09 December 2008

Christmas Party!

As we gathered with the mothers and children of our Child Sponsorship Program, there was palpable excitement in the air. When they entered the courtyard of La Esperanza, an elementary school located within the boundaries of La Chureca, the Managua city dump, the kids' eyes lit up when the saw the party we had set up for them. Our Christmas party is an annual celebration, made all the more special this year but the addition of Hilda Bleiwiess, the founder of Mi Casa Charities.

Months earlier Hilda had contacted Manna Project International in the hopes of partnering with us as we both worked to better the lives of the children and families of La Chureca. The dump can be a difficult place to work, and we were encouraged to hear from a total stranger who had also fallen in love with “our” kids, so much so that she had recruited many of her friends and family members to the cause, collecting both monetary and clothing donations to bring to Nicaragua.

We are incredibly grateful not only for this outpouring of support and generosity, but also for the eagerness of Hilda to work with other organizations that have a presence in Chureca in order to maximize our effectiveness and strengthen our combined efforts. My coworkers and I collected boxes and boxes of medication (to be distributed by Casa Base, La Chureca's health clinic) and clothing that Mi Casa Charities had sent. We also we fortunate that the families in our program were the recipients of a delicious catered lunch courtesy of Hilda and her donors.

With the help of a local restaurant, we served an early Christmas meal of rice, bread, chicken, snacks, and sodas to over 100 people. After all of the families in our program had been served (and even had seconds!) we opened up the doors of the school to some other local children in need of a good meal and kept passing out plates of food until there was none left. The seemingly simple meal was a wonderful gift to families who all too often can barely afford to put the Nicaraguan staples of rice and beans on their tables.

I can personally attest to the gratitude these families felt for the generosity shown to them by strangers thousands of miles away. Their smiles and quiet expressions of thanks were heartwarming. It is was a privilege for me to witness and be a part of this event that would not have been possible without the contributions of so many people who, in spite of difficult economic times, were moved to give this holiday season.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Hilda and Mi Casa Charities for many years to come and we're hopeful that through our work and that of so many others La Chureca will begin to see the change it so desperately needs.

Mary Rose Conroy

27 October 2008

Whether to wear rainboots, or weather not...

As the end of the rainy season comes about, a breath of fresh air is coming over the Child Sponsorship program. This past month has had it's share of problems, but joys continue to prove themselves stronger.

October is a the rainiest month of the year in Nicaragua, which means flooding and mud and often an increase in sickness. We have been busy reminding mothers of the suggestions the Ministry of Health gives them in order to keep a healthy household, as well as advising them to go to health clinic when the children are sick. The health clinic has certainly seen an increase in patients this past month; and though it may seem disheartening, it is encouraging to see the confidence the community has in it.

One of the more tragic events of the past month has been the flooding of houses in Chureca, including six families in our program. Christina Colopy account describes the scene well:

"I thought that if you lived in Chureca, things couldn’t get much worse. Well, I was wrong, way wrong. Towards the end of last week, rainy season hit Nicaragua full force- there was so much rain we had to cancel our programs for 2 days! You can only imagine what all that rain would do to a place such as Chureca. As we found out this morning, a number of the families in our sponsorship program were forced out of their homes due to the flooding of a nearby lagoon. This morning as we walked around visiting the moms and children, we surveyed the damage and I was in shock at the sight of one particular home. We rounded a corner and where this young mother’s house used to stand, there was only a metal bed frame in 2 feet of water. No roof. No walls. No other furniture or things. They were able to get some of their belongings out of the home and salvage “algunas cosas”, but right now their circumstances are truly dire. This mom was additionally upset because she lost all of her notes and school supplies for the classes she’s attending. Talk about an excuse to not have studied for your upcoming test.

Currently Colegio Esperanza, the school in Chureca where 350 students attend, is closed because it is serving as an emergency shelter for 16 families whose homes were destroyed or completely ruined by the flooding. Therefore, the normally semi-quiet streets were busier than normal with all of the children running around enjoying their vacation day from school! We passed by a group of young boys who had built one of the best tree forts I’ve ever seen. It was precariously perched about 20 feet above ground on top of a tree and made of scrap metal, cardboard etc. The best part were homemade signs the boys proudly showed us: one said “no se permiten mujeres, solamente varones!” (girls not allowed, only boys!) with a picture of a girl with a huge X through it. Hilarious. I was pleased to see that the cootie disease that afflicted me as a child was also rampant on this side of the world.

Tomorrow when we go to Chureca for the weekly charla put on by the Ministry of Health, Mose, Maddie, Tressa and myself will become pack mules for the trek in: we are bringing clothing donations for the families in our program who have been worst affected, as well as food for the previously mentioned family whose home is now gone. In a way I feel helpless and heartbroken for these families, but we WILL find a way to help them. How, you may ask? I’m still working on that, hit me back with any ideas…"

The next day we each had a backpack full of clothing for children and some for the moms and families of those most affected. We brought some rice and beans and oatmeal as supplemental food, as some of the families were not receiving food at the school because they were worried about guarding their homes (or what was left of them) from thieves. The mothers were very appreciative, but it still felt like there was more we could do for them. However, one of our policies requires that we not gift people in the communities in which we work; if we were to give more to these mothers and not to others who also live in poverty it could lead to a loss of respect and confidence in the community.

On a more humorous note, the rain has forced us to use rain boots for our walk into Chureca. A group of Gringos with multi-colored rain boots and grubby clothes walking into Chureca with an odd assortment of bags and sunglasses is endless entertainment to the people who live in the area, especially when it is a sunny day. It is even better for them when we run out of Chureca in rainstorms - as most of us have forgotten to bring rain jackets or umbrellas. We are usually soaking wet as we load into the white microbus, and often laughing at our forgetfulness.


In addition to the changes brought about by the rains, the Spanish initiative for Chureca is beginning to take shape. Last week Spanish representatives came to the Wednesday charla (health talk) to announce their plans for Chureca and those who live in it. There were varied reactions and opinions within the audience of mothers and other residents of Chureca, but overall the representatives were very informative and diplomatic. For more information on the Spanish Initiative for Chureca, please view the following links:
This week also brings about another milk day. This month we are doing something special for the mothers - we have reserved a hairdresser/manicurist to treat the mothers to a "day of beauty and rest." We are taking the mothers and their children to Chiquilistagua to the August's land "El Salero", where we will be providing child care for a couple hours to give the mothers a rest and the children a healthy and safe place to play. (http://www.charityadvantage.com/Manna_Project_InternationaDBVFBW/NicaPartners.asp) I hope to have pictures of the event up this coming weekend, please view the link to the right side of the screen.

Thank you again to all of you who help to support our program. We are still looking for more sponsors for the children, as we hope to add ten more children to the program before the end of the calender year. If you do not want to support a specific child, but wish to help our organization, feel free to contact us (childsponsor@mannaproject.org) or designate money for the Child Sponsorship program via our website: (http://www.charityadvantage.com/Manna_Project_InternationaDBVFBW/DonateNow.asp) Thanks again! Until next time...

06 October 2008

Milk Day September

Sorry for the delay... this was written on September 25 by Christina Colopy, and I only just located it today. tmh



Today and yesterday saw the voyage of tired yet excited gringos bearing gifts for the children of Chureca in the form of milk, oatmeal, vitamins, and many strong hugs. We just completed our monthly Child Sponsorship ‘Milk Day’ in Chureca which I’m in charge of coordinating. Needless the say, the week leading up to the milk day is quite hectic. I order the milk on the phone (which in Spanish is sometimes quite tricky) and it is then delivered to our house by my new friend Lino. I order the vitamins from a local pharmacy which we pick up when we go grocery shopping, and we buy about 50 one pound bags of oatmeal from our wholesale grocery store. I get rather strange looks pushing around a huge grocery cart overflowing with oatmeal, maybe I just like my grains okay? I’ve become quite proficient in Microsoft Excel with all of the charts, lists and forms I’ve had to organize to make sure milk day goes smoothly!

Our troops arrive to the Chureca clinic at 9am sharp; our tank-like vehicle, the Patrol, is driven through the front entrance (which we hardly ever frequent) laden with the milk day goodies. The rest of the group walks in through the back entrance like normal and we unload everything into the clinic. Arlen, a little girl in the program, insisted on helping me carry in the bags of oatmeal. Her little frame could barely hold one bag while we carry 5 or 6, but seeing her willingness to help was so heart warming! The moms were in their weekly health talk put on by the ministry of health, and as we waited in the front of the clinic, we laughed and played with a few of the precious children running around with their dirt smeared bodies and ragged clothes. Heysell loved drawing on our legs and hands with a pen, while Arelys enjoyed taking pictures with my camera. I divvied up the duties for the day: a photo taker, someone who hands out the milk, a height/weight measurer , one person who records these measurements, and one ‘messenger’ who takes the mother and child to one of two consult rooms where Nikki, Mose and myself review the child’s health and growth with the mother based on their weight and height progression over the past few months. Most kids are plagued by chronic sickness and a weight gain of even half a pound is a celebrated victory! I make sure the children are eating their milk, vitamins and oatmeal, and that if they’ve been sick or had diarrhea the past month, that they’ve seen a doctor at the clinic. Today a few children I saw currently aren’t enrolled in school which is a big no-no! I tried to encourage the moms to enroll their kids as soon as possible, we’ll see if they start going or not.

Walking through the clinic, tracking mud from my boots across the white tiled floor, I was so encouraged as I glanced around and realized I knew all of the women and children filing through. We’ve been working so hard to learn their names, where they live, and their stories, and it seems to be paying off little by little. The women confide in us and trust us a little more each time we love and care for their beautiful children.

I love milk days.

10 September 2008

New Beginnings, High Expectations

First of all, I want to apologize for the lack of new posts. Since July, Manna Project has been transitioning from last year's Program Directors to the new ones of 2008-2009. This being said, everyone, including myself, has been very busy feeling out our programs. However, that being said, now we are set in and rolling along smoothly (more or less) in our programs.
This coming year there will be four of us running the Child Sponsorship program in La Chureca. Mary Rose Conroy, Christina Colopy, Maddie Jalandoni, and myself (Tressa Hoekstra) are the new directors of the program. As there are four of us, we want to expand the program from 45 children to 60+ because of the need we see in the community. We have all fallen in love with the children and the families that we serve in the community, and are excited to expand opportunities for more children and their parents.
Since we have been here there have been a few exciting updates: one of the children has received glasses to help fix a problem he has had since birth, we are lining up a surgery for a child with a hernia, for the last two weeks we have been assisting the staff to give vaccinations to all the children in our program and their siblings, and have seen countless smiles from all of the children. We seem to be gaining the trust of the families very quickly, and we would like to thank the past staff (Erin and Marcela) for all they did to help us transition smoothly.
Coming into Chureca was very strange for me at first; all I could see was the devastation, dirt, and sadness. Though I continue to see these things (La Chureca is not a place conducive to living healthily), I have also begun to see life in it - the joy of learning and the excitement of the children when they tell me the new things they are learning in school, the anticipation as they wait for their milk, oatmeal, and vitamins, and the enthusiasm as some show me their responsibilities at home (including feeding the pigs). Already I have learned so much in just the two months I have been here. Chureca is now my office, the mothers my friends, the children my joys and the reason I return day after day.

I'm excited for the year to come, and to keep everyone updated on what is going on in our program. Please email me if you have any questions or comments or anything interesting (tressa.hoekstra@mannaproject.org)!

07 July 2008

Part of the reason I chose to spend a month of my summer with Manna Project was the opportunity I would have to work with the community of La Chureca. This is my fourth time in Nicaragua, but on all of my past trips I have only had one day each time to spend in the dump. It’s a hard feeling to explain, but from the first time I stepped foot in this bittersweet place I knew I wanted to come back as often as possible.

Working with the Child Sponsorship Program in La Chureca has definitely been the highlight of my experience with Manna Project. In the States we always see commercials on television about donating a small sum of money each month to help sponsor a child, but people usually don’t feel enough of a connection to pick up the phone and make a commitment. It has been incredible to see firsthand how $18 a month is not only helping these children to physically survive, but the sponsorship program goes much beyond that. Last week I got to experience a “milk day” which is when all the children come in, get weighed and measured, have a consultation, and then if everything is good and their mom has attended the health talks then they are given oatmeal, vitamins, and milk for the next month. The money that these child sponsors give covers all of those food items, but Erin and Marcela also add so much more. They care about each child individually. Over the past year they have developed relationships with the families of each child in the program. They want to see that the child is not only looking healthier, but they also check weekly that the moms are feeding the children correctly, and they encourage the children not to work in the trash like the majority of people, but to get an education at Esperanza (the school of hope in the dump). The love they show to these children is what makes this program a success.

Even though I have only had one month to see all that the Child Sponsorship Program has to offer, it has greatly impacted me. It is so great to know that as each year passes this program will continue to grow and change, to not only benefit these children, but so that each child will have a chance to go out and make a difference in their community of La Chureca.

-- By Christa Samaha, Summer Volunteer

15 June 2008

My Experience in La Chureca

Written by Summer Volunteer Heather Lillemoe

Throughout the past month as a summer volunteer for Manna Project in Nicaragua, I got to spend a great deal of time in La Chureca. However, on my last day there I remember feeling a lot different than I did on my first day. When my group of volunteers toured La Chureca and saw it for the first time, I felt helpless and overwhelmed with sadness. I remember Dane telling us as he led us around that we should look at La Chureca as a community, because that’s what it is and we can’t just look at it and try to figure out how to change it. I tend to be one of those people who sees a problem and wants to solve it, but I instead took Dane’s advice and accepted the situation. I think hearing those words early on was very helpful to me because from that point on I looked closely at the community that is La Chureca. During my month in Nicaragua, I chose to spend 2 to 3 days every week in La Chureca. Once a week I would go on house visits with Marcela or Erin to check on the children in the child sponsorship program and ensure that the mothers had the appropriate amounts of vitamins and milk. On the other days of the week I experienced a Milk Day, a women’s health talk (along with a crazy fiesta for international children’s week!), and I helped out in Juntos Contigo. Through all of these different activities I got to know certain kids and individuals in La Chureca.

In a way, I felt that I had the opportunity to enter into these people’s lives for a little while and forget the world that I’m used to. On days that I went on house visits I was welcomed into different homes of different families in La Chureca. Erin or Marcela would chat with the mothers and check on their milk and vitamins, very frequently having to ask why the children weren’t in school. Some days were good days and some were more frustrating. I remember visiting the school in La Chureca and having the children run up to me with so much excitement and energy. It felt so good to see all of the kids happy and giving me hugs. I realized that even though many of these kids lived in these terrible conditions, they almost always had smiles on their faces.

On my last day in La Chureca, the women in our English class greeted us politely when we arrived. I got to meet some new families and said hello to some of the families I knew. I saw a rare smile from an always-sad Ángel, I listened to a father bickering about another community member, I watched a group of kids playing soccer, and I got a great picture with a bunch of community members and some of the other volunteers. I really felt like I had become a part of something after this month in La Chureca. I went from feeling worried and angry about this place to feeling like I was a part of it. Although I couldn’t get rid of all of the trash or give all of the families clean homes or even shoes to wear, I know I did make a difference. From saying “adios” in passing, to getting high fives from my favorite kids on various occasions, to the abundance of hugs in Colegio Esperanza, I finally realized as I walked out of La Chureca for the last time this summer that it was most definitely a community and that I was honored to have been a part of it for a short while.

12 June 2008

Getting to Know La Chureca



Written by Summer Volunteer Becky Maroon

After living in Nicaragua for one month, I feel that I have grown a lot in terms of the way in which I perceive the world around me. I was fully aware at the beginning of my journey that I would be encountering ways of life and standards of living that were completely foreign to me and everything that I know. However, those things that have changed me, my thoughts, my perceptions – they are not things that I would have been able to pinpoint upon arriving in Nicaragua. I have found that my greatest struggles here have also been my greatest source of learning.

Manna Project holds true to its mission of communities serving communities. On one of my first days touring a community outside of La Chureca, I was truly taken aback by the poverty of the people in the community. A few days later I was able to meet the mothers and children of the Child Sponsorship Program in La Chureca on Milk Day. The people that I met in the clinic of La Chureca came with a whole new wave of poverty. I was certain that this must obviously be the most severe level of poverty that I would be exposed to while in Nicaragua. Then came the house visits to the mothers of the Child Sponsorship Program to ensure that the kids were doing well and receiving the vitamins and food that the program provides. I do not think that I am mistaken when I say that this is when I abandoned all of my expectations of poverty and the communities with which we are working.

Poverty, in its many shapes and sizes, has been full of surprises this past month. In addition to accepting the living conditions of the communities that we serve, I learned that I am not here to fix anything. It has been a constant struggle for me to accept the fact that I cannot change the way these people are living their lives or provide a simple solution. I am here to serve and help in any way that I can. I am here to build relationships. I am here to look at these people, not as the poverty-stricken and destitute, but as the people that I have come to know and respect as my friends in the communities I came here to serve.

04 June 2008

Children's Day


Written by Summer Volunteer Becky Maroon:

June 1st is internationally recognized as the celebration of the child. That being said, the people of Nicaragua have taken it upon themselves to extend this celebration, like all others, into a full week of festivities. To honor the sacred tradition of celebration, we hosted a party for the children of our Child Sponsorship Program in La Chureca. Prior to the grand event, there was a brief health talk with the mothers in the program concerning the effects of the rainy season on the health of their children. This covered everything from the specific diseases that can occur as a result of the increased rain, to the bugs and critters that create problems by taking refuge in any form of shelter throughout the season. The mothers and children then gathered to play games, eat cake, and win prizes in the multipurpose room of the clinic where the party was held.

Since I have been in Nicaragua I have been so focused on the needs of the communities that I am here to serve – nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, etc. However, just seeing the beaming faces of the kids when they were eating cake, hitting the piñata, participating in the coloring contest or dancing around with volunteers and their mothers alike, helps to remind me that kids are kids no matter where you are in the world. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they will have food on the table or clean clothes to wear. So even if for only that morning that we celebrated and danced around in the back of the clinic in La Chureca, we were able to let these children forget about their daily troubles and just be kids, I think that we more than served our purpose. The memories that I have already created by spending time with these children are some that I know I will never forget.

30 May 2008

Dia(s) de las Madres


True to much of our year here, Nicaraguans celebrate Mother's Day a little differently than we do in the States. First of all, the date: it is always May 30th, no matter where it falls in the month. Secondly, the government makes sure everyone visits their moms and grandmothers by making it illegal for people to work past noon. No kidding. The third and perhaps most striking difference is that while Mothers' Day in the States is a private family affair with breakfast in bed and presents at the kitchen table, anyone who has any professional contact with mothers is supposed to celebrate with them. Meaning that Marcela and I spent two full mornings this week at Mothers' Day parties in La Chureca (it would have been three, if not for rain from Hurricane Alma on Thursday).

The first was at the school, where children of all ages sang songs, danced and recited poetry for their mothers and grandmothers. Marcela and I were quite pleased with ourselves when moms in our program offered us seats close to the front... we really did know every third mother by name! My lap time was split between Blanca and Josue Daniel, while Marcela hung out with the Vanegas clan for a bit. We left when the Palo de Mayo, or booty dancing, competition began, but I'm pretty sure I know which kids won... some things never change.

Now I know that I'm partial, but I preferred the fiesta today at the clinic. Yes, just about every mom in the back room had a kid on her lap, but the fiesta wasn't about the kids or what they can do; rather, it was about the mothers and what they've done for their children, an actual celebration of motherhood. Several mothers stood up and sang or recited poetry that they themselves had learned in primary school Mothers' Day fiestas years ago. One mom danced folklore while others showed off their reggaeton skills. Two of our mothers stood and said with tears in their eyes what it means to be a mother. For many women in La Chureca, as I'm sure it is the world over, their children were the first thing that was "theirs," the first responsibility they had ever felt. When I heard that, I felt a renewed encouragement that Manna and the clinic are not working alone to try to improve the health of La Chureca. We have the moms on our side, and that's more than enough.

Moms who were part of the clinic party show (kids' names in parantheses):
Singing-- Patricia (Jorge)
Folklore-- Carmen (Mariana)
Reggaeton-- Celia (Jose Manuel), Mariela (Blanca and Maria Antonia), Liseth (Mildeana)
Speakers-- Dalia (Zayda), Virginia (Cristofer)

05 May 2008

Tranquilo en el Campo

On Wednesday and Thursday of last week, we brought the kids in our program and their mothers to the Augusts' land. Last October, our days in the "Campo" were sheer madness-- kids running everywhere, going to the bathroom on volunteers, moms yelling at the kids running everywhere and going to the bathroom on volunteers. This time, in contrast, our ninos came in, found their little chairs, and just chilled sucking on the mangoes growing on the property. The transformation was truly surreal.

Senora Soya graced us once again with her presence, conjuring recipes of arroz a la valencia and sausage out of soy. Everyone's mouths watered in anticipation and the moms scurried around in their donated aprons and head wraps. While we waited, I had a chance to hang out with the moms who weren't cooking (the moms who were cooking wouldn't let me in the kitchen because they say I have baby hands. Another story for another time). We talked about life, how they came to Chureca, what it's like to be a mom and a wife in Nicaragua. Many of them asked me if I had any children. My response was always "45," to which they would just nod. They know that I love their kids like they were mine. As we chatted, their children would crawl into my lap, no longer afraid of my white face or strange yellow hair.

Marcela and I agree that these are some of our favorite moments in Nicaragua. Please follow the links for more photos of our magical days.

27 April 2008

Lunch With Friends

Earlier today we had the clinic staff over for lunch. Although we see the staff multiple times a week, our interactions always take place at the clinic and are therefore not as informal as we would sometimes like them to be. Erin and I invited the staff over to the Manna house so that we could take some time to step back from work, relax and enjoy each others company.

The lunch was a lot of fun. We made giant cheeseburgers with oven-roasted potatoes. For dessert we had brownies with ice cream. We told the staff that they were welcomed to bring their kids to our house so Esmo brought her son, Shy, and Yami brought her son, Leo. It was amazing to see just how energetic their kids were! Despite not knowing how to swim, they were really excited about being able to use our pool. So, after lunch, Erin and I put on our bathing suits and hopped in the pool to serve as swim coaches/lifeguards.

It was great to have the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon with Esmo, Yami, Sandra, and Dr. Perez. We have certainly come a long way since August.

15 April 2008

Back in School!

This morning when Erin and I arrived at the clinic Dr. Lesly, Esmo and Yami were no where in sight. Thankfully Sandra saw us walking outside the clinic with confused expressions and came over to tell us that the staff was at the school, giving anti-parasite meds to the kids. Erin and I decided to make our way over to Colegio Esperanza to say hi to the staff and see how things were going. When we arrived at the school we were greeted by a multitude of hugs from hyper kids who were enjoying their last few minutes of recess.

The clinic's staff had just finished their work at the school and was ready to head back to the clinic. As we were about to leave, Erin spotted Yelsing, one of the boys in our program. We couldn't believe it! For weeks we had been asking Miriam (his mom) to send her kids to school. Did all our conversations with her finally pay off?

Since we only spotted Yelsing at school, we wondered if his sisters Katy and Miriam, were also in class. Instead of heading back to the clinic with the staff, Erin and I decided to walk over to the Vanegas' house. Our excitement was reflected in the way we walked- there was a definite bounce to our step.

When we arrived at the house Miriam gave us a warm welcome. We asked her how things were going and how she was feeling. She was happy to show us her new smile- for as long as I had known her, she hadn't had any front teeth. Now, thanks to the help of a dentist, she has a smile that accurately reflects her sweet personality.

Miriam then told us that she had taken Katy, Miriam and Yelsing to school in the morning. I'm sure she could tell by our smiling faces how excited we were to hear the news, but we told her anyways about how happy we were that the kids were in school. She then started telling us about each of her kids. She said that Katy is excellent at memorizing information but has some trouble writing. Miriam, on the other hand, has trouble storing new information but knows how to write well. She's also a great artist. Yelsing, the oldest, is a diligent student with very neat handwriting.

It was great to see Miriam recognize the skills each of her kids has and acknowledge the importance of keeping them in school. Now we just have to make sure that she continues to take them to school each day.

13 April 2008

Strike and Clinic Update

Almost as quickly as it began, the huelga is now over. Unfortunately, those who seemed to profit most from the Churequeos' strike were those they were striking against: the truck drivers and trash collectors. Because they're unionized (and the Churequeos are not), they were able to use their collective voice to negotiate a salary increase, which supposedly decreases the temptation to take trash out of the trucks before they reach the dump. However, one father I spoke with on Saturday said that everything is back as it was before, although it is easier to find plastic bottles (which sell for 4 cords a pound... about 25 cents US).

On another, more uplifting note, Casa Base, the clinic in Chureca, has found friends not only in Austin Samaritans, a medical mission group based out of (you guessed it), Austin TX, but also la Fundacion el Samaritano, whose director is the first Nicaraguan surgeon to be board-certified in the US. Through these two organizations, members of the Chureca community have access to more specialized primary care (pediatrics, dentistry, gynecology) in addition to a surgical center. This Saturday I will take two young boys to Samaritano for surgical consultations, both for complications they've suffered for the vast majority of their lives. Additionally, Samaritano has committed to bring more specialized care into Chureca itself, with a dentist twice a week and discussions with pediatricians and gynecologists underway.

While some things post-strike may look sadly the same, there's also a lot of hope that's coming in to change lives.

28 March 2008

Local Authorities Fail to Recover Control of Garbage Dump

[Article taken from the Nicaragua Network Hotline]

Since the beginning of the month over one thousand informal workers who make a living from selling recyclable waste (metal, plastic and glass) dumped on Managua's municipal garbage dump "La Chureca" have blockaded the entrance in protest against the decreasing amount of valuable waste being deposited there. According to the protesting workers the more valuable waste is extracted by the garbage collectors who work for the local government before the trucks are unloaded at "La Chureca."

On Mar. 23 Managua Vice-Mayor Neri Leiva Orochena said that the local government planned to recover control of the municipal garbage dump "La Chureca" on Mar. 24 with help from the National Police if necessary. The local government was unable to take control of the site, however, because, according to Mayor Dionisio Marenco, the National Police were unwilling to accompany the local government officials. According to General Commissioner Horacio Rocha a judicial order would be necessary before the National Police were able to help the Mayor reopen the site. Marenco, who dismissed Rocha's explanation, said he did not understand why the National Police were unwilling to help.

Marenco has insisted it is impossible for the local government to guarantee the quality of the waste dumped on the site and has rejected the suggestion of increasing garbage collectors' salaries in return for their commitment not to extract certain types of waste. On Mar. 24 Marenco reiterated his position saying that if and when the proposal to increase garbage collectors' salaries is voted on by the local council he will vote against it. Marenco has also said that he is unwilling to negotiate with the informal workers from "La Chureca."

This proposal to increase the local authorities' garbage collectors' salaries was initially suggested by the National Workers' Front (FNT), which is affiliated with the FSLN, and represents the "Chureca" informal workers. FSLN City Councilman Edgardo Cuarezma put the issue on the local council agenda. The Managua City Council is made up of nine FSLN members and nine members from the three opposition parties. Marenco, who is also FSLN but had fallen out with Daniel Ortega over Marenco's political ambitions, also votes in local council decisions.

On Mar. 18 Health Minister Guillermo Gonzalez said that the local health authorities had not yet detected signs of an epidemic outbreak due to the accumulation of garbage, but he did urge a rapid resolution to the dispute in order to guarantee the health of the Managua population.

During the last week 1,200 workers hired by the city government used 180 garbage trucks to remove the more than 25,000 tons of garbage which has accumulated on Managua's streets over the last three weeks. The waste was successfully deposited in garbage dumps in Nindiri and Tipitapa despite threats by the protesting informal workers to also block the entrances to those two sites. This is a tragic conflict in which all sides are right and the only ultimate solution is to eliminate the need for people to survive by living and "mining" a toxic garbage dump.

26 March 2008

Dia de Leche

This morning we drove into Chureca for Milk Day. With the workers still on strike, we were one of the only vehicles allowed inside the dump. The clinic was already full when we showed up- most of our moms were listening to a health talk, some were meeting with nutritionists, and others were awaiting their consult with the doctor. Despite the number of people in the clinic, things were under control.

We were all worried that our kids' weights would drop significantly this month as a result of the strike and it's impact on individuals' ability to earn a living. Thankfully this has not been the case. Although the last three weeks have been extremely trying for La Chureca's residents, families have pulled together and done their best to ensure that their children are getting enough to eat. Organizations both inside and outside La Chureca have also stepped up their roles in order to assist residents through this particularly difficult period.

24 March 2008

!Huelga!

The Monday before Day of Light, Lori and I were driving two Vanderbilt professors to Chureca with plans of meeting with some donors, going on a tour and maybe grabbing some lunch. One stoplight from the dump, we got a call from the other truck saying that there was a strike and no one could enter. The trash collectors and truck drivers have been removing the "trash of quality" for some time, preventing Churequeos for scavenging for the best recyclables. The workers had had enough and decided to use their bodies and the trash itself to keep trucks from dumping.

We approached the entrance with caution, but the line of men readily opened in order for us to pass. Another group of people directed us around barriers of trash, saying that they knew us because we helped with the school (we corrected them and let them know it was the clinic). At the weigh stations, I saw the faces of many of our mothers, their faces smiling with recognition and hope in what they were doing.

The trucks could not pass, but the community of La Chureca trusted us, and let us through.

The strike is now rapidly approaching a month and it seems to be at a standstill. The alcalde, or local government, says it cannot prevent the drivers from skimming (or the creation of outside recycling programs) and the Churequeos are too determined to stop without that promise. Problem is: no trash, no money; no money, no food.

Opinions about the strike vary widely among people living and working in Chureca, but everyone knows that something big is about to happen. Maybe this will make some men with skills leave the dump and look for a job elsewhere. Maybe this will make a young mother reconsider going back to school. Maybe it will just make the people of Chureca more dependent on non-profit workers. I don't know, but I will be there to see it happen.

19 March 2008

Celebraciones

It has been over a month since my last post on this blog. Much has happened and I apologize for not keeping you thoroughly informed. Even though Erin and I continue to go into Chureca 3x a week, we have not had the time to sit down and write about all our visits. The month of March has been consumed by spring break volunteers. In the past three weeks Manna has hosted groups from Vanderbilt, Wooster State, UT Austin, UNCW, UGA, among others.



All of our groups have had the opportunity to visit La Chureca. The week that Vanderbilt and UNCW were here happened to be the week in which Brad Corrigan (the former drummer for Dispatch) hosted his annual concert in La Chureca. Dia de Luz, as the concert day is called, brought hundreds of American students into La Chureca. The purpose of Dia de Luz (Day of Light) is to raise awareness of the situation in La Chureca, encourage Americans to spend a day interacting with the men and women who live in the dump, and bring together Americans and Nicaraguans for a free concert.



Another celebration that happened in La Chureca, though on a much smaller scale, was the official re-opening of our clinic. As you may already know, the clinic underwent a big renovation in February. To celebrate the new facility Sandra (the director of FunjoFudes) invited all of the clinic's financial supporters, the clinic's staff, community leaders, and Manna's Program Directors to a ribbon cutting ceremony. During the event representatives from the Nice Foundation, Austin Samaritan, Manna Project International and the Ministry of Health gave short speeches.

All of the community members I have talked to are really happy about the improvements that were made to the clinic. One of the greatest benefits I have seen as a result of the renovation is the boost in the staff's morale. It's no easy task to work inside a dump everyday so having a facility that accommodates for the staff's needs is invaluable. Dr. Lesley, Esmo, and Yami now feel a sense of ownership toward the clinic. Dr. Lesley has his private consult room, Esmo has her nurse's station, and Yami has her pharmacy. There is also a consult room for the psychologist that comes in every Tuesday and Saturday and in about a week we will have a newly built dentist room.

I hope you now have a better idea of all that has happened in the past month! Expect more regular blog postings in the coming weeks!

30 January 2008

Seeing is Believing

My first thoughts upon entering La Chureca; becoming comfortable in a place like this would be impossible, and everyone should have a shot at a better life. The inhabitants of La Chureca and other dumps around the developing world, stay in close proximity to the trash because in some cases it is their only economic and food sources. Every time I enter such a place I become less sensitive to what I see, though accepting the existence is hard. As a program director with Manna I was able to experience my first "milk day" last week. We systematically checked the kids weights, heights, and asked the mothers if there were any other concerns. The heights and weights are compared with prior appointments, to see if the kids are growing at an acceptable level. The mothers are informed of future doctor visits to the clinic and then they are on their way. Before the families leave, vitamins, oatmeal, and enriched milk are distributed to the children in our child sponsorship program. We may be skimming the surface of an ocean, but collectively with amazing people and organization such as the Manna Project International, a major difference is in order. It is the greatest pleasure of my life to see the progress first hand and to be part of the change.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."...Gandhi