Throughout my LACS 20 course I learned that in order to solve a large-scale problems like poverty in a country like Nicaragua, one does not need to wait for the government to take action with large-scale projects. In fact, there are many grassroots organizations and NGOs like Compas de Nicaragua and Bridges to Community that are making a difference in the local communities of Nicaragua.

Before taking this class I did not know about Bridges to Community and all the help that they provide in Nicaragua. I usually thought that helping someone meant handing them money or giving them basic necessities to live; however, I learned that these are only short-term solutions that will be gone in a couple of months. Bridges to Community recognizes the importance of long-term service and although the CCESP trips are only 10 days, they provide the community which they serve with a lasting effect. The volunteer team builds sustainable homes for Nicaraguans, provides and trains staff to work in education or medicine, and also provides medical attention when they are over there. During one of our Skype interviews with Paula Mulhair, the Nicaragua Program Director for Bridges to Community, I learned that this program works within a given community for 5 years. I learned from Paula that Bridges has to learn about the community, assess their needs and see if the work that Bridges provides would be a good fit. Also, the program volunteers collect a small contribution from families in the community and then use the money to set up a small banking/loan system for them. Thus, when Bridges finishes their project in that area, the community will have something to fall back on in case anything goes wrong. This is part of their effort to make the community development sustainable and not reliant on the presence of Bridges.

Another organization that we learned about in LACS 20 is Compas de Nicaragua. Compas de Nicaragua is a non-profit organization that works locally with poor rural communities in Nicaragua in development through the help of service volunteers. One of the projects that Compas is involved with is called Women in Action (WIA). We actually had the
Executive Director Michael Boudreau and Project Coordinator Ana Narvaez visit our class to talk about their work. During their visit I learned that the Women in Action Program works with women in a very poor community called La Primavera in Managua. They talked about the different ways that they help women improve their lives including the micro-lending program. I found this program to be so interesting because it provides women with the support they need to make a living for their family. While I know that women are capable of being independent, in a country like Nicaragua where the machista culture is very prominent, it can often be hard for women to improve their lives. This micro-lending program helps women start the process by loaning them money so that they can build up their business, whether it is making jewelry and selling it or selling food.

Beisdes learning what the program does, the class also got a chance to talk with Los Hijos de Maìz, many of which have moms who benefit from the Women in Action Program. We had a discussion in which I learned that many of the students in Los Hijos de Maìz would not want to live in the United States. I thought it was really powerful when they told us that while the U.S. has a lot materialistically, Nicaragua has much more emotionally and culturally. Ana told us that Nicaraguans are overall very lively and happy people who are content with what they have because they learn to appreciate it. Hearing Ana and Los Hijos de Maìz speak reminded me that I need to remain humble. Humility is a trait that is often taught in my culture but it can be easily forgotten in the American culture. After the discussion I retold myself that I should never take anything for granted. I should appreciate everything that I have and not worry about what I don’t have or own. During our discussion Ana also told us the story of a boy who had very little to eat. He had caught a fish for dinner from a polluted lake which meant that the fish was dangerous to eat but he was really excited that he and his family were going to have a bigger dinner than usual. He had such a big heart because even though the fish was barely enough for him, he still asked Ana to have dinner with him. I thought that this story was very powerful and representative of the kind spirit that I think all Nicaraguans possess. This discussion was truly an eye-opening experience where I learned about how important it is to be unselfish, share what you have and just be thankful.