Our First Week Together! And Hurricane Felix Update from Accion Medica Cristiana

Last week was my first week living in Nicaragua, and the first week that Christine and I have spent here together. The first few days, I was overwhelmed with all that we needed to get started on for the program and tried to balance that while still recovering from jet lag, and running around Managua with Antonio to buy necessary items for our house and other errands.

We had several meetings with Jennifer, the Coordinator of the Center, to discuss our plans, and outline what we need to be working on. I also had time to get caught up on what happened in the 2 weeks that Christine had been here. We have a lot to get done in terms of planning for the next few months and for the future of Friends of Batahola Volunteers, strategizing about fund raising, and coordinating with the Center.

The above photo is a picture from a meeting with two of the university scholarship students, Hazel and Ciro, where they were brainstorming ways that scholarship students can be more united as a group and collaborate together on different projects and activities of the Center (there were about 6 other scholarship students attending the meeting as well). Another one of their goals was to think of ways that scholarship students can continue to contribute to the Center after they have left and become professionals. All scholarship students at the Center currently also do social service hours, which may consist of working in the library, tutoring children from the local primary school, and other activities. This was one of the meetings that we attending during the week, and it was great for us to get to know some of the scholarship students a little better and hear about their experiences, and how the Center has positively impacted their lives. Later in the week, we also attended a meeting that was planning ways to raise awareness about environmental issues in Batahola. Some of the ideas included cleanup campaigns and educational programs at the local primary school. These meetings were helpful to learn about in greater depth what is going on at the Center and groups of students and others affiliated with it.

Despite feeling a bit disoriented my first week, it feels great to be here again. Christine and I are living in a house owned by the Center, and which is right next to it. We love sitting on our front porch and waving to our friends at the Center. Lots of young people our age have been stopping in to see us, to watch movies and play cards at night. It has been really nice to see people I met when I was here before, and to make new friends. Everyone has been very welcoming so far, and I look forward to forming strong relationships with people here, and learning a lot.

(the last photo is of our house, and the photo above is the view from our front porch of the Center, which is approximately 3 meters away).


Report from Casa Ben Linder: Accion Medica Cristiana
http://www.casabenlinder.org

Each week, Christine and I will be meeting with other international volunteers at Casa Ben Linder, which hosts a weekly talk with Nicaragua non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that work in such fields as: relief and development, sustainable development, trade justice, woman’s rights, environmental protection, HIV/AIDS, and other issues.

This week the speak was from Accion Medica Cristiana (AMC), one of the NGOs leading the effort on the Atlantic coast on relief after Hurricane Felix, which is one of the worst in recent history, hitting the coast as a level 5 hurricane on September 5th.

Some facts and statistics about the current situation in the hurricane-affected region:

- Lack of infrastructure: most people on the Atlantic coast get around by canoes, and less than 1% of households have land line telephones (compared to 12.6% nationally). The lack of existing infrastructure made communicating to communities about evacuation near impossible (and even more so because of how quickly the hurricane developed and hit), and poses serious problems to the relief effort.
- Migration: In the past 10 years, the population in the region has doubled, but the government continues to give the same amount of money for education and health care. Migration to the region is due in part to labor attracted by the mines. Before the storm, there was over 60% malnutrition in the mining regions (contradicting hypotheses that opening mines creates economic opportunities for local communities).
- Birthrate: while the national birthrate is close to 3 children per woman, on the Atlantic coast the average of children per woman is 5, and close to 7 in some regions.
- Maternal Mortality: while nationally the maternal mortality rate is 94 deaths per 1,000 women who give birth, on the Atlantic coast, the rate is 332 deaths.
- Deforestation: between 1983-2003, 23% of the forests disappeared in the region. More forests would have protected the region from the impact of the hurricane more, and would have prevented soil erosion.
- Unmapped communities: because many of the communities in the region were not identified before the relief effort, finding the effected communities was a challenge for aid organizations and the government.
- Food Insecurity: most of the current food aid is coming from the western part of the country, but recent flooding here has caused food insecurity on a national level.

It must also be noted that this region is among the poorest in Nicaragua, and a high percentage of the population is indigenous. One of the underlying causes of poverty in the region is the history of marginalization of the indigenous communities.

Response:
- Government: The government initially tried to centralize all aid coming to the country, but has since realized that that they cannot manage the aid alone. One criticism from AMC is that the government has not called a meeting of civil society and the NGOs despite the fact that NGOs handle over 24% of the aid. On the other side, the government has not posed any barriers to the work that NGOs are doing.
- AMC: the goals of AMC in the recovery period are:
o Safety of survivors
o Houses
o Food security: secure the next food production

HOW TO HELP!
For more information on AMC, and how you can help to support the relief effort, see: www.amc.org.ni

As I mentioned earlier, Nicaragua is about to enter a period of national food insecurity. It is not only the Hurricane-affected region that is in danger now, because of the flooding that has ruined the harvests in the western part of the country. Nicaragua, as the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, was already in a vulnerable position before, but the situation now is becoming much worse. Please help the efforts here if you can.


Saludos,
Laura

Oxfam International Youth Partnership

Safe and Sound in Batahola Norte!

Laura and I arrived safe and sound in Managua, Nicaragua on September 26th. We were met with many warm hugs from the Centerś staff and a beautiful basket full of fruit and bread in our new home. Here will will be staying for the next two years, collaborating with the Centro Cultural Batahola Norte. Ironically, Laura had to leave as soon as she got to Nicaragua. She is taking part in a conference about globalization and community development in Sydney, Australia! So far she has told me she is learning a lot and making plenty of contacts all over the world... I'm sure we will be hearing from her soon! But for now, that means that I have two weeks by myself to begin familiarizing myself with Batahola Norte, the Center and the Centerś staff, scholarship students etc. I am living literally ten steps away from the Center, renting a house that the Center owns. We will be quite comfortable there as we have a living room-kitchen, bathroom and each have our own bedrooms.

In my first week, most of my time and energy has gone into meeting people from the Center, and finding out about what they do. The Center is run primarily by women, who seem to have an endless source of energy. It is apparent how much they, and so many people in the community, love the Center. Most of the administrators are prior students, many of them having been at the Center more than 20 years. I have also started meeting with a group of women who are interested in exploring the possibility of organizing themselves into a sewing cooperative. Many of these women have participated in the craft class (known as manualidades at the Center), and know how to knit, embroider, make objects out of plantain leaves, and sew. I will be accompanying them in their efforts to organize themselves, define their goals, and come up with possible solutions to the challenges they face.

All in all, my first week in Batahola Norte has been very fruitful. I'm still working hard to get peopleś names down, and am getting back into the swing of speaking Spanish all day. There is no doubt much work to be done in investigating all the possibilities for a volunteer program, as well as working on organizing the English program. But for the next week or so, Iĺl be concentrating on orienting myself to the community and neighborhood - learning as much as i can. More updates to come later!

Much love,
Christine

Greetings from Mexico!

Laura and I arrived two weeks ago to sunny, and rainy (depending on the time of day) Guadalajara in order to take a certification class in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. It´s hard to believe, but we are already half way done with the course. We are in class from 9 - 3:15 everyday learning teaching and classroom management techniques, acquiring lesson planning skills and receiving instruction and advice on how to start setting up an English language program. After class everyday we practice teach at a neighboring English school. Everyday each trainee is assigned a different class... meaning new students, a new level and new objectives everyday. We make our own lesson plans and are observed by a trainer who then gives us tips on how to improve. I think its safe to say that we both are improving everyday and becoming more comfortable and confident in the classroom! The opportunity for us to be here will definitely serve us and the community of Batahola Norte as we begin making plans for their English program.

During the week, we don´t have too much time to see the city and explore because the course load is so heavy. But, weekends are generally our own to do with what we like! This weekend we visited a part of Guadalajara called Tlaquepaque, known for its artisans and mariachi bands (music typical to Mexico... its a group of musicians... guitarists, violinists, trumpet etc, and generally one singer). We had a fabulous time perusing the artwork and were lucky enough to catch a mariachi performance over a tall glass of ice tea. On Sunday I went rock climbing for the 1st time, with some new friends. Although I´m a bit terrified of heights and don't have much upper body strength, I gave it a go! I didn't get too high, but I did have a lot of fun and gave it my best shot (I have very sore arms to prove it).

Needless to say, our first weeks of this journey have been full and fruitful. We are sending much love to all of you - family and friends - and a big thank you to everyone who has and is making this possible. We are keeping you in our hearts, and in our prayers, too.

Much love,

Christine

CCBN Aids Hurricane Felix Survivors

Centro Cultural Batahola Norte Action Update

Centro Cultural Batahola Norte Announces Assistance to areas affected by Hurricane Felix Managua, Nicaragua - September 6, 2007 - With reports of Hurricane Felix's devasting impact to Nicaragua's Caribbean (east) coast, the Centro Cultural Batahola Norte is cooperating with local and international organizations providing financial and material aid to the region. See below for details on the extent of damage and how you can help with relief efforts. Report of the Damage The Northern Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) of Nicaragua is located 550km from the capital Managua. The fragile wood-slat houses of the mostly indigenous populations are dispersed among small peninsulas that extend out to the ocean, making access difficult. An estimated 200,000 Nicaraguans in the RAAN live in conditions of extreme poverty. The Nicaraguan Army Operations Center informed that 5,505 houses have been destroyed in the entire region of the RAAN. In some communities, up to 95% of houses and other buildings were damaged. Over 35,000 people are currently affected. Crucial staple crops (rice, beans, corn) have been completely flooded out. Help is urgently needed to feed, clothe and house the thousands of people affected. The Centro Cultural Batahola Norte is organizing in our local community to collect material aid for our compatriots in the RAAN. We also extend this invitation to you, our international supporters, to contribute to the relief and reconstruction efforts as you are able. How to Help Many trustworthy local organizations working in the hardest-hit areas are responding to the emergency and can use your financial support in any amount. Funds will be used to transport material aid from Managua to the Coast and also to purchase perishible food supplies locally in the affected communities. For tax-deductible emergency giving: NICARAGUA NETWORK has created a special on-line donation channel for Christian Medical Action; all support will go to CMA's relief efforts. Christian Medical Action is part of the Action by Churches Together (ACT) project and will be receiving funds through UMCOR and ACT through this Advance Project Hurricanes 2007. Visit www.nicanet.org. CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, a partner agency of Christian Medical Action. Visit www.churchworldservice.org. UNITED METHODIST CHURCH via the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Visit the UMCOR website at www.gbgm-umc.org/umcor, go to Current Emergencies and Select Hurricanes 2007(Hurricane Dean Recovery); UMCOR Advance #982511. CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES. Donate via phone: 1-877-HELP-CRS or online at www.crs.org. You can also write a check to: Catholic Relief Services P.O. Box 17090 Baltimore, Maryland 21203-7090 Memo portion of check: Hurricane Felix The Centro Cultural Batahola Norte is honored to collaborate with these sister organizations in relief efforts. We are inspired by our founder Sister Margarita Navarro, who worked tirelessly to mobilize assistance following the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Thank you in advance for your support.

About Centro Cultural Batahola Norte The Centro Cultural Batahola Norte is a community-based educational and cultural center, founded in 1983 to help the women and children of poor neighborhoods of Managua become self-sufficient. Our mission statement invites us "To live a more just and convivial style of life, according to the Gospels and with preference for the poor, through holistic education and culture which lead to the discovery of Human Rights, Self-Esteem and Equality."

Centro Cultural Batahola Norte Jennifer Marshall General Coordinator www.friendsofbatahola.org www.centrobatahola.org

Oxfam International Youth Partnership

We have some very exciting news! I have been selected as part of the Oxfam International Youth Partnership program, which brings together 300 young people from around the world working for positive change in the world. More information can be found at: http://www.iyp.oxfam.org/

Oxfam is one of the leading international aid organizations in the world, working in over 100 countries with more than 3,000 partners to address problems of poverty and injustice. Programs include: famine relief and emergency aid, HIV/AIDS programs, educational and health programs, human rights advocacy, fair trade, debt relief, arms trade, and anti-poverty campaigns, among other programs and campaigns. For more information on Oxfam, see the website at: http://www.oxfam.org/

From September 30-October 8, 2007, I will be attending the Oxfam International Youth Partnership conference in Sydney, Australia. I will be able to meet the other 299 Action Partners from around the world, who come from over 100 countries. It will be a great opportunity to meet new people with similar ambitions and learn about the work that they do. In the past, Action Partners have worked on sustainable agriculture projects in rural Mexico, HIV/AIDS prevention in Kenya, educational projects in Jordan, to name a few.

Christine and I are looking forward to lots of new ideas for the volunteer program, and great networking opportunities to aid our project. Please check back for updates from the conference soon!

~ Laura

Yard Sale Fundraiser a Success!

On August 11, 2007, I had a yard sale at my home to fund raise for Friends of Batahola Volunteers. Thanks to donations from friends, family, neighbors, and members of St. Andrew's Church in Yardley, we raised money which will go towards purchasing English textbooks in Nicaragua.

Thank you to everyone who donated to the yard sale, and to everyone who stopped by to support us!

Check out The Courier Time's article on our event at: http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-08122007-1391527.html