Nicaragua

Artists dream of having their work appreciated in an exhibition or book. For Daniel Pulido, both dreams came true when Circo Agua Clara was launched in February at the second International Meeting on Water, Social Arts and Popular Education in Granada, Nicaragua. It is the first book published under ONE DROP’s social arts and popular education program—a distinctive approach to popular education using social arts as a tool to change water habits and manage this resource soundly. Daniel, a multi-disciplinary Nicaraguan artist, spent six months designing and drawing a series of pieces to complete the book’s 113 pages. The book’s artwork was on display at the meeting for all to see.

The book Circo Agua Clara (Clara’s Water Circus) is the pictorial adaptation of a stage play by the same name. The book and one-hour show are filled with characters who teach children about water. All 3,000 copies of Circo Agua Clara were given to schools and libraries in the communities supported by ONE DROP’s project in Nicaragua. The soft-cover book is accompanied by a guide filled with engaging activities that teach children about the importance of water.

Learn more about the Water, Culture and Agriculture Project in Nicaragua

ONE DROP’s 2nd International Meeting on Water, Social Arts and Popular Education (Granada, Nicaragua, February 24 to 26) was a resounding success, as representatives from Central America and Canada met to share invaluable information and ideas.

The first  meeting (Montreal, October 2008) served to remind participants of the need to work together and proposed the idea of the arts as a contributor to aid and sustainable development. This year’s gathering offered attendees the means to debate one of ONE DROP’s strategies: educative and artistic workshops. The social arts and popular education approach—which, while offering resources and expertise to those in need, sensitizes people to change their habits and knowledge of water through various art forms—was met with applause. Event attendee and multidisciplinary artist, Daniel Pulido, explains: “We each possess artistic talent. Today’s youth must realize their talents in their home country and break stigmas associated with the arts.”

Activities included a water-themed art exhibition, the launch of the book Circo Agua Clara and a water-inspired performance by the theatre troupe HAYTA, which encapsulated the spirit of the Granada meeting.

ONE DROP’S next Water, Social Arts and Popular Education Meeting is slated for November 2011, in Honduras.

Learn more about the Water, Culture and Agriculture Project in Nicaragua

Picture: Water-inspired performance by the theatre troupe HAYTA- Oscar Cantarero Altamirano

Lili-Anna Pereša meets families in Honduras and Nicaragua

Back from a visit in Honduras and Nicaragua, ONE DROP’s executive director, Lili-Anna Pereša, was very touched to note the positive effects of ONE DROP projects on beneficiary families. During her tour, she took the time to visit villages, schools and gardens, of course, but what mostly stands out in her mind are her discussions with the people. Here are a few stories that show just how ONE DROP makes a difference in these communities.

Food for the heart and the soul

First conclusion: water-access projects do more than feed families, they ensure their food security. Results are especially convincing in Nicaragua where the project, started in 2005, is now in its consolidation phase. “I was impressed to see that families succeed in overcoming poverty. They are no longer in survival mode,” said Lili-Anna Pereša. Thanks to the agricultural techniques they’ve been taught (for instance, irrigation systems and crop rotation), women can not only feed their immediate and enlarged family, but also sell a portion of their harvest and, in turn, have some money at their disposal. India, a woman from Nicaragua, explained: “We bought a scale. Each week, the women of the village get together to pool their surplus goods. Then, one of us goes to the market by bus to find out about the competition and set the price. The bus driver reserves her a seat up front since he wants first choice when comes the time to buy his vegetables.” For one family, growing a vegetable garden requires approximately four hours of work each day, but it's well worth the effort. “I don’t ever want to be so poor again,” stated India.

In Nicaragua's Las Palmeras community, Darling Esposito Ramirez and his wife, Francisca, are dreaming again.

The source of their newfound optimism comes from the sky, as local partners, with help from ONE DROP's Water, Culture and Agriculture Project (or PECAN, the project's French acronym), worked alongside them to build reservoirs and irrigation systems to collect precious rainwater. This collective effort has allowed the Ramirez family, and many others, to farm like never before. In some cases, farms have tripled their annual output—and that achievement is only the beginning.

In a country where rainfall is unevenly distributed, harnessing water, and learning to manage it, has helped local farmers sow new lives for themselves. By getting rainwater to their seeded fields, farmers have increased crop yields and seen their revenue grow. As PECAN technicians tutor the region's farmers in fundamental farming techniques, vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes now sprout from fields, earning more profit than Nicaragua's staple crops of corn and black beans.

With each passing day the Ramirez family's hopes of repairing the leaky roof of their home and replacing their wood-burning stove with a cleaner, more energy-efficient one are one drop closer to reality.

Learn more about the Water, Culture and Agriculture Project in Nicaragua.

What could you do with an extra US $113 a year?

In 2006, local partners, with support from ONE DROP's Water, Culture and Agriculture Project (or PECAN, the project's French acronym), helped put that much more income into the pockets of many Nicaraguan farmers by guiding them as they learned how to control water, keep hens and deal with eroding slopes.

The Carmen Cruz family of La Ceiba, Nicaragua, is a perfect example of what people can accomplish with just basic knowledge of farming. The transformation of the family's life is equalled only by the transformation of their land. “Hard work” barely begins to describe the challenge of ploughing soil that has never been broken in properly or excavating large rocks from a hillside to build long stone walls and terraced fields.

PECAN  technicians were on hand throughout the entire process, even advising Silvia del Carmen Cruz on how to get more eggs from her hens. Any surplus food she yields from her farm is now sold at the local market. This has a two-fold positive effect: By selling excess produce at the market some families now bring in an additional US $113 per year, which means more money for other foods as well as for medication and clothing, and less stress caused by indebtedness.

Learn more about the Water, Culture and Agriculture Project in Nicaragua.