UK - Nicaragua solidarity - Fairtrade gets fairer: women's unpaid work recognised - Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign
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Issue 4 Spring 2015
Renewable
energy
Nicaragua’s example
Fairtrade
gets fairer:
women’s
unpaid work
recognised
Nicaraguan
waste and
the London
Fashion show
UK – Nicaragua First ever UK
– Nicaragua
solidarity hospital
twinning
Contents
3 Nicaraguan rubbish makes An end
to US
it to the London Fashion
Show Liz Light finds out how
this contributes to empowering
Nicaraguan women.
meddling
4 Nicaragua’s record on
conversion to renewables
is exemplary So what are the
country’s demands leading up to the
UN Climate Change Summit?
5 Solar-powered irrigation for
an ‘off grid’ community John
T
Perry reports on a British Embassy he first months of 2015 saw two of 77 (G77) and China rejected the US
financed project. contradictory actions by the US action as a violation of international law.
government: on the one hand there Their declaration went on to underline the
6 How is it possible to quantify
the unpaid work of women
and recognise it in the pricing
was the long overdue opening up of
diplomatic relations with Cuba, a welcome
recognition of the dismal failure of 56 years
positive contribution Venezuela has made
to strengthening South-South Cooperation;
to express solidarity with the government of
of products? Felicity Butler of attempts to destroy the Cuban revolution. Venezuela; to urge the international commu-
explains. On the other hand, US aggression nity to eliminate the use of “unilateral coer-
against Venezuela has escalated dramatically. cive measures against any state” and to call
8 Wales NSC talks to Florence
Jaugey (Camila Films) about
the challenges of film making in
On 9 March President Obama declared that
the ‘policies and actions of the Government
of Venezuela, constitute an unusual and
upon the US to repeal the Executive Order.
The following day, the 33 member coun-
tries of the Community of Latin American
Nicaragua and their latest film La extraordinary threat to the national security and Caribbean States (CELAC) also unani-
Pantalla Desnuda (The Naked Screen) and foreign policy of the United States and mously expressed their rejection of the US
[I] hereby declare a national emergency to measures. Their declaration went on to call
9 UK – Nicaragua
solidarity News from Wales,
Bristol, Oxford, Sheffield, London
deal with that threat.’
For older Nicaraguans this declaration
evoked painful memories of an almost
for the Executive Order to be withdrawn
and for the US to dialogue with Venezuela,
guided by the “principles of respect”.
identically worded declaration by Presi- In the UK, as a result of the excellent work
12 First ever UK – Nicaragua
hospital twinning promoting
mutual solidarity
dent Reagan on 1 May, 1985 when the US
administration imposed a trade embargo on
Nicaragua as part of their determination to
of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, 114
politicians signed a statement condemning US
intervention and urging support for regional
strangle the Sandinista Revolution. initiatives for peace and dialogue in Venezuela.
However, 30 years on, the balance of It is time for the US to recognise that
power across the Americas, as well as global- Latin America is no longer its ‘backyard’ but
ly, has shifted dramatically. Condemnation an integrated region asserting its right to
of Obama’s action by all countries across determine its own future. Destabilisation
the region was swift and unanimous. As on the part of the US is counterproductive,
Nicaragua’s representative to the UN, Maria and constitutes a threat not just to Vene-
Rubiales, pointed out: “ we cannot permit zuela, or any other single nation, but to the
attacks against a sister republic, wherever whole region. It’s time for US destabilisation
they are from … because today it’s Venezue- in its many forms – economic blockades,
la, and tomorrow it could be anywhere else, assassination attempts, sanctions, political
as history has demonstrated.” interference – to be consigned to the deep-
In New York on 25 March, the Group est recess of the dustbin of history.
Published by Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign,
86 Durham Rd, London N7 7DT
www.nicaraguasc.org.uk 020 7561 4836 The Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign (NSC) and facilitating mutual solidarity between UK and
NSCAG work with Nicaraguan organisations Nicaraguan trade unions organising events to
Editorial and contributors: Felicity Butler, and social movements fighting for social and raise funds and awareness about Nicaragua and
Jeremy Dear, Gill Holmes, Liz Light, John Perry,
economic justice by promoting and seeking our partners’ work publishing news, briefings,
Amy Porter, Georgina Rennard, John Wallace,
support for their activities. We carry this articles and online updates providing support
Wales NSC, Helen Yuill
out through speaker tours of the UK by for Wales NSC and 12 towns and communities in
Cover photos: representatives of our partner organisations the UK with twinning links in Nicaragua
Women from the Juan Francisco Paz Silva
Cooperative in Achuapa. Credit: Felicity Butler
Norma Gadea, Fairtrade coffee farmer and
Get in NSC www.nicaraguasc.org.uk
Nicaragua-Solidarity
NSCAG www.nscag.org
NSCAG_UK
member of the UCA SOPPEXCCA, dehusking
coffee beans
touch, Wales NSC www.walesnicaragua.wordpress.com
Design: Tom Lynton get Twin towns and other groups with projects in Nicaragua
www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/solidarity/twin-towns
The articles in this magazine should be taken involved Briefings on the Nicaraguan interoceanic canal:
www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/resources
as having been written in a personal capacity
unless otherwise stated. Weekly bulletins of news from Nicaragua: www.nicanet.org
2 NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015
A load of rubbish:
creating beauty
out of waste
The Earth Education Project EEP workshop in Managua making
jewellery from recycled rubbish
(EEP), with its Chureca Chic line
of recycled jewellery, is lifting
women out of poverty and
enabling them to find jobs. NSC
representative in Nicaragua,
Liz Light, explains how.
V
irginia Castaño Díaz spent seven
years living on “La Chureca”,
Nicaragua’s biggest rubbish dump
where, along with 900 families,
she used to eke out a living by recycling
the city’s waste materials. She moved
there with her four children after fleeing
a violent partner. Virginia still makes a
living from recycling but her situation is
now very different. She has her own home
and is employed at the Earth Education
Project (EEP). In a small house, roughly 2km
from the old dump, Virginia and 19 other
women are making beautiful objects from
recycled waste. Chureca Chic is the EEP’s
Yorch Sans
line of fashion jewellery which is providing
them with an opportunity to leave poverty
behind.
EEP’s founder and director, Andrea
Paltzer, ran a pilot project at the dump jewellery exhibited at London Fashion how it empowers women, whereas an NGO
in 2009 which has now expanded to week in 2013 and 2014, and online sales might begin with the message of empower-
accommodate 20 women a year. are already funding 25% of programme ing women and go on to say and we recycle
“Our 12-month programme gives costs. Now Andrea aims to expand the to make jewellery. So it’s kind of vice versa.”
women in disadvantaged communities the programme’s reach to communities outside With Chureca Chic, EEP has found
opportunity to be educated, employed, of Managua, to offer double the number of a unique way of empowering women in
and empowered. We know that through places, as well as offering more permanent Nicaragua and raising awareness in the UK.
access to income and skills development jobs in Chureca Chic. Today, Virginia speaks proudly of her work:
women can break poverty cycles - not only She states: “EEP wants to teach the “EEP has helped me economically and with
for themselves, but for their families and women how to manage their own business- my self esteem. The workshops have been
communities,” says Paltzer. es, creating designs under the EEP umbrella, really helpful especially for women like me
The women are trained in paper recy- and connect them to local and international who have been physically and psychological-
cling and artisan skills, and at the same time markets”. ly mistreated by partners. I now know about
take part in an education programme where Producing high end jewellery has allowed my rights and what laws protect me, we are
they learn to read and write, as well as basic EEP to communicate about development in learning much more here than just the recy-
computing and social development skills. a different way and reach new customers: cling skills we are being taught. Now I feel
This helps them to acquire the necessary “Three months after launching the Chure- different, I feel very content; I’m a women
vocational and social skills to find gainful ca Chic Facebook page, we got more likes entrepreneur, a fighter.”
employment. EEP has also made alliances than EEP did in 3 years! The whole point of
with local companies who have agreed to Chureca Chic is to show people the social www.eartheducationproject.org
employ some of the women upon comple- development work we do by reaching them The Earth Education Project
tion of the programme. through the artistic side. We start with a Chureca Chic
Launched in 2013, Chureca Chic piece of jewellery that you can trace back to www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YqHOmIwluw
NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015 3
Combating climate
change: the renewable
energy revolution
In the Autumn 2014 issue in the pipeline. Along with Tumarin, these equipped with its own solar plant.
of NN we reported on how will have a collective capacity to generate In 2007 only 40% of the population had
563MW. Together with other carbon neu- access to electricity. According to the Minis-
climate change is already tral sources, Nicaragua could be generating ter of Energy and Mines, this figure will rise
affecting Nicaragua. clean energy well in excess of the 639MW to 90% access by 2016.
of national energy demands. This will The Ministry is also working to eradicate
Liz Light, NSC’s enable the country to increase exports of another source of carbon emissions – the use
representative in Nicaragua, electricity to its neighbours through the of firewood for cooking. Policy makers hope
describes Nicaragua’s regional initiative the Central American to reduce its use by 60% by promoting solar
Electrical Interconnection System (SIEPAC). ovens, biogas stoves and similar sustainable
contribution to mitigating Surprisingly, solar power does not yet options.
climate change and hopes feature in government figures as there is According to the Germanwatch 2014
only one small solar energy project connect- Global Climate Risk Index, Nicaragua ranks
for the UN Climate Summit. ed to the national grid. However, Minister fourth on a global index of countries suffer-
of Energy and Mines Salvador Mansell ing the most as a consequence of extreme
announced in March that feasibility studies weather. So what does the country hope will
have been commissioned for a 100MW solar come out of the UN Paris Summit?
park in Chinandega. Plans also exist for the Nicaragua supports the position pre-
installation of 1,500 solar panels on the sented by the countries of the G77, China,
Caribbean coast. and Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of our
Sun, wind, water Outside the state sector, small-scale America (ALBA). This states that the Paris
and steam solar projects are prolific. About one in five declaration must contain all elements: miti-
T
Nicaraguans are still “off grid”. Many rural gation, adaptation, compensation for losses
he Paris Summit or United Nations communities therefore turn to photovoltaics and damages, financing, technology transfer
Framework Convention on Climate to provide lighting for homes and schools, as and capacity building. The declaration must
Change will be held from 30 well as powering water pumps for drinking also recognise historical responsibilities and
November until 11 December this water and irrigation. (See opposite page). contain legally binding commitments by
year. Of the 196 countries set to attend, Private enterprise too is taking advantage developed countries to provide developing
Nicaragua is arguably among the forerunners of Nicaragua’s solar potential. For example, countries with financing, technology trans-
in implementing clean energy projects. the Astro Free Trade Zone in Tipitapa will be fer and capacity building.
In 2005 the government introduced
legislation that recognises the development
UN/Mark Garten
and exploitation of renewable resources
as being in the national interest. The law
also offers tax incentives for carbon neutral
projects. Ten years on, seventeen renewable
energy projects generate around half of
Nicaragua’s power capacity, double that of
2007. The government plans to expand this
to 86% by 2020.
Nicaragua’s clean energy generation is
well balanced: five windfarms (21% of total
renewable supply); three geothermal power
plants (12%); four sugarcane biofuel plants
(10%); and five hydroelectric plants (5%).
The record generation was on 2 November
2014 when 82% of national energy demands
were from clean energy, the National Energy
Dispatch Centre (CNDC) figures reveal.
However, to stabilise this percentage
and reach the 2020 target the challenge for
the government is to guarantee that all the
hydroelectric projects planned become a
reality, especially the delayed Tumarin mega
Camilo Ortega Saavedra wind
project with a projected capacity of 253MW. farm and power plant, Rivas
At least six more hydroelectric plants are
4 NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015
John Perry
Installing solar panels in the
community of Cuadrante 81
Solar-powered irrigation Although only about 20km from Nicaragua’s the Leicester Masaya Link Group and the
system starts to pump water international airport, the area lacks trans- British Embassy has enabled the community
J
port connections even to the nearest town. to make proper use of a well which used to
ohn Perry lives and works in Into this featureless, windy zone, families serve the long-gone irrigation system for the
Nicaragua including doing voluntary from northern Nicaragua were relocated sugar plantation.
work with the Association for when the US-sponsored contra war ended The well has a narrow bore which only
Community Integration and in 1990. All were families of demobilised allows a small bucket of water to be drawn
Development (ADIC) in Masaya and the contra soldiers who were each allocated – enough for drinking and a shower – but
Leicester Masaya Link Group. He reports on 3.5 hectares of land on a former sugar inadequate for irrigating crops without a
a British Embassy financed project that will plantation confiscated by the Sandinista pumping system. A pair of solar panels was
provide a 24-hour water supply for domestic government in the 1980s. Among these is a installed to drive a pump inserted into the
use and for irrigating crops in a community community of some 20 families in an area well. This feeds a large header tank that not
not connected to the national grid. known as Cuadrante 81. only gives the community a 24-hour water
Nicaragua’s official figures on renewable The partnership between ADIC Masaya, supply but will also enable ADIC to install
energy almost certainly underestimate the an irrigation scheme for six of the fami-
part played by solar PV. This is because many lies. They have already planted trees which
small projects exist, often in remote areas, should be producing fruit within two to
which aren’t registered with government Nicaragua’s policy three years.
agencies. One of these, Proyecto Sol, is run The whole project should transform the
by ADIC in Masaya with support from the is to transform lives of this very isolated, poor community.
Leicester Masaya Link Group. Proyecto Sol Some of the houses already have solar-pow-
was initiated in 2005 and helps farming energy supplies to ered electricity systems through ‘Proyecto
families by installing basic solar panel kits to Sol’, but a constant water supply will help
generate electricity. In the past seven years renewables, to all twenty families and should enable them
this project has brought solar electricity to produce more crops and augment their
to well over 200 rural homes in the areas prioritise efficiency, incomes.
around Masaya and in the zone between the What happens next depends very much
Lakes Managua and Nicaragua. For these and to achieve on the ability of this community to work
families cooking on a wood fire in the dark together and make the most of the new
in a kitchen filled with choking fumes from a universal access resource with the support of ADIC.
kerosene lamp is a thing of the past.
At the beginning of 2015, a British to energy. This article first appeared on the following
Embassy financed project called Agrosolar website on 8 March, 2015
extended the benefits of solar energy to an Vice President Moises Halleslevens, http://twoworlds.me/latin-america/
almost forgotten area called El Timal situ- UN Climate Summit, New York, solar-powered-irrigation-system-starts
ated between Nicaragua’s two large lakes. September 2014 -to-pump-water/
NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015 5
Pushing the agenda:
valuing the unpaid
work of women
In Nicaragua Now, Issue 1, Autumn 2013, PhD student For centuries
Felicity Butler from Royal Holloway, University of London
we have been
reported on a new initiative that looked at practical ways of
valuing the invisible, unpaid work of women in coffee and sesame marginalised in the
production in Nicaragua. Two years on, what has changed? coffee and other rural
industries. Paying a
T
his initiative, the first of its US$30,000 (£19,000). Since 2010 the num-
kind, started in 2006 after initial ber of women involved in the scheme has premium for unpaid
research on women’s unpaid risen from seven to ten groups: 98 women
work and involves Nicaraguan in total. Women members of the coopera- labour humanises the
cooperatives, the Body Shop, the ethical tive take decisions about how these funds
trading and investment company ETICO, should be used. Vocational training in eight work of those women
and UK academics. Within fair trade, paying communities has benefited not only co-op
a fair price and a ‘fair wage’ is equated members but also women who are marginal- who are involved in
with empowerment. Yet there is no agreed ised in the communities. Some funding has
definition or price calculation of what also been used to develop small businesses the entire coffee chain,
this actually means. Neither is there a fair selling dairy products, handicrafts, natural
trade standard that defines the true cost of medicines and to build eco-efficient ovens whether they be a
sustainable production in relation to gender to bake goods for sale locally. As well as this
or unpaid work. plethora of small businesses, the number of producer, a producer’s
The contribution of unemployed and women members and their participation in
underemployed women takes various forms: the CJFPS has increased. wife, a partner or
assistance in agricultural production and The preliminary results of the research
family businesses; labour that contributes to carried out by Felicity Butler with the coop- daughter or any other
a family’s income such as making meals and erative and The Body Shop show that the
washing clothes; and labour that contrib- initiative has the potential to shift resources, worker.
utes to household and community stability, ideas and choices within families, house-
including cooking and looking after children holds and cooperatives. This can lead to an Fatima Ismael,
and elderly relatives. A pilot study of time increased sense of well-being and in some UCA SOPPEXCCA
use carried out by Catherine Hoskyns, a
gender advisor with ETICO and the Juan Women members of the CJFPS
Francisco Paz Silva cooperative (CJFPS), Cooperative, Achuapa
found that unpaid women’s labour contrib-
utes 22% of total labour inputs in sesame
production.
What difference does the
premium make?
The CJFPS in Achuapa, northern Nicaragua,
was set up in 1990 and has 275 members.
Since the mid-1990s the Body Shop has
been importing on average 70 tons of Fair
Trade and Community sesame seed and oil
annually from the Cooperative which is used
in manufacturing of skin creams. The pricing
model that incorporates traditionally unpaid
work by women started in 2008 and means
Felicity Butler
that the Body Shop is paying a premium of
US$5 per 100lb sack.
To date this has generated addition-
al income for the cooperative of about
6 NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015
instances a shifting of power within these
households. Recognising, reducing and
redistributing unpaid labour within families
can happen once it is named and made visi-
ble, but further research is needed. Some of
the women have spoken of positive changes
in how they see themselves, which demon-
strates the potential impact of the initiative
on the imaginative capacity of the women
and men. Pilar, a member of the CJFPS
cooperative, explains: ‘To have our own
funds and to be able to spend the income on
what we want, to be able to say for example,
“I am going to buy something for myself” is
a big change. Now we no longer depend on
our husbands or have to ask him for money.
I earn my own money, I am in charge of
my own life and I can go where I like, so for
example if I get called to a meeting, I go and
why? Because I now have money to pay for
the bus.’
UCA SOPPEXCCA
supports women’s coop
Fatima Ismael, UCA SOPPEXCCA, because our producers are once again
will be visiting the UK in July to attend in a deep crisis caused by the effects of
a Global Fairtrade Cities conference climate change. Climatic changes have
in Bristol and to speak at meetings in affected our cooperative’s growth. Fair
London, Sheffield and Cardiff. Speaking Trade has made such a positive impact
to members of a Wales NSC delegation – we have grown and improved – but
about her visit Fatima said: ‘The we need your continued solidarity and
message from UCA SOPPEXCCA, and for more people to be aware of and
indeed from Nicaragua, is that we really support the Fairtrade concept so that
need to promote, grow and multiply we can continue to support small-scale
the number of Fairtrade consumers producers.’
The Union of Agricultural Cooperatives
(UCA) SOPPEXCCA, founded in Jinotega
in 1997, is made up of 650 small farmers
organised into 15 cooperatives. Fairtrade
coffee from SOPPEXCCA is marketed in
the UK by ETICO.
Since 2010, SOPPEXCCA has been
receiving a premium of 5 cents per lb for
their coffee in recognition of the unpaid
work of women. With these funds
SOPPEXCCA has set up a cooperative of
42 women who have no land and earn a
living from seasonal work in the coffee
dry processing plant. This cooperative
provides them with another source of
income from running a shop that stocks
good quality basic provisions which
are sold to members and the general
public at slightly lower prices than other
outlets. In order for the women them-
selves to feel ownership of the process
they contribute 100 cordobas (£2.45) a
month into a savings scheme which will
enable them to access loans.
www.womenincommunitytrade.org
NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015 7
Lights, camera, action:
an emerging Nicaraguan
film industry
In February Wales NSC interviewed Oscar-nominated director Camila Films [which Florence
Florence Jauguey (La Yuma, 2009) about her latest film (La established with her partner Frank
Pineda] can look like Nicaragua’s
Pantalla Desnuda) and the embryonic Nicaraguan film industry. film industry. Besides your own
films you’ve provided facilities for
foreign film makers in Nicaragua, and
You spent many years making production. [La Yuma went on to gather a Frank has also worked as Director of
documentaries, but made the switch best foreign film Oscar nomination in 2009.] Photography for other directors. There
to feature films in 2009 with La Yuma. La Yuma is still alive. For example, it’s are other companies. A new generation of
What were the reasons for this? I come still shown in the UK, in universities, in film makers is emerging with good projects
from feature films. I was an actress, and my colleges. Next week I am doing a Q&A on and features. Maybe in ten year’s time we
first films were short features. The difference is Skype with the United States. It’s a film with will be able to speak of a Nicaraguan film
that features are the re-constitution of reality, a long life, and I’m very happy with it. industry.
whilst documentary is filming the reality. I hope the film industry here will grow.
I’m very concerned with social issues. How did you finance your latest We have plenty of locations, six months of
The job of the film maker is to reflect our film? With my new film it was easier to the year without rain, two oceans – it’s easy
vision of the world where we live. raise US$500,000. La Yuma helped me a lot. to work here, and the government is inter-
It wasn’t a commercial success, but it was ested in attracting film-makers. At the mo-
Your first feature length film, La Yuma, well received. Crowd funding has become ment there are no tax incentives for films,
was very well received. It took me ten available, which didn’t exist when I was but we are lobbying them at the moment to
years to make La Yuma. I thought that after making La Yuma. change this.
winning the Silver Bear in Berlin [for her La Pantalla has been shown in the
1998 film Cinema Alcázar in the Berlinale] Santa Barbara Film Festival, and travelled Do you feel part of a wider Latin
I would have a lot more opportunities, but to Panama, Austria, back to Chicago, and is American film movement? The film
nothing happened. I wrote the script, and currently at the film market in Berlin, look- makers in Latin America all know each
tried to find the funding, but failed. ing for international buyers. We also have other. There is solidarity between Central
But I had to film, I wanted to make films distributors for it in Germany, Switzerland American film makers. We are so small that
[Florence made a string of documentaries and the Benelux countries. we need each other. Camila Films employs
during the early 2000s, including La Isla de los technicians from El Salvador, Honduras, and
Niños Perdidos, Historia de Rosa and Managua, What was the reaction at home? They Costa Rica. We’re all very excited because
Nicaragua is beautiful town]. Finally I re-wrote have been raised on telenovelas [soaps] and a Guatemalan film has been chosen in
the script, and began to find the money. It Hollywood blockbusters. I don’t do happy competition in the Berlinale (Ixcanul by
took six weeks to shoot, and then another endings. They say they like the film, but add Javro Bustamente won a Silver Bear days
year as I scrambled to find the money for post “Oh My God, the ending....!” after the interview).
Scene from La
La Pantalla Desnuda (The Naked Screen), Pantalla Desnuda
2014, 93 minutes, Camila Films. (The Naked Screen)
All over the world, love stories are writ-
ten on the screens of mobile phones,
but what happens when your privacy
becomes public? Filmed in Matagalpa,
the film tells the story of a couple whose
most intimate moments are made
public on social networks and the effect
it has on all concerned. The DVD, with
English subtitles, will be available from
NSC in May. We will contact groups with
details of conditions for organising local
showings.
Camila Films
www.nicaraguasc.org.uk
8 NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015
UK-Nicaragua
Solidarity
CTCP
NSC solidarity with Venezuela
With the intensification of US
destabilisation of Venezuela (see editorial,
pg 2), NSC has encouraged members and
supporters to get involved in solidarity
actions coordinated by the Venezuela
Solidarity Campaign. As Nicaragua’s
representative to the UN, Maria Rubiales
stated during the 59th session of the
Commission on the Status of Women:
“we cannot permit attacks against a sister
republic, wherever they are from ... because
today it’s Venezuela, and tomorrow it
could be anywhere else, as history has
demonstrated.”
www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk
Wales NSC support for Bluefields’ Women in Action bakery coop
music scene
The Bluefields Sound System (BSS) is
a project which has grown over the NSC ‘Gift for Nicaragua’ supports result of the support of the CTCP. On receipt
past decade to become one of the most women’s bakery of the funds from NSC supporters they
important cultural institutions on The Women in Action Bakery Cooperative wrote: “We thank you from the bottom of
Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast. Run on in Managua has used the £950 raised our hearts for your donation for purchasing
a shoe-string, and staffed mostly by through the Gift for Nicaragua (NSC sales baking equipment. Our cooperative has
volunteers, it supports young people and catalogue and marathon sponsorship) to benefitted from a government programme
musicians to develop multi-media skills, buy large-scale kneading machines and new called “80/20”, whereby we received 80%
as well as enabling the recording and ovens. The Cooperative is a member of the financing if we raised the remaining 20%.
promotion of Bluefields’ vibrant musical Confederation of Self Employed Workers The donation from the NSC has enabled
scene. So far it has survived on donations, (CTCP), a trade union with tens of thousands us to pay off our loan so that we now own
but is moving towards becoming self- of members working in the informal sector. the equipment outright. We will be able to
sufficient by generating income through The women sell their goods on the improve sales, our business and therefore
activities. Wales NSC has been visiting the street which is particularly hard and can be our standard of living, all thanks to you.”
BSS since the mid 1990s, and is trying to dangerous. However, they are growing in
create partnerships between musicians confidence and no longer feel isolated as a www.nscag.org
in Wales and on the Coast, as well as
providing a small sum of money to help
with the Centre’s running costs.
www.walesnicaragua.wordpress.com
Our congratulations to Guisell Morales
who has been appointed Nicaraguan
ambassador to the UK. Our thanks
to Guisell for all her support and
encouragement for our work since her
appointment as chargé d’affaires at
the Embassy in 2009. Hailey Holl-Valdez (pictured with friends) and Matt Bishop ran the London Marathon on 26
April, raising funds for NSC and for the Women in Action bakery in Managua, featured above
NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015 9
Circus time once more Supporting communities to improve
On what has become an annual visit, living standards
Performers Without Borders (PWB) The Amos Trust, a small, creative, human
visited Nicaragua for three months rights organisation, partners with and
delighting, entertaining and training runs trips to visit development projects in
hundreds of children in circus skills. Nicaragua. The Trust’s Nicaraguan partner
The seven person international PWB is the Council of Protestant Churches
troupe continued to work with their long (CEPAD) which enables rural communities
term partners Proyecto Barrilete, Los to overcome poverty through training
Quinchos and the School of Comedy and and equipping local people with practical
Mime. All projects work with children project development skills. Projects such
who have been abandoned or who live in as community banks, livestock share
PWB at the Santa Rosa
precarious family situations. The skills the schemes and farming cooperatives teach
School, Managua
children develop enable them to explore sustainable agriculture and enable farmers
their potential, build their confidence to sell what they grow. One such successful
and develop creativity and team work. Paddy McCrae from Bristol, a member initiative is the Women’s Patio Project that
NSC also organised for PWB to perform of the PWB group stated: “It’s an amaz- recognises women’s vital role in looking
at Colegio Los Pollitos and Colegio Santa ing experience to be able to bring such after themselves and their families. Each
Rosa, supported by the Islington Managua happiness and opportunities to children woman receives ten hens, one rooster, seeds
Friendship Association and Santa Rosa who otherwise wouldn’t have access to and training.
Fund in Tavistock, respectively. it. It’s also a chance to pass on the skills Amos Trust supporters visited Nicara-
Yahoska from Los Quinchos com- I’ve learned and give back to those less gua in March and witnessed what differ-
mented: “They taught me not to say I can’t fortunate than myself.” ence CEPAD projects can make. The group
Liz Light
do it. It might be difficult, but if I try, I first visited a community in Jinotepe who,
can. I can apply that to life too”. www.performerswithoutborders.org.uk through their own hard work with the
CEPAD’s support, now have full water tanks,
access to electricity, thriving schools, a great-
Thirty years of friendship between of the Sheffield Estelí Society and er variety of crops, healthier diet, and more
Sheffield and Estelí Nicaraguan ambassador Guisell Morales. sources of income.
One of the highlights of Estelí Week (23 The week ended with music from The delegation then visited the commu-
February – 2 March) was the planting local group Forever Young and Latin nity of Los Ranchos, Teustepe, in Boaco, a
of a liquid amber tree to commemorate American dance from Son de América in dry, barren, unproductive area along a gravel
the twinning. Horticulture students dug their colourful costumes. road, half a kilometre from the nearest
a large hole and everyone helped to fill water supply. As they embark on a five year
it in, including local people, politicians, www.sheffieldestelisociety.org.uk CEPAD training programme, members of
students from the Twin Café, members sheffieldesteli the community described their hopes and
dreams for a better future. The Amos Trust
Dean Atkins, Sheffield Star
will walk alongside this community for the
next five years encouraging supporters to
join this journey through creating a resource
pack to help people tell others about Nica-
ragua, the people, the culture, the sense of
hope and the amazing work of CEPAD and
others.
Further information and resource pack:
www.amostrust.org
katie@amostrust.org
Twin Café takes off in Sheffield
Twin Café is a social enterprise set up by
three students who visited Estelí as part of
an annual exchange run by the University
of Sheffield’s Students for Estelí Society.
Having seen the value of creating direct
links between communities, the students
returned determined to find a way to
contribute. Twin Café imports green coffee
beans from the UCA Miraflor co-operative
which are roasted in Sheffield and sold
online to cafes and shops. The profits are
used to support social projects with young
people in Sheffield and Estelí. In Estelí, Twin
Café is supporting the music project Los
Angelitos, which works with young people
building their skills and confidence through
Councillor Pat Midgeley, Councillor Peter music.
Rippon, Lord Mayor of Sheffield, and Nicaraguan
ambassador Guisell Morales Echaverry plant a
www.twincafe.org
tree to celebrate the twinning.
twincafe12
10 NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015Jon Craig
Nicaraguan Fairtrade producer Angela
Jarquin speaking to 150 business
representatives at the South West Fairtrade
Business awards ceremony in Bristol.
School linking, Fairtrade, and to her community of Fairtrade cocoa produc- guan solidarity coffee (which has thankfully
football in Bristol tion. She also spoke at an International improved in taste!).
It has been a busy and rewarding time for Women’s Day event alongside fairtrade Our ongoing work with Puerto Morazan
supporters of Bristol’s link with Puerto and solidarity groups. Several impressive has enabled us to deliver £1,000 worth
Morazan and Nicaragua. performances by young musicians (one was of equipment to the regions’ Montessori
Nicaraguan ambassador Guisell Morales only 12!) made the event a roaring success pre-schools. BLINC was delighted that
joined the launch of celebrations to mark the – possibly also in part thanks to the Bristol longstanding member and tireless supporter
city’s status as European Green Capital 2015. Link with Nicaragua (BLINC) – organised of pre-school education in Puerto Morazan,
The event provided an excellent opportunity to “rum bar” with their Morazan Mauler cock- Roz Payne, was awarded the Bristol Lord
network with city politicians and officials, and tail (a heady mixture of rum and a Bristolian Mayor’s Medal for her outstanding contribu-
raise the profile of our Puerto Morazan link. alcoholic cordial Shrub). Angela also watched tion to international twinning.
This year also marks Bristol’s ten years Bristol win at rugby, saw some urban art, Activities for the rest of the year include
as a Fairtrade City, a welcome chance to met the Mayor and visited Brunel’s Buttery the annual five-a- side football tournament
celebrate ongoing work with the Bristol for a bacon butty. – Copa Sandino – in May and the visit of
Fairtrade Network. Over this period, Nica- Continuing the Fairtrade theme, BLINC Fatima Ismael, the general manager of the
raguan women Fairtrade coffee, honey and was honoured to win a Gold Award at the UCA SOPPEXCCA in July. Fatima will be
sesame producers have participated annually South West Fairtrade Business Awards, participating in a Global Fairtrade Cities
in Fairtrade Fortnight, an initiative that has initiated and sponsored by the South West Conference in Bristol. (See pages 6-7)
reached over 15,000 local school children. TUC. This was welcome recognition of the
This February Nicaraguan producer An- tireless work of volunteers dating back to www.bristol.gov.uk/twinning
gela Jarquin spoke about the huge benefits 1986 when we brought over the first Nicara- blincistas
New home in Leon for after school up with the rhythmic and exciting music,
activities including birdsong, whoops and clapping.
The Nicaragua Education Culture and Arts What the choir lacked in professionalism
Trust (NECAT) has purchased a building for was more than made up for by their obvious
its ‘school reinforcement’ project in Leon. Performance of the Misa Campesina enthusiasm and commitment.’ How could
This was made possible through a legacy and in Oxford we not be enthusiastic singing such joyful
means that NECAT will be more sustainable On 1 March, members of the Oxford León music?
by no longer having to pay the rent. The Association and Trust (OLAT) sang La Misa OLAT also ran Café León as part of the
building is a purpose built community Campesina (Nicaraguan “Folk Mass”), an Oxford International Women’s festival.
theatre ideal for NECAT’s after-school club, annual event at Blackfriars Chapel for the Through selling home-made cakes and deli-
mobile library, school meals programme past 20 years. The Mass describes a God cious Nicaragua Fairtrade coffee the group
and teacher training workshops. NECAT living with the Nicaraguan people who is raised over £300. OLAT’s main fundraiser,
is seeking UK based trustees and would ready to join in the struggle for liberation. an annual sponsored swim, takes place on
welcome contact with anyone who has an We were delighted that the Nicaraguan 6 July in Oxford’s lovely outdoor pool –
interest in Nicaragua and education. Ambassador, Guisell Morales, was able swimmers, helpers and sponsors are all very
to attend. A review in The Oxford Daily welcome.
www.necat.org.uk Info commented: ‘The normally sombre
martinroger@phonecoop.coop atmosphere of the church was instantly lit www.oxleonlink.org.uk
NICARAGUA NOW SPRING 2015 11First ever NSCAG will have stalls at the
following trade union conferences:
PCS
UK – Nicaragua
Brighton, 18-21 May
GMB
7-11 June, Dublin
BFAWU
hospital twinning
7-12 June, Southport
UNISON National Delegate
Conference
14-19 June, Glasgow
www.nscag.org
The signing of a twinning agreement was the culmination medicine and integrated care.’
of the visit of a delegation to Nicaragua in February by One unique feature of the Nicaraguan
health system that impressed the delegation
representatives of UNISON West Midlands and the is the incorporation of 30,000 brigadistas
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, Nuneaton, Warwickshire. de salud (health volunteers), aged from ad-
olescence to 40 years. These volunteers are
T
pivotal in engaging citizens at a local level.
he programme for the delegation, since the return to power of the Sandinista If someone becomes ill, a brigadista assesses
coordinated by the Nicaraguan government in 2007. Delegation member them and calls for help if necessary. They
health union FETSALUD, included Roy Emblen, UNISON deputy convenor decide whether the patient needs a review
visits to maternity centres, women’s at the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, and whether they can travel or request a
hospitals, children’s hospitals and rural and commented: ‘In terms of health care it is an home visit. If a healthcare team is coming to
urban health centres. Although Nicaragua impressive example of how a good structure, their municipality, brigadistas identify peo-
remains the second poorest country in the cooperation and teamwork, coupled with ple who could benefit. They also participate
Americas after Haiti, Nicaraguans enjoy heaps of enthusiasm, works. We were in regular campaigns such as immunisation
free health care and have benefitted from particularly impressed by the emphasis of children and fumigation to eradicate
the advances made in health and education placed on health education, preventive certain diseases.
The twinning is Signing the twinning agreement NSCAG, took place in April when two
The culmination of the delegation’s representatives of FETSALUD, Carlos
not just a symbolic visit was the signing of an agreement Molina and Heysel Medina, visited the
between UNISON West Midlands Region UK as part of a UNISON funded capacity
gesture. It will not and the Nicaraguan health trade union building project. In addition to attending
FETSALUD and between the George Eliot UNISON’s national health conference,
only recognise the Hospital NHS Trust and the Nilda Patricia Carlos and Heysel had discussions with
Hospital in Ciudad Sandino, Managua. The UNISON and George Eliot Hospital
support our agreement affirms solidarity between the representatives about the implementation
two unions and hospitals through mutual of the twinning agreement. A signing
organisations can learning, sharing expertise and working ceremony, attended by the hospital’s
to improve the quality of care for patients Acting Chief Executive Kath Kelly, took
give to our and staff. A return visit, coordinated by place during the visit.
Nicaraguan partners,
but will also provide
us with an insight
into the Nicaraguan
health system, so
that we can also
look at their ideas
which might work
here. BACK ROW Roy Emblen, UNISON deputy convenor, George Eliot Hospital; Andreas
Zamora, finance secretary, FETSALUD FRONT ROW Dr Elba Silva, Nilda Patricia
Dawn Downes, Hospital; Dr Sebastian Yuen, consultant paediatrician, George Eliot Hospital;
Dr Camila Mejia, Nilda Patricia Hospital; Mark Glover, Solihull branch of UNISON
UNISON branch secretary,
George Eliot Hospital
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