Ready, Set, Ometepe!

Last weekend, the PDs embarked for Ometepe Island, located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. Ometepe is home to two volcanoes, Maderas (extinct) and Concepcion (active). The purpose of our weekend retreat? To reflect, refocus, and conquer Volcán Maderas!

The month of March ushered in spring breakers from 6 differed colleges and the start of Semana Santa, Holy Week. PDs were scattered among the different groups and later among different countries (USA, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama) as we took our Holy Week holiday along with the rest of Central America. After reuniting in April, we were ready for a weekend away to reconnect and reflect upon our last few weeks. We ferried from Rivas to Ometepe and took the bumpy road to Finca Magdalena, a pretty hippy hostal located at the base of Volcán Maderas.


After checking in and chilling out, enjoying the beautiful sunset views and local flora and fauna, we gathered to recapitulate the events of March. We discussed things we learned from our weeks with spring breakers and how we can use that to shape our summer volunteer sessions. We gathered ideas on summer volunteering opportunities and are getting so excited for the new groups we’ll be hosting in May and June. Amira also encouraged us to think about our goals for the rest of the year. With only a few weeks left of April, Summer Sessions, and then July’s arrival of new PDs, the rest of our year will be over in a flash!

Saturday morning, with a 6:00 am wake up call, we conquered Maderas. Below are some photos of the weekend.

Traffic jam on the way to Finca Magdalena

Emergency plan

Kickin' up dust with the volcano smoking in the back

Kelly helps Ian clean up at the top of Volcán Maderas

Eerie view from the top

View of active Volcán Concepcion from Volcán Maderas

Thanks to PD Ian for all the photos!

Best,

Jan Margaret

Transforming Chureca

Managua's municipal dump, La Chureca, has sat on the shore of Lake Managua since 1973. Each of those 37 years has seen the refuse pile and conditions worsen... until now.


In August 2007 María Teresa Fernández, the Vice President of Spain, was so moved by a visit to Chureca that she committed US$45 million to transform, in her words, "garbage to human dignity." After an extended legal battle with Chureca's owners over purchasing the property, we are finally seeing action.


The Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) has partnered with Managua's mayorship to enact a sweeping plan to transform Chureca. The plan will cover the trash, creating a landfill. More impressively, though, a recycling plant will be built, which will employ 2,000 workers living in Chureca. New homes will be built, a bit farther from the landfill, and families will be moved out of the slums adjacent to the trash.


For more information about the AECI program, read The "New" Chureca.

Dirt movers are now a common sight, pushing mounds of dirt over the trash

Project workers (in construction vests) rest as tractors clear a space for new homes (background)

Temporary houses have been built for families living too close to construction

Chureca from a nearby vantage point

Transportation

Hi everyone!

Here's the first in my efforts to capture aspects of living/working in Managua with MPI NICA:

Transportation from Jan Margaret Rogers on Vimeo.

Enjoy,

Jan Margaret

Program Director, 2009-2010

A New Video for MPI Nicaragua

Dying for a closer look at what we do? Check out our new video highlighting Manna Project Nicaragua!



Manna Project International from Ashley Zeiger on Vimeo.

Apply to be a Summer Volunteer!

The MPI Summer Program gives volunteers experience working with a non-profit and serving an underprivileged population. The program integrates the volunteers into the daily functions of MPI Program Directors as they assist in daily programs, planning classes, and instructing lessons. Volunteers will get a snapshot of MPI´s longterm goals in action, seeing how their trip contributes to the greater pictures of community development.

There is ample opportunity for volunteers to interact with the local community through established programs and on their own initiative. Volunteers are encouraged to put their education and passions to use by making suggestions or recognizing new areas in which MPI could better serve the community.

Summer Volunteers are to be college-aged and ready to utilize their energy, enthusiasm, and intelligence to contribute to the on-going development in the local community. Weekdays are full of possible projects, and the volunteers will be as busy as they choose to be. Weekends are often open for travel around the beautiful country in search of diverse cultural and tourist locations.

If you have any questions, please send us an email at summer@mannaproject.org.

Applications are available at www.mannproject.org/short-term

Returning to La Chureca

The Child Sponsorship team hit the ground running upon our return to La Chureca in early January 2010. An increase in sponsors and the graduation of several saludable (healthy!) children allowed us to add four new children to our program. As more sponsors and positions become available, we are seeking to enter even more children in February, especially younger children and siblings of current program participants. Currently, we offer each participant a monthly supply of oatmeal, milk, and vitamins, and our goal is to alleviate undernourishment in La Chureca.

Coming back, I immediately noticed the striking progress being made on the Spanish MegaProject to transform La Chureca. When the Spanish Vice President María Teresa Fernández de la Vega stopped to view La Chureca on her tour of Central/South America, she was greatly impacted by the horror of people living and working in trash heaps. Her personal commitment for change encouraged the government of Spain to commit 30 million Euros (the equivalent of 45 million USD) to bring dignity to the people of La Chureca. The Spanish government has had a noticeable presence in Chureca and has held many meetings with community members and NGOs to discuss how to create a holistic solution to the problems faced by those dwelling in La Chureca. According to a 2008 article by William Grigsby Vergara, the solution involves closing down the dump, creating an alternative recycling system, and providing housing alternatives for the residents of Chureca. I have personally witnessed how Chureca is “closing down” - the once heaped trash has been transformed into a flatter plain, dirt roads have been created on the neighborhood/trash divide, and signs declaring the Spanish equivalent of “Authorized Personnel Only” are posted next to entrances to the trash. This has not kept any of the Churequeros from continuing their work in the trash, but it has provided a visual to confirm that action is indeed underway.

Read more about The "New" Chureca: From Grace to Human Dignity.

Apply to Be a Summer Vol or Program Director!

Passionate about serving underprivileged international communities? Love the Spanish language and want to improve your grasp of it? Interested in children's education, teaching English, business development, nutrition, and/or sports & exercise? Want to take the lead in running, and even creating, service and development initiatives? Come serve abroad with Manna in Nicaragua, Ecuador, and possibly help start a new site in Guatemala!

College senior looking for something different before graduate school or the workforce? Apply for a 13-month Program Director position!

Still in school and looking for an enlightening and fulfilling summer opportunity? MPI Nicaragua and Ecuador take one- and two-month summer volunteers to assist with programs and to learn our communities and countries of focus.

Visit www.mannaproject.org and APPLY NOW!