Strategic Planning Workshop Transforms Dreams Into Skills
Unity. Strength. Forward Movement. Love as a family. Love for God. Deep thankfulness. Hope for the future.
These are a few of the things CEPAD community leaders said they felt after a two-day workshop where they learned how to solidify their visions for their cooperatives and associations and spring forward into success.
Inocente Ramos Hernandez, the president of the community association for seven communities in the Matagalpa region, expressed his sincere thanks to the U.S. donors and friends who made the workshop possible with their donations to a special campaign in September. “Thank you so much for this gesture, we are so energized after these two days,” he said.
“It was an excellent opportunity to develop a plan we can implement,” Inocente said. “Our association focuses on training our associates in farming techniques and commercializing our products, and now we understand all the elements that will go into making that happen.”
Inocente says ASOCAD will transform seven communities in Matagalpa where CEPAD began work in 2009.
With guidance from CEPAD staff, participants outlined goals, set mission statements and developed action plans that will allow their six community organizations to bring better financial opportunities to all 43 communities where CEPAD worked from 2009-2014.
Yalena Hernandez Serrano, the president of the APROPLAT cooperative in Nueva Guinea, said they have doubled the amount of plantains the 68-member cooperative is growing since they began working together and have a concrete plan to triple the amount they grow within five years so they can sell the product within Nicaragua and internationally.
“It is impossible to exaggerate how our family situations have improved, how the quality of our products and organization have increased thanks to CEPAD,” Yalena said. “Now thanks to this workshop we can continue to grow, add additional products, expand our membership and make a bigger impact. We are so thankful for the support that made this workshop possible, and all of the partnership from the last five years.”
The four leaders of the APROPLAT cooperative in Nueva Guinea, including president Yalena Hernandez Serrano (second from left) are deeply thankful to the support that made this workshop possible.
The workshop was the last formal meeting between representatives of these 43 communities and CEPAD. In January, CEPAD will officially begin work with 42 new communities. At the same time, our friends from the last five years will continue their work with renewed energy and increased capacity thanks to your critical support of CEPAD’s programs.
Thank you again to the wonderful friends who donated to our Razoo campaign. Your contribution meant that these 36 community leaders, representing six vibrant community organizations, got the training they needed to make 2015 their best year yet.
