I was very impressed with my classmates’ final presentations.  I thought everyone presented thoughtful, well-developed projects that covered a wide variety of topics and areas of interest. I loved learning about Zika, maternal health, microloans, malnutrition, and the political history of the country to name a few.

In particular, I was interested by Michaela, Louise and Clement’s project on Bridges to Community’s chicken project.   Looking at the chicken project was very relevant, especially for those going on the trip.  I think chickens are a great investment for the Nicaraguan people as they are both a nutritional and economic resource.  In regards to the chicken feed it seems  logical to make homemade feed because two of the essential ingredients are already grown in Nicaragua (beans and corn) and the process is less expensive than buying ready-made feed.   I also thought the emphasis on developing sustainable farming methods was incredibly important.  Being that the economy is largely agriculture based, sustainability is very important.  This group went beyond  just researching the topic by creating an information sheet, which I especially loved.  The information sheet took into account illiteracy by providing pictures, which made it accessible to anyone.  All in all, I thought this project was well thought out and provided good insights into the chicken project.

I also found David, Asha, and Marcus’ presentation on nutrition in Nicaragua very compelling.  What stood out to me about their project was their informative, well-laid out plan for how to make sweet potatoes a more common crop in Nicaragua. Their research seemed the most feasible to implement, and their project seemed to have the most promise in terms of positive returns.  Nutritionally, the sweet potato is a good source of vitamins, fiber, healthy fats and carbohydrates.  The introduction of this crop would help vary the diet of the Nicaraguans, and therefore, would improve health and nutrition.  It also is very easy to plant and maintain because it grows underground and does not require the use of pesticides.  Introducing sweet potatoes will start the conversation about the importance of diet and will help educate the people about nutrition.  This group has an exciting plan and one that could really take off!

Overall, my classmates all presented great information that allowed me to learn even more about Nicaragua and its people.  I really enjoyed learning about the variety of topics and appreciated my classmates’ passion and dedication to their research.