2008: La Chureca

I found that my first visit to La Chureca, (please see early entries of my blog for a description of the Chureca) proved to be very emotionally difficult, but I plan go back and volunteer weekly. I spent five hours last Thursday counting, coloring, and working on the homework the children were assigned at school. I was glad to see that some of them were regularly attending the available school nearest to the Chureca.

2008: Thanks to the Dentists!

Thanks to Dr. Obannion, Dr. Stein and Dr. Shannon for donating tooth brushes. You brought smiles to children's faces, and from now on their smiles will be brighter!

2008: Las Yahoskas

Every day a smile takes over my face as I approach my volunteer site. The outer walls are decorated with pictures and bright colors, proudly displaying the Yahoska name. The Yahoska property is like a small farm, with two goats, a pig, and a dog and cat. Mango trees scatter the acre sized piece of land and the girls frequently scamper up the tree trunks to throw mangos down to their friends. Daily life includes meals, school (the girls travel to and from the town of San Marcos for school -- either in the back of a pick up truck or by foot), and various activities, including daily chores.


These girls are constantly running from activity to activity. I'm always amazed when most of them jump up with a smile to go sweep a floor or wash dishes. They hand wash all of their clothes and work through their homework when not dancing or running about. Every day is different. I try not to get in the way of their daily routine, but instead try to get to know the girls that have some free time.

Two days ago was Gloria's birthday (Gloria is another Haverford Volunteer). I went to the Yahoska's early so the girls could make birthday cards for her. It is amazing how excited they get over the smallest projects. It was the cutest thing watching them make their cards.

2008: Learning about Animal Rights

Not only is the Yahoska living space wild and crazy because of adolecent girls, it is buzzing because of their frantic pets. Living on the Yahoska property are: a large pig, several goats tied to trees, and various ducks. A few weeks before I came, the girls were given a two month old kitten and a young puppy. Both were starved and full of parasites the first time I saw them. As I have mentioned in previous entries, many of these young ladies have been abused and pushed around, so in turn they treat their animals in an abusive manner. My family is rather passionate about humane treatment of animals and animal education, so I was immediately shaken up over the conditions of their pets. After my first day with the girls I walked home in tears, wondering what I could say or do to influence the fair care of these pets.

As I was falling asleep that night, I realized I merely needed to treat their pets as I do mine. Immediately the next morning I walked into the local pet store (which wasn't what we would call a pet store in the States) and bought two weeks worth of kitten and dog food, food bowls, and anti-parasitic pills (to try to eliminate the gross amounts of parasites that are in their intestinal tracts).




Before lunch on the day of my big purchase, I whipped out the food, medicine, and bowls. I immediately had ten girls surrounding me, questioning what I was up to. I explained that the kitten and puppy need special food to eat, and they need specific types of medicine when they are sick, just as people do. I also emphasized that their bellies hurt when they are hungy and pointed out the kitten's protruding bones. Rice and beans are not sufficient foods for any cat or dog to consume. It was clear the girls had never heard such things. They all listened eagerly, nodding their heads, and occasionally asking questions. We mashed up the parasite medicine and mixed it up into each pets food. The kitten was purring the entire time it ate. They all took note of its happy mood.

Every day I have tried to reinforce appropriate care of the pets by giving them extra attention, talking to them, and discussing animal rights issues with the girls. It seems that the girls are starting to treat the animals in a more peaceful manner. Today we casually discussed how one can go to jail in the United States for abusing an animal. We also talked about how great animals can be for your mental health and how it has been scientifically proven that pets reduce anxiety levels for their owners. I threw out the points that many jails give their inmates animals to take care of to become better people, and they all seemed a bit shocked. I merely smiled. These pets could turn out being very therapeutic for the girls.

2008: The Newly Liberated Quincho Library

My past week has been spent revamping the Quinchos library, which included books enclosed in wooden bookcases, within a small, well lit room. The books were disorganized when I arrived, lacking labeled sections or easy access. I saw great potential in “La Biblioteca” and realized so much more could be accomplished beyond buying new books.

The librarian, DonaIvana (also my host mother), has been laid back yet excited about my ideas. With her help, we have revamped the space. We first ventured to Managua to buy posters for the walls, school supplies, and of course, books! (Thank you to those who helped me raise the funding for this project. It made all the difference!) We bought an insurmountable number of books, most of which have been read/or looked at by the children as of now.

Rose and I spent two full days, a total of about 16 work hours, sorting, piling, and categorizing the books, the old along with the new. We created categories such as History, Social Sciences, Geography, How to do Things Section, Sports, Math, Science (with sub-sections of Geology, Astronomy, Chemistry, Biology, etc). An entire book case was devoted to children´s books, organized by level of difficulty.

Amongst our organizing were curious children mixing up our piles and occasionally asking for advice on what to read, or inquiring "what is this?" (To the left are many of the new books we bought and below is a photo of the organizing process.)


The final result was better than I could have ever imagined. We hung up the posters, put the finishing touches on the library (cleaning, straightening etc), and watched as the kids walked in after school, all of whom marveled at the posters and newfound brightness of the room. It is now easy to seek out books from the various sections. The children are more engaged by the light atmosphere.

About 1/3 of the money I raised remains, and now that we have reorganized the library into sections, and have a better idea of the contents, we can spend the rest of the money on the three or four sections that are lacking. In Nicaragua, children do not have their own copies of text books. They travel to school every day, listen to their teachers lecture from the selected textbooks, and are expected to complete their homework without any references. The library carries many of the textbooks to use for reference, but much of the remaining funding will be used to complete and amplify the text book sets.

The library funding from my family and friends has provided about half of the textbooks the library holds. Thanks again to everyone who helped make this project a reality.

2008: Daily Life in Nicaragua

Before leaving for Nicaragua, I had a hard time contemplating what life would be like working in a small, suburban town. I have been placed with a homestay family, and I share a small bedroom with Doña Ivania, my homestay mother, and her daughter Leonela.

Water is only available from 8 p.m.- 10 p.m. so my family fills large vats with water to use the next day. The toilet doesn't flush, so you have to pour a small bucket of water swiftly into the front of the toilet to trigger the flush. We forget how lucky we are to have running water at all hours, and it rarely crosses our minds how much water we waste by showering with running water. I usually take bucket showers, because it is too cold to shower past eight at night.

I have grown accustomed to all these differences, and feel it will be hard to readjust to the ways of the United States. Food is another topic I find very different here. Many Nicaraguans eat rice and beans for breakfast, or a mix of the two called Gallopinto. It is great the first few times, but after a few weeks one becomes very tired of this delicacy (but I should try not eating for a few days, as many people here do not, and then see how great Gallopinto seems). Chicken and white rice are the signature lunch and dinner items, and a mango from the tree in the back yard serves for dessert.

Peanut butter, jam, butter, etc are all too expensive for the normal Nicaraguan family to afford. The only reason I eat toast and peanut butter for breakfast is because I buy it myself to share with my family. Refrigerators are also hard to come by. My family has one that currently doesn’t work, so they buy the food they need daily, including milk. Fruit is also very expensive, although Nicaragua produces a lot of such things.

Snacking doesn’t really exist here, so one is always good and hungry for the next meal. For this reason, I find rice and beans very tasty!

San Marcos

I’ve spent four weeks in Nicaragua and have already fallen in love with the country, despite my run ins with hongos, parasites, and various other health problems one might encounter when in a tropical country.

More than a week ago I arrived in San Marcos, a quaint town full of life but begging for improvement. It is far better off than many towns, considering it has various medical care, a few coffee shops, pharmacies, and a market place, not to mention it is somewhat safe. This isn’t to say that there is not a high level of poverty…as in other towns; San Marcos is chalked full of stray dogs, children who beg in the park, people without shoes, and thin faces which show hard work with little to show for it.

The cycle of violence and neglect is vicious…and is not only reflected on people, but on animals as well. A man abuses a woman, and the woman then yells at her children and kicks her dog. The father may get fed up with his family responsibilities and leave, pressuring the mother to provide for her children. Many mothers in extreme poverty prostitute their daughters to make a few extra Cordobas. Several of the girls I am working with have been put in this situation. It’s incredible that these girls are motivated enough to go to school, do their homework, and still have the energy to smile and play. The spirit of children is unlike anything else.

The day I arrived the children welcomed me with open arms, wondering who I was, where I was from, if I liked Nicaragua. Many of the girls remembered me from the day I visited, and dove into my arms as might a long lost friend who hasn’t seen me for years. From the second day on it appeared as if I had known the girls for years. They all crave love and attention, considering they have two adults who live with them, who are unable to give sufficient amounts of awareness to all thirty girls.

The same goes for the sixty boys in the program. Every day this week I’ve found various little boys say, “MARGARITA HOLA!!” I’m ashamed because I haven’t memorized all of their names, but in time I will come to learn them!

It’s hard to realize that 90 percent of these children have been molested, abused, and/or neglected. All of them possess incredible potential and merely want to be cherished. It’s incredible how easily they pick up English and other various languages, like Italian. Many can rattle off Rúben Dario poems they memorized in school, one of which is named “Margarita.” With every new fifth grader I meet, I hear the poem Margarita. By the end of the summer I will know the poem by heart just because the kids recite it so much.

There is a huge necessity for books and reading practice. Much of my time has been spent reading with the kids, sounding out words as we go.

Coming to Center and Getting to Work

Today marks the day I will begin my internship in San Marcos. My heart is racing a bit as I blog my last entry before I turn in for the night...or early morning. I can't wait to get settled in with DonaEvanya and her family and begin work at the library and with the Yahoskas. The delegation portion of my summer has come to a close and it is time to start my internship. The past three weeks have helped to ease us into Nicaraguan culture and to get us familiar with the history of this country.

For the past few days my delegation debriefed and re-centered at The Tisae, a nature reserve fourty minutes into the mountains surrounding Estali. It was great to have time to myself, and I meditated and relaxed from the Mirador, a lookout point at the top of a small mountain. The hike up was cathartic in itself, but I more so enjoyed sitting for hours on end in silence, enjoying the sound of the wind and the sometimes angry, at times joyful clouds pass over my head.

I enjoyed the Mirador twice with friends, and a third time by myself, allowing my mind to wander about my past, present, and future. This is the time of my life and I'm soaking in Nicaragua little by little. Such a small country has so much to offer.

Achuapa and LaGartillo

It's easy to overlook the small towns in Nicaragua, because they are way out in the "campo," but our delegation was lucky to be introduced to Achuapa and LaGartillo. Both towns were once harshly hit by the Contra war but are now rebuilding their strength, schooling systems, and economies. The regrowth has proven to be difficult, but these pueblos have managed to get by, maintaining their pure culture and kind populations of people.

Interacting with children, farmers, co-operative workers, natural medicine women (to the left), and musicians brought us all to the realization that Nicaragua is stronger than we ever knew. Its people have endured insurmountable traumas and yet are still trucking along, even after seeing their families and towns destroyed.

I was touched most by the women of whom we spoke with, all of who display the pain of war and loss in their aged faces, but still diligently work to rebuild their communities while raising families. The Womens Movement is the most powerful and influential political movement in Nicaragua, and this fact is evident by the spirits of the women in Achuapa and LaGartillo.

Goosebumps from LOVE

Granada, a quaint “extranjero” town full of culture and life has chosen to exhibit a photography exhibit, sponsored by LOVE, Lens of Vision and Expression. The children of La Chureca have endured a life of poverty, starvation, and disease, but LOVE has provided a small escape and skill for several of these kids. The program aims to aid marginalized children in breaking the cycle of poverty. (the photo to the left and the photo of the woman and child below were taken by children at the dump)

Eight children were chosen to participate in LOVE’s workshop, which allowed the children to use digital cameras to document their lives and the conditions that surround them. The photos exemplified the sensitive and dignified aspects of human life, even when existing in what may seem like unlivable conditions. “By allowing these children the freedom to use their creativity, it gives them a voice that otherwise goes unheard,” dictates Samantha, the founder of LOVE.

Our group was privileged to witness the opening of the exhibit. The mayor of Estali was present and gave a wonderful speech to the public, which included the photographers. The looks on the children’s faces as they eagerly pulled us in all directions to see their phenomenal photographs displayed around the room. I looked around at my friends and noticed several of us had goosebumps. It only takes a woman, a few cameras, and an open space….with a little hint of enthusiasm and dedication to empower children….from anywhere.

Visit LOVE to find out more and see some of the photographs the children captured. http://lensofvisionexpression.org

2008: How do we help?

It is hard to come into a country such as Nicaragua and not feel helpless. I don't want to serve as merely a tourist but a volunteer that is here do whatever necessary to help in the best way possible. I'm here for what, 14 weeks, and I feel like there is enough work to be done for the next 10,000 years. All I can hope to do is have a positive influence on the former street children I will be working with from day to day (my internship starts this Saturday, June 14).

Pronica, the non-profit organization I'm working for this summer helps to promote healthy living, education, the empowerment of women, and agriculture to many people in Nicaragua, especially for women and children. Their goal is not to fix the problems that exist here, but to facilitate the Nicaraguans to help themselves.

Two days ago my group visited La Chureca, a garbage dump which is the final destination for 1.5 million people's trash. In and around this dump live over 1000 people, who dig through the trash day after day to find measly recyclables that could possibly be sold back on the streets. A great deal of domestic violence and sexual assault occurs within these families of people and their community. Children are infected at early stages of their lives with parasites and STIs, which often go untreated and unnoticed. Eighty percent of the women in this "barrio" or community have gynecological abnormalities, and have little access to treatment. The conditions are so bad that many journalists and socilologists have come and snapped photos, which can be found by merely googling "La Chureca." Many of the inhabitants feel as if they are in a human zoo because of all the people that take their photos.

You can not understand how horrific the conditions these people live in until you drive through the dump. My mouth dropped open and my eyes immediately welled up as I bumped up and down in another volunteers SUV, which drove us through the mud that was created from Hurricane Alma and the following rain storms. I couldn't believe my eyes; there were hundreds of people digging through the mountains of trash with sticks, so as to be able to feed their families for a day.

At the top of a large hill overlooking an eroding, contaminated lake, lies ProNica's dwelling that serves to feed children from the dump a hot meal a day. The building is somewhat of a refuge and positive atmosphere for the children to play games and get educational attention. Near the "Los Quinchos" building is a nurses office and farther away is a school building where the children have the option to attend. Los Quinchos gives the children hope and a small fraction of the necessary attention they deserve. Once in the walls of the Quinchos, one can almost forget what lies beyond.

I learned a lot from the children we played with at Los Quinchos (which is the program I will be interning with all summer - but in a different location with former street children). The children enjoyed themselves and were so appreciative of the smallest amounts of attention. Many family and friends donated toys and materials for the children, which we brought with us that day. The children squeeled in delight and played eagerly with the bubbles, jump ropes, puzzles, and markers we had brought. Thank you again to those who donated!

These children, and community members deserve more than they have been dealt. It wasn't these children's choices to be born into such communities and families. A lot can be learned from the conditions that people live and work in, and there positive attitudes they put forth despite such situations. I'm still not able to process what I experiences for that long hour I spent in the dump, but with time I will sort out my feelings.

If you are interested in helping to support Pronica and Los Quinchos, please visit pronica.org.

Beyond the beauty of natural wonders

Between the beautiful volcanoes, rain forests, and waterfalls lie many farms, towns, and cities, all of which contain many people who have nothing but themselves. Eighty percent of Nicaragua is in poverty, and it is the second most impoverished country in the Western hemisphere, after Haiti.

Most people survive day to day eating beans, rice, or corn. Many only make a dollar a day, which isn't sufficient to support the typical family of ten. The illiteracy rate has risen to forty five percent and the government is doing little about it.

The government has held several corrupt leaders who have stolen foreign aid funding, such as funding that was donated to help reconstruct the country after the Contra war and the 1972 earthquake (which killed 10,000 people in Managua, the country's capital). The country is in billions of dollars in debt because of unpaid loans, so the government is less than willing to reach out to its many poor citizens because it can not help itself.

From Natural Disasters to Natural Wonders

As we gallivanted around the city of Estali last week, we were amidst tropical storm/hurricane Alma, which kept us from departing for a day or so. During this time I was bit by a dog, which then ate my medication...and I thought it was going to die, as I was whisked off to a doctor to check out my bite. This is not to forget that a gallo (a rooster) crowed incessantly for the entire night outside my window the night before the hurricane started. This was an eventful period of my trip!

After the torrential rain calmed down, we took an adventure to a cascada (waterfall) about 45 minutes from Estali. It was refreshing to experience a bit of nature and pure air after running around the city all week. It is easy to become overwhelmed with emotion between the poverty and amazing organizations trying to improve the conditions of the country, so for an afternoon we escaped. The natural wonders here are more beautiful than most can imagine.


Speaking of natural wonders, Nicaragua is home to many volcanoes, several of which are active. We drove up a mountain in Managua yesterday to gaze into one of them, Volcan Masaya. Nicaragua could and should increase its ecotourism, but the country's government is in such bad shape, and is so corrupt, that Nicaragua does not have the man power or attention needed to make this happen.

Estali at Its best!

FunArte: http://www.funarte.gov.br/
Estali may have its poor parts and sad sights, but the hundred murals painted by FunArte add to the city's charm and hopeful feel. FunArte, another non-profit organization, offers free art classes for the children of Esali. When conjuring up an idea for a mural, the children discuss and choose an issue of importance that involves their personal community. Some of these themes include hope, racial equality, health education, empowerment of women and children, and motivation. The children and volunteer artists then design a sketch for the mural and progress into the actual painting process.

This liberating and educational process has proved helpful for many youth in Nicaragua. Not only has FunArte helped to beautify Estali, it has worked to empower children and encourage them to access their inner artists.

2008: Getting to Know Esteli

Hope exists. Non-profit, grass roots organizations are shining in Nicaragua and working to instill lights into the vast darkness or poverty. Many of them have lit up the city of Esteli, and work to better the lives of those around them, educating the population on the history of the revolution and the realities of Nicaragua today, through the arts, various museums, and radio programs. Several of such, my delegation turned to for education and experience so as to be a bit more aware of the hope and progress in this developing country.

The Gallery of Heroes and Martyrs:
A small museum can hold large amounts of history, and event greater amounts of emotion. "The Asociacion de Madres por los Heroes y Martires De Esteli" is a museum which contains photos, dates, names, and memorial items of those that gave their lives in the name of the Sandinistas during the Contra War. This museum gives the hundreds of mothers from Esteli a memorial ground to honor the cause for which their sons and daughters died. There are names present which don't have documented dates of death, which are refered to as the "desaparecidos." This term refers to those revolutionaries who fled to the mountain ranges to fight against the Contras and never returned. Their bodies were never found and could have been thrown from helicoptors or merely thrown in a ditch (both situations were common). For some it was better not to know how their sons and daughters died, because the situations could be more brutal than anyone would ever want to imagine; to have the bodies of their loved ones back in their arms was enough pain to endure.

Dona Guillermina Meza, a mother of two deceased Sandinista soldiers, opened the Galeria in the early 1980's for the sake of the mothers who lost their children to the destruction of war, the Esteli community, and for the sake of institutional memory. All photographs, stories, and items in the museum have been donated by the families of the soldiers. Might I comment on how strong a woman Dona Mina (how we referred to her) has grown to be. One can see the toll her pain has taken by the looks in her eyes, but a special spark exists in her gaze. A spark of hope and motivation to remind and educate all about the tragedy this country has seen.

Above is one of the multiple murals that decorates the walls of the Gallery.


Mama Licha Birthing Clinic:http://www.mamasclinic.org/
Mama Licha, a middle-aged woman with a strong appearance and a motherly aura, greeted us at the stoop of her home as we all chanted “buenos dias!” in unison. She led us through her quaint house to the patio, which is now her “birthing clinic.” Mama Licha worked with the ministry of health for thirty years, and upon reaching a certain age she was made to retire. Due to her phenomenal and trustworthy reputation, women started appearing on the very stoop my group passed through that morning, begging for her help and assistance. Having no facilities to birth babies, she allowed these women to bear their children in her own bed, volunteering all she had.

By chance and word of mouth, two women from Yale fell upon this famous mid-wife and there after decided to aid Mama Licha’s with her dilemmas (lack of space, volunteers, and medical tools). They rallied for funding in the states and came up with enough money to build Mama Licha her own clinic in her back patio. Nicaraguans travel from near and far to work with this infamous woman, and now she has incredibly facilities to aid her. The amazing thing is that Mama Licha charges no money for her services. All of her medical procedures and facilities are run on pure donations. She has displayed that dreams and dedication can lead to reality. My very dear friend Jane Seymour will have the pleasure of working at this clinic as a volunteer for the duration of the summer.


Radio Cumiches: “Donde vos contás por que tu palabra”

Descrimination, human rights, household violence, sexuality, treatment of children, nor poverty are common topics of conversation for most adolescents, but Radio Cumiches brings these pressing topics out into the open by liberating these themes in the form of wavelengths. Gustavo Chovarria, a man bothered by these gross issues going unspoken that have plagued this country, gathered up what little money he had, and founded this organization.

By merely walking the streets around local schools in Estali, Nicaragua, volunteers ask children to write questions they have about household or political issues, then returning them anonymously. Some examples may be, “I’m 12 and female. Why is my eleven year old brother allowed to go out and I’m now?” or “My mother beats me when she is angry with my father. Why does she do this?” With these questions, the adolecent volunteers discuss and answer these questions the best they can, amongst the sessions of popular music.

Gustavo decided Estali needed to have “public conversations” about the issues which afflict the children of Nicaragua, and that is just what he has accomplished. Radio Cumiche is one of the most popular radio programs in the country.