ICS blog

Working in Nicaragua has varying levels of satisfaction; there are days when you smile at the visible difference you’ve made in a landscape, days when you rejoice because you can see the changes in a young generation towards women and there are days when you could weep at the lack of resources and amenities available to people. Then there are days when a simple tale is what takes your breath away, for me this was the tale of a revolutionary soldier – straight from the horse’s mouth;

One of the most important cultural features in Nicaragua seems to be the presence of religion. Coming from a not particularly religious culture, it is striking to see how much importance it has on everyday life here. Church is a place to see other people and to be seen, it is a centre of a community and inspiration for individuals in difficult times. 

It’s been a long first week of volunteering here in Nicaragua.  However, despite the hard work and the intensity of the midday sun, it’s certainly turned out to be a rewarding one too.  

It began with an early start on the Tuesday morning.  We travelled to a local primary school where we helped to plant trees in the school grounds, followed by a trip to a local river where we planted trees along the bank.  This was part of a reforestation project which aims to regain some of the woodland which has been lost over the years in the Mozonte area in northern Nicaragua.

IF you were to ask someone what their idea of development was, nine out of ten people would likely tell you it’s alleviating poverty, building schools and amenities for communities in need or improving people’s health and well-being. And they wouldn’t be wrong, well not completely. This week we started a different kind of development, correcting the machismo ideals of women being inferior to men - through music.

Picture above; Carol-Anne on Day 1 of the ‘Living Below the Line’ challenge.

Quick introduction to Live Below the Line. It is a global cause which challenges those who join to live on a daily budget of £1 per day for 5 consecutive days. On this budget, you must buy all your groceries for the whole week. The idea is that by living below the world poverty line (World Bank estimate is actually £0.81/$1.25), we forgo privilege, spare a thought and raise awareness for people that live in extreme poverty. 

Pictured above: UK volunteers, National volunteers, and men of the Katengeza community sit down and discuss their income from crops and how best to utilise their produce.

Monday July 15th:

We went to Santa Catarina Masahuat´s Townhall and were received by the Mayor, we explained our purpose in the municipality and he explained that in every community you will find an ADESCO (Communal Development Association) that alongside the Townhall work to execute projects in benefit of the population, he also mentioned that he welcomes constructive criticism and suggestions so that together we can improve the work.

Tuesday July 16th:

The history of El Salvador has gone through diverse periods that have marked its current economic, political and social state.  Before the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors to American Land, the territory was inhabited by different Amerindian people that had formed sophisticated social orders; with the conquest, syncretism and submission took a principal role until the then called San Salvador providence gain its independence from the Spanish Empire achieving its state stature in 1859.

One of the Progressio and partner organizations objectives is encouraging traditional indigenous culture, beliefs, and lifestyle. Although many local practices have merged with Spanish culture or were heavily influenced by neighbouring countries, some people managed to keep their heritage and even make it a source of income. This week we got an opportunity to visit a local artisans’ workshop and learn a traditional craft making technique which is used to create jewellery, kitchen utensils, boxes, and many other useful things almost entirely from pine needles. 

The word ‘sustainability’ seems to be in vogue at the moment.  Not just in the UK but all over the world.  It seems that people are realising that the rate at which we presently consume resources is unsustainable, and is causing lasting damage to the earth’s climate.