May 27, 2008
The first week in Nicaragua has included a lot of introductions, orientations to new places, meals of rice and beans, and quick references to the Spanish dictionary for translations. I have loved getting to know my host family through meals, back yard soccer games, and walks around Sabana Grande. Gladyis (age 24) is Maria Antonio’s daughter, Marvin (age 7) and Cherling (age 3) are both Gladyis’ children, and Masiel (age 9) is María Antonio’s niece, all living comfortably in a two bedroom house. My host family lives in an area called, “The Projects” which is 3 streets of 24 similar looking houses built of adobe with a red roof. Each house is surrounded by a flimsy barbed wire fence and a flourishing garden. Between the houses is a dirt road where the children in the neighbor are always playing. The softball I brought for my host family has been such a hit with all of the kids! I´m waiting until later in the summer to bring out the soccer ball for even more fun. 
The average income for the families in this area is less than $2 per day, which is considered extreme poverty for world standards. However, the living conditions of this community are much different than I was expecting. The focus is not on what they do not have, by means of material possessions, but rather on the strong relationships that they have with everyone within the community. Every night there is a crowd of friends and family from the neighborhood that come to María´s house after dinner to watch their favorite show, Madre Luna. While the language barrier is still frustrating at times, I am slowly beginning to pick up more and more of the conversations being had among everyone. I wish I could just turn the Spanish language switch “ON,” but that will take time.
I will try to give a better idea of where I will be working this summer and what projects I will be envolved with. The adobe building right off of the bus stop is El Centro Solar, the building I had heard so much about while we were writing the business plan. It was built on 3½ acres of land This is the production center for all of the solar products of Las Mujeres Solares. The construction of the building was completed earlier this year, after two years of las Mujeres Solares hand making the 5,000 adobe bricks with over 8,000 cumulative work hours. These work hours were recorded in a manner similar to a bank checking account. They are used as an alternative currency at “The Green Store” to purchase donations left by volunteers. This system was developed by a previous volunteer and allows the women to gain a sense of El Centro is the pride of the village, and with good reason. After creating el Centro, las Mujeres Solares participated in a strategic vision for ideas and goals of how to develop the rest of the land. Some thoughts include, a solar restaurant to sell food made in the solar cookers and dried fruit and coffee from the dehydrators, also giving the area more of a community center feel and including a swimming pool and basketball courts (the later of which is more feasible), and a volunteer house that will be used to promote Ecotourism project for future volunteers. All of these are ambitious ideas that support the small business development of las Mujeres Solares. Part of my responsibility while being here includes the collaborative development of a five year business plan for SWT for an upcoming award from the United Nations. Las Mujeres Solares and PFAE of UNI in Managua are among 14 other organizations competing for a $25,000 business training package for their research of innovative projects of renewable energy. A rough draft of this plan is required June 9, and much of my time until then will be spent understanding the vision of Las Mujeres Solares and translating that into a business plan. Hopefully we will be able to incorporate some of the ideas from the business plan written by Salud del Sol from the UD Business Plan Competition!
I´m leaving the Internet and headed back to Sabana Grande for another full dinner from Maria. I keep trying to explain that even though the food is delicious, I cannot finish the enormous portions of rice, beans, plantains and tortillas. This message keeps getting lost in translation because every meal consists of heaping portions! But if this is my only complaint thus far, it sounds like this will be a fantastic experience.
- Anna
Comments
One Response to “Anna’s End of Week 1”
Got something to say?
Subscribe to Salud del Sol- MIT Global Challenge Award Winners May 4, 2011 Bill
- MIT Global Challenge Awards Replay May 3, 2011 Bill
- 2011 IDEAS Competition & MIT Global Challenge Awards Celebration April 29, 2011 Bill
Anne, thanks for the great reports on your life and work. I look forward to hearing more