Projects

The CHIP (the Chacraseca Housing Initiative Project) -Friends and Students have begun working toward our goal of building 100 homes to replace unsafe, unsanitary dwellings throughout the comarca of Chacraseca. These groups have been building dozens of homes in Chacraseca comarca for many years, but CHIP will greatly accelerate the process.Beginning in 2010, the first 22 homes were built including those funded by a $6, 000 matching grant provided by the S.G.Foundation of Buellton, Calif.During 2011 and 2012 an additional 35 houses were built.The homes currently cost about $2500 each with a latrine and a floor.AND-- we were, in June 2014, approved to receive a second matching('challenge') grant from the S.G.Foundation, this time for $12, 000!!Each recipient family assists in the construction process and pays for 25 % of the house's cost interest-free over the course of four years.During the recent Friends' working trips to Nicaragua, Pete White, Dick Wiltamuth, Kate Shreck, and the rest of the group were able to connect directly with families who have received homes through this program, assist in construction, and view the constructed homes.

A longstanding project and dream has come to fruition -- water for Nuevo Amanecer! Nuevo Amanecer is a 300-member community built entirely through the efforts of Students for 60,000 over many years. The challenge there has always been water, water for irrigation and most importantly, pure drinkable water for the community. A well was dug and built, also through the efforts of Friends and Students. However, the well had to close due to arsenic contamination, and for several years water was trucked to the community as an emergency provision, a cumbersome and costly measure which was also provided by Friends and Students.Finally, a new system is in place, thanks to the joint efforts of Friends, the Municipality of Telica, and the British not -for-profit Nuevas Esperanzas.Nuevas Esperanzas, a Leon - based nonprofit led by English hydrologist Dr.Andrew Longley, has provided the technical expertise in this project.Phase 1 of this new system involves again providing water for washing, bathing and agriculture to Nuevo and adjoining communities including La Union.Friends provided $28, 500 for Phase 1, including funding a $3000 feasibility study.Phase 2 involved attempts to filter arsenic and other contaminants from the water.Phase 3, which is now completed, involves bringing clean drinkable water from springs high atop the Telica volcano.Friends contributed $3000 from our Walkathon toward the final $10, 000 required to complete this project.Students for 60000 and Friends NE provided additional sums to reach the Phase 3 goal, so that the brave, patient people of the town which we built together and their neighbors finally have water!

The aims of this project are to provide a sorely-needed recreational venue for the youth of Chacraseca, Nicaragua, and to hold games to attract players and crowds from the nearby city of Leon. This project was the dream of Chacraseca community leader Paulino Martinez. In 2009, seven acres of land were purchased for $17,500 by Friends and Students near the Alberto Barrios School complex in Chacraseca for the development of modern-style baseball and soccer fields and children's playground. The land has been levelled and planned, design for water runoff from heavy rains created, and construction of soccer and baseball fields is ongoing. The fields are taking shape! The entire cost for the project, including fields, backstop, bleachers, dugouts, etc. is estimated at $100,000. ...The project is named in honor of Sister Joan, to recognize her enormous love for and dedication to the people of Nicaragua.Friends is hopeful that this project will empower people to turn their dream of better recreational and commercial opportunities into reality. Friends has contacted all forty Major League baseball teams and more than 400 ballplayers to garner support, led by Pete White with the invaluable assistance of late Northport resident and member Dot Walker.Several Little League teams have been started and equipped, thanks to the ongoing support of Friends' members Pete White, who donated 1200 baseballs, and Millie Willen and Joanne Moran, working closely with the Northport Little League to provide bats, gloves, and uniforms. Hats off!

Since so many of the houses that were built were years ago, the Housing Repair Project focuses on making repairs, fixing cracks that were often due to seismic activity