Since Nicaragua...

With ANF (American Nicaraguan Foundation)
Since returning from Nicaragua in late January, I have continued to work part-time with ANF, assisting them to make a transition and continue the momentum that this project has begun. ANF recently hired Nicolas Arguello as the Coordinator of Sustainable Development Projects. He is stationed in the Managua office, and has already done some amazing work! I have been very impressed that they happened to hire someone who could very naturally step in, and take on a leadership role in this developing area for ANF. Nicolas is from Nicaragua, went to college in the United States, and now is returning to help his people through ANF. He is bi-lingual, and has already strengthened the relationship we began with the United Nations Development Program by identifying 9 villages destined to become Millennium Communites, and setting forth a plan of work with Project Director Neyda Pierera for the UN, ANF, and local government to achieve their goals by the year 2015.

In El Menco
El Menco's community continues to grow stronger. Their Committee for the Sustainable Development of El Menco meets every Friday, and sometimes ANF Staff attend and support these meetings. ANF has identified funding for houses for the sections of Santa Barbara, El Ceritto, and El Islote. They are currently pricing the cost for transporting supplies to El Islote by boat.
I have spoken to Warren, the Director of the Committee (who is only 19!) several times on the phone, and he remains in great spirits and is very excited about the changes!
Nicolas Arguello writes:
I’ve got some good news for you. Juan de Dios has been travelling a lot to El Menco and he’s been getting things done. A full-time doctor has been assigned to the clinic at El Menco, along with 2 full-time assistants (nurses?). They’re staying in the casa modelo, which is where you stayed, I believe. Roberto Jereze, Gerente de Programas, is going to visit El Menco next week to include it as a recipient for medicines. And the community members won’t have to pay for the transportation to pick up the medicines and medicinal equipment; the alcaldía agreed to pay for transportation costs.Juan de Dios is also trying to send them school supplies, on a continuous basis.
Thanks for all of your support – the fruit of your work in El Menco is very clear.

On Bringing it Home
Remember those folks from Rotary International whom I visited with in El Menco? With their assistance, I've managed to get our local Rotary Chapter involved here in Ashland. I've presented to them twice, and two weeks ago they approved some funding to assist 2 members and our Mayor, Ed Monroe to travel to Nicaragua and El Menco in December with the Rotarians that I met on their annual trip. We are now working on the goal of joining the Partners of the Americas and creating a partner city relationship between Ashland and El Menco. A member of the Appleton, WI and Chinandega partnership is visiting Ashland this Tuesday to present to the Rotary Club and to our City Council on what it means to be a partner city, and how it's been successful for them. In the near future, we're hoping for the endorsement of our council, and the formal proposal for the partner city to be accepted through the Wisconsin-Nicaragua Partners program. From that point, many projects and programs could take place. It is really up to the support of the community of Ashland.