Ocotal Cabin Welcomes Guests, Growth For The Cooperative

The new cabin, to the side of El Ranchón.

In September 2014, hundreds of people from around the municipality of El Sauce–and some from even farther–gathered in El Ranchón, the "home base" for the Los Altos de Ocotal (LAOS), to celebrate the inauguration of a new cabin. With traditional food and coffee, speeches from local figures and members of the community, and traditional dance and music, the celebration was a bright sign of what the future holds for the cooperative. In addition to the mayor and other local officials, members of the local media, tourism promoters, and Canadian delegates were present.

Don Mauricio (right) is the patriarch of the Ocotal community.

The cabin's construction was funded by PIMCHAS, a Canadian project, and executed by El Sauce's municipal government in order to help the cooperative as they hope to reach new audiences and increase the flow of tourists to the destination. Likewise, LAOS has been working with UPOLI, ViaNica, and INTUR, the National Institute of Tourism, to develop a plan for the cooperative's development, including promoting Ocotal as a tourist destination. Marino Valdivia, leader of LAOS, commented, "Not only are we organized, but we are strong. We are being recognized all over the country."

Enlace Project began working with the mountain cooperative and their partners in the Manuel Lopez Coffee Cooperative and Fuente de Pino cooperative in 2006. The Entrepreneurial Development Program, which is now in charge of consulting and providing assistance to the cooperatives, is exited about the process the cooperatives have made. Since the inauguration, many local visitors have climbed the mountain to stay in the cabin; however, the cooperative hopes to attract international visitors as well.

Enrique, top right, of the Entrepreneurial Development Program, meets with
members of LAOS and INTUR.

In a meeting in mid-October, Enlace Project, UPOLI (Universidad Politécnica de Nicaragua), and LAOS met to discuss the future of the cooperative. Now, LAOS is working to develop the type of tourism that they want to see in their community; they are focusing on protecting the environment, something that is very important to them, ever since the cooperative was formed. They take pride in showing visitors the lifestyle in 'el campo' and showing them the natural beauty of the landscape–including one of the only pine forests in the department of León.

Plans for the future include converting an area of the community into a protected ecological zone. Look out for updates on the tourism cooperative's projects.

-Written by Sean Conner, Enlace Project Intern

Student Testimonial: Tamara Kurek

Tamara at a health post with the local doctor and nurse.

Tamara Kurek, a junior Biology at SUNY Geneseo, traveled to El Sauce in June of 2014 to participate in the school's Service Learning class, supported and run by Enlace Project. Here's what she had to say when reflecting on her experience:

I spent a month in El Sauce this past summer completing a Global Service Learning course through SUNY Geneseo. The bulk of my time was spent shadowing doctors and nurses at rural health posts, helping teach English classes at the Enlace Project English School, and traveling around different parts of Nicaragua. I learned about my future profession as a physician, a new culture, and about myself through the wonderful people I met.

Tamara (second on the left) watches the English students perform skits.

 At the health posts, I quickly became friends with the nurse and doctors who rotated through during the week. They were more than willing to teach me about their daily tasks and train me in a few of them so that I could help increase the number of patients they saw in a day. They were equally as open to just chat about their lives and what it was like to work in healthcare in Nicaragua. The tasks that I was assigned to were weighing patients, taking blood pressures, and writing out scripts for medications. These tasks, while simple, were endlessly exciting to me as a Biology major on the Pre-med track. Simply watching the doctors attend patients, too, was a great learning experience. 

Participating in the English classes was one of many activities that contributed to the overall experience of getting to know the people of El Sauce. During those afternoons, I was touched and endlessly impressed by the students’ persistence and positive attitudes in learning the English language. The young adults in Juan’s level one class advanced in skill each week I was there, and they took our criticisms gracefully when we worked with them on their pronunciation. On our weekend trips we got to see cities like León and Granada and learn about the country’s history. While we were in León we went to an art gallery that featured many Nicaraguan artists’ work, and that visit inspired me to choose Nicaraguan art in the 20th century as the focus for an art history paper that I am to write at Geneseo this semester.

Tamara (right) in Granada with the other Service Learning students.

I kept a journal all throughout the month I was in Nicaragua, and the last entry, written on the plane from Managua to Miami, was this:

“I’ll remember the people that I met on this trip forever, even once I forget the details of what I saw and did”. 

I know this is true, and I hope to keep in touch with the people I met there and with Enlace Project for years to come.

Benefit Dinners Help Enlace Project and its Partners to Support Rural Education

Enlace Project Geneseo students prepare by hanging a 'welcome' sign.

Enlace Project is extremely lucky to have partners in the U.S. that go above and beyond in their fundraising (and cooking) efforts. This September, both Avon for Nicaragua and Enlace Project Geneseo (EPG) worked to raise money for school constructions in the communities around El Sauce, Nicaragua. The school construction projects, part of Enlace Project's community development services, have occurred once per year in the past; however, with the expanded efforts of Enlace Project's partners, 2014 is the first year that two schools have been built.

Avon for Nicaragua displays information on the project.

Avon for Nicaragua's Spaghetti Dinner, held on September 26 at the local high school cafeteria, brought together members of the group and community to celebrate the value of education. Many volunteers had traveled to Nicaragua on a trip in February 2014 in order to see their funds in action; the group helped local construction workers and the Enlace Project team as they built the school up from the ground in Buena Vista. The group reflected fondly on the experience, gaining appreciation for education and Nicaraguan culture.

The group, with old and new members, plans to return in February 2015 for another construction, and possibly again for the second later that same year. In addition to the Spaghetti Dinner, Avon for Nicaragua hosted a raffle and has talked with the local rotary club about the school construction, all of which have proven effective for fundraising and increasing support of the construction project.

Enlace Project Geneseo has also grown in size and enthusiasm, as the club became officially recognized on the SUNY Geneseo campus this year. New members, many of whom participated in Enlace Project's study abroad trips during the summer of 2014, joined the club's founding members to host a traditional Nicaraguan dinner at the Interfaith Center on September 28with the help of Juan Mairena, Enlace Project's Academic and Volunteer Trip Coordinator. Geneseo Professor Glenn McClure was also essential in planning the menu for the evening.

EPG worked with other student organizations to make the dinner successful.

The Geneseo club decided to raise money for Enlace Project's school construction in San Cayetano, which is currently underway. EPG also sold baskets from Fuente de Pino, spreading the word about the women's cooperative and life in El Sauce. Last year, the club also helped to bring coffee from the Manuel López cooperative to campus, and are now looking to other projects for the upcoming year.

Between the two fundraisers, the groups raised over $1,500 towards the school constructions, which will help children in rural communities be able to attend schools without walking several miles to other communities' schools. The school construction program works with the El Sauce mayor's office and members of the communities to make the project as effective as possible.

Additionally, the schools are supplied with learning materials to motivate students. Click here to read the story of Las Minitas.

--Written by Sean Conner, Enlace Project Intern

Ella and Kirk Vanderbilt at the Avon for Nicaragua dinner.