man who has not been able move his left arm since he was a child, and another young girl who was blind and could not stand. How could we reach a place of problem solving together with such vastly different needs? Then, somehow, between my middling Spanish, the questions I had prepared (What were the prior successes of the community? Tell me about an issue your child experiences in the school system?) and the excitement of cardboard construction and rehab, we began to see that we could engage the community in questions greater than just disability, integrating people with disabilities into a new concept of 'normal'. To finish up, we had an great conversation about creating a new image of the community and everyone left charged to begin the workshops.

To read Andrew's presentation on his work, click here. And we'll be back in touch very soon with news from the first round of workshops in Ciudadela.

Thank You for Making our Event a Success!

When we are blessed with good weather for our Spring Fundraiser, we know that no matter what, it's going to be a good party. With its beautiful garden, the cool, airy house of the Kerwin family is a wonderful place to spend a summer evening, and so everyone was already in high spirits for the Dos Pueblos Spring Benefit. By the time the entertainment started, and Board Member Steve invited the crowd to sing along, everyone joined in to 'sing for the future of Tipitapa.' Donors, friends and families mingled together, putting in bids at the silent auction or learning a bit more about our projects through our photos. Wah, the karaoke DJ, kicked off the karaoke with a fantastic cover of Adele's "One and Only," which eased some members of the crowd into the idea of also having a go!

Gretchen Craig, who just celebrated her one-year anniversary on the board of Dos Pueblos and has recently returned from Tipitapa, gave a moving appeal which reminded us all that local volunteers in Nicaragua are ready to make the most amazing changes in people’s lives - they just need to be given the opportunities. Luke Asente, who attended a delegation to Tipitapa last year (and at 12 years old, was the youngest participant to date), shared his reasons for supporting Dos Pueblos, and explaind how, after seeing children looking for scraps in dumps in Tipitapa, he returned to Brooklyn and went on to collect 300 lbs of  school supplies through his School, PolyPrep, for the Dos Pueblos libraries. Combined, the speeches brought energy and hope to the room, and we know that the generous support of those present will also bring energy and hope to many in Tipitapa.

Update from the Field: a Microfinance Success Story

On my last trip to Tipitapa, I was honored to meet Jacquelyne, a mother of three who received a Dos Pueblos microloan almost two years ago. A resident in Oronte Centeno near the center of town, Jacquelyne requested a microloan to help her small business making bags and fixing clothes. The leftover fabric never went to waste, since her skills on the sewing machine allowed her to stitch and darn every last piece of material into something to sell to support her family.

With the loan, and some family support, Jacquelyne sells and sews not only in Tipitapa, but also sends her cousin off to Matagalpa in the north of Nicaragua every month with a batch of bags to sell there, and he always comes back empty handed. Meanwhile in Oronte Centeno, the word of her work is spreading and she has new visitors all the time. "I'm the only person in this community who mends clothes", Jacquelyne says, "I think that's why work is always busy". That and the fact that her bags are beautiful, fully lined and even zipped to keep all your things safe. We'll have some for sale at our Fall Fundraiser on November 7th. Come along and see the bags for yourself and support Jacquelyne!

Marina – a Volunteer Against All the Odds

Life has thrown its lot at Marina Garcia Hortado, one of our dedicated volunteers from Chilamatillo, Tipitapa. Despite all the odds, Marina has always taken it upon herself to improve the lives not just of her children, but of her entire community, providing support such as education on birth control and workshops for women so they can start their own businesses. Not to mention that she’s a fantastic cook!

Her volunteer life began in 1985, when she taught at the local preschool in her community. There was no funding for paid teachers, but Marina understood the importance of free education for all from as young an age as possible and immediately offered her services. However, diseases such as malaria meant many children could not attend school, and in larger families children had to spend their time pitching in to put food on the table. Marina attended courses on malaria and diarrhea so she could share her knowledge back in Chilamatillo, and started working with ‘Profamilia’ who provide programs and services on family planning.

When Marina’s husband Jose lost his sight and could no longer work as a mechanic, Marina took a job at the local primary school to support the upbringing and education of her four children. But this did not impede her volunteer work, and her experiences as a teacher gave her the skills to teach adults how to read and to give private classes to children with special learning disabilities. And since improving the lives of the women in her community was her main priority, she continued to share her family planning knowledge, riding around the community on her bike to distribute contraceptive pills to as many women as she could.

Through working with Rosa, our community leader in Tipitapa, Marina is now assisting our microfinance program, and learnt many skills so she could assist the women along the way – cooking, sewing, handicrafts, even beauty classes! She is our main cook when we head down to Tipitapa on a delegation, and even does a hot plate of ‘gallo pinto’ (beans and rice) better than anyone else. When asked of her dreams for the future, Marina replied “To always have the opportunity to help the people in my community. And perhaps one day to be able to thank the donors of Dos Pueblos in person!”

An Update from the Field: our Health Center is Secure!

By heading to Tipitapa a week before the 2011 Tipitapa Delegation in January, I was lucky enough to really see community work in action with our Health Center Security Fence in Ciudadela San Martin. The entire fence was built in just over a week, all with the labor and support of local volunteers and Rosa, our local community leader and organizer, supervising the project from start to finish. Whether this meant following up on deliveries of supplies or bringing the working team fresh fruit for lunch, Rosa was always present making sure that the fence would be ready in time for the delegates to see, and in time for the planting of our family vegetable patches in the grounds.

With barely a shred of construction knowledge, watching the fence go up was a learning experience. It was also an opportunity to learn some very specific vocabulary (‘malla’ is Spanish for wire mesh fencing). On the day we transported the ‘malla’ from Masaya to Ciudadela, the accelerator pedal in the hired truck gave way. Never an issue in Nicaragua – our driver threaded a rope through the engine, under his feet and into his hand, and just pulled to pick up speed.

Each day saw new progress, with women, men and children helping to create cement mix, chop down weeds blocking the path of the fence and solder the iron tubes in place. The community was supported by CPC (the Citizen’s Power Council) and CAPS, the National Nicaraguan Potable Water Committee on this project, partnerships which can only serve to strength the work we do.

Now our recently renovated Health Center is secure, and the enclosed family gardens are already sprouting radishes and lettuce. Here, parents and children with special needs are working together to grow sustainable and healthy food to support good nutrition, and we also hope to begin workshops in this secure space to teach preventive health. This one, simple project has brought together so much, from community spirit to health and education.

Reflections on Tipitapa

Yolanda Mayo decided that a delegation to Tipitapa, Nicaragua, would be an exciting and moving start to retirement. It was a pleasure to have Yolanda on our trip, and we do hope she will join us again, even if breakfast is still an overflowing plate of rice and beans! Here are Yolanda’s thoughts upon returning to New York. Of the many experiences I had planned for retirement, Tipitapa turned out to be not only the first one, but the most challenging! Having travelled in Central America before and speaking Spanish, I did not feel the need for preparation. As a social worker for over 30 years, I have dealt with poverty, cross-culturalism, and most types of human needs. Yet, this short trip opened new windows of experience and brought me friends in two very different sister cities. First, the experiences of Tipitapa prompted a true understanding of the old Native American adage: Do not judge your neighbor until you have walked three moons in his or her moccasins. Learning from these experiences and directly sharing life limitations on a daily basis made a lasting change in my life. In seeing the strength, of the people, their daily challenges and struggles, their ability to laugh, love, and give of themselves (and what little they had), has left a profound impression on my life, leading to my questioning who actually has more, those The Tipitapa experience, as a human experience, is probably replicated daily in multiple countries around the globe, yet it has led me to re-frame the question of how best I can be of help to others. This, I thought, I knew well from my professional training. I have since questioned what are real priorities in the scale of human needs, how I can help others voice what they would want to say, what aspects of others’ culture is not to be touched by me, and how do I best understand other views. Critical to me has been questioning how I can develop true equity in a world of differences and commonalities.

“Pero todo no fue reflecciones serias y trabajo.” There was also fun! I met a fantastic and dedicated group of people who accepted my differences and led me to see myself somewhat differently. Everyone in the group, including Luke (the youngest), was a trooper.

From Luke’s reading to the children, to Arlene’s salsa dancing, and to everyone tolerating my food fetishes and difficulties in eating rice and frijoles for breakfast, my fear of worms when gardens are planted, and in making do with whatever was at hand. The group was superb, I learned to “let go,” laugh at myself, and accept that I am melindrosa. The next time I will be better armed with acceptance and openness in the true spirit of these concepts!

Community Hope - a report from the Dos Pueblos delegation, January 2011

We've just returned from our latest delegation in Tipitapa and everyone who took part agreed that the progress we witnessed on the ground was astounding. Not only were we able to watch members of the communities work as volunteers to build a fence, a library and provide their villages with potable water, but we also met so many dedicated and passionate community organizers that we can return to New York safe in the knowledge that our projects are taking great steps and are in safe and caring hands. Our first report comes from Scott Woods, who joined our delegation from Phoenix, Arizona. This was his first delegation with Dos Pueblos and we were honored to have him as part of our group.

“No mas no more, we must stop the dirty war, compañeros compañeras cry out, no mas no more.” While the lyrics from this School of America Watch song  (written by none other than our great friend and supporter, John McCutcheon) are more relevant to Colombia, El Salvador, and Honduras, Nicaragua too has fallen victim to failed international policies and internal strife. The civil war in Nicaragua ended decades ago resulting in a relatively peaceful society, one with promise, but one that still faces social challenges. The recognition of positive peace, in which the society experiences social systems that serve the entire population, is still a dream for many, especially the residents of communities in and around Tipitapa.

An ongoing interest in Latin American culture, governmental systems, and global policies affecting Central America, specifically Nicaragua, initially drew me to Dos Pueblos. In researching the history of the organization, I learned quickly of the many successful projects and contributions that Dos Pueblos has made to the communities of Nicaragua. The January 2011 delegation was not only an opportunity to gain a breadth of knowledge of the challenges facing Nicaragua, but also, witness the successes of Dos Pueblos and the “faces” of the various communities supported by Dos Pueblos.

Last year, I was involved in a campaign to bring attention to the displaced people in Colombia. The campaign used “faces” and personal stories in an effort to humanize the displacement of campasinas in Colombia. The people of Latin America are often forgotten as a whole when it comes to United States governmental policy and U.S. corporate actions. NAFTA, CAFTA, and the pending Colombian trade act fail to take into account the “faces” and the broad reaching ramifications of many policy actions.

As I disembarked Managua’s Augusto Sandino International Airport, and until my tearful departure eight days later, I was always greeted by warm, caring, happy, and smiling Nicaraguan people, perhaps even more so, from those living in situations of extreme poverty or with physical/cognitive disabilities.

With Nicaragua being the second poorest country in the western hemisphere, a considerable level of financial despondency was expected. It was emotionally disquieting to witness the pain and suffering, but more disconcerting is the fact that much of this suffering results from a lack of compassion on the part of distant political and corporate leaders. I witnessed the many successes and happiness that Dos Pueblos and other NGO’s have brought to the various communities; on the other hand, I would be remiss if I failed to share some of the less favorable situations and the affected faces.  The economic strife witnessed was broad reaching within the areas of human rights, nutrition, health, and education.

Day one of the delegation brought us to the community of Santa Marta.  I learned that at one time, the area around Santa Marta was home to sugarcane fields and a state-run sugar processing facility that employed many people in Tipitapa, which was subsequently privatized in the 1980s and eventually closed down. They have been replaced by many sq km of fields filled with rice paddies. This seems like a perfect fit until you learn that the co-op responsible for the rice uses nearly all the available water, leaving a well in the community of 200 plus families nearly dry.

While the pain I witnessed was heartbreaking, the projects supported by Dos Pueblos and this delegation, however small, do make a huge difference. It is difficult to say which project has or will have the most impact. A well project from last year enables 200+ families to have potable water. However, the community has no school, and the nearest community with a school, San Benito, does not have the resources to support students from other communities’ even if they could afford the bus fare.

Various micro-finance projects allow women to prosper and contribute to the community. While nearly all micro-finance projects have contributed greatly, the children’s smiles indicated that the expansion of a small community store to include the sale of ice cream (Eskimo) was particularly welcome and successful.

The delegation with Dos Pueblos to Nicaragua and the delegates have made a lasting impression. Kicking a football on a dirt street with the kids, watching a young boy roll an old bicycle tire with a stick, smiling the entire time, and the smiles on the children’s faces at the library will forever bring a smile to me.

The people of Nicaragua will always be close to my heart and in my thoughts. I will continue to share my witness and will return soon in hopes of contributing to more growth and opportunity for the people of Nicaragua. I cannot express how proud I am of the children and their contributions to their communities and families, and how sad I am that often they do not have the opportunity to just be kids.