Finally, the purpose

I set out on this journey with the somewhat uninformed goal of joining a group of IT leaders to build houses for the poor. While our group of 19 did make substantial progress in building houses for 2 Nicaraguan families, the trip really served as a means to educate me on the history and culture of the Nicaraguan people. Bridges to Community (Bridges), a not for profit organization focused on Nicaragua, facilitated this trip.


While I don't want to repeat everything on the Bridges ( http://bridgestocommunity.org/index.php) website, I want to impart what I learned about their philosophy and approach because I think it is really quite remarkable. One of their fundamental premises is sustainment. They want to empower Nicaraguans by giving them tools and techniques that enable them to begin to impact their own destiny. What I didn't understand fully before this trip, is that there is no middle class in Nicaragua. People are poor or rich and there are very few if any opportunities for the poor to break the cycle of poverty. I am ashamed to say that this was somewhat of a foreign concept for me. While breaking the cycle of poverty is difficult anywhere, my sense is that in America there are mechanisms and infrastructure in place to provide a means for people to better themselves.

Bridges Approach:

Long before any volunteers arrive, Bridges Staff begin building relationships with members of a community. Bridges works with community leaders to create a Committee which will organize and run the community. Bridges has created a design for a modest house that will provide a safe shelter for a family. Earthquakes (i.e. Haiti) are a real concern in Nicaragua and a Bridges house is designed to withstand a very substantial quake. Members of the Committee decide which families will be recipients of a house. It is important to note that these families are not "given" a house. They are loaned money to build a house. House recipients are are required to pay a mortgage of about $10/month for 7 years. This money is paid back to the community, who can then decide what other projects to fund. In another community, the Committee decided to build a community center. They then used the community center to start a sewing cooperative which purchased sewing machines. Women can come the community center to learn how to sew and to eventually be able to make cloths, bags and other goods they can sell. It is these kinds of programs that really provide the building blocks to break the cycle of poverty.


So, meet the families in Las Enramades y Las Perlas with whom we would work over the next week.


Below is a picture of Pio and Jenny and their daughters on Sunday when we were introduced. On the right is a picture of their current house.

Below is a picture of Jose and Angela and their daughter Magdalena and son Juan.