You Can Help Community Leaders in Nicaragua

Donald Orozco is a taller-than-average man for Nicaragua. He does not talk very much in the community leader meeting… until he is out in the dried-up fields of his community.

Rain has been scarce. The river that has sustained this community of farmers for generations is lower than it has ever been.

As they walk through the corn stalks with tiny, underdeveloped ears of corn, Donald hold his shy 10-year-old son’s hand and explains that he never went to school. “I don’t think the same way that other farmers do. I know how important it is for my children to go to school.” However, it is hard for him to send his children to school because the little money he can get is going to be used to buy food for his family.

For his kids to go to school they need uniforms, books and supplies. With the drought Donald can’t afford those things for his children.

This is the second year that his community, Las Huertas, experiences such severe drought. In previous years, Donald has been able to grow enough crops to feed his family and sell some in the market. Many other farmers in the community have sold their few cattle to buy food.

The community leaders, through CEPAD’s training, have been able to come together and reach out to other organizations and agencies to provide relief and support community projects. Though CEPAD has only been working in Las Huertas for only one year, the community leaders developed a 2015 action plan and were already able to achieve the drilling of four wells for drinking water.

Leadership training in Las Huertas has taught these farmers that working together they can bring about real change into their community. They have also learned different farming techniques that allow them to farm their lands in an environmentally friendly way.

Since their standard crops failed this year, by thinking together, the community leaders devised a plan to, with the help of the few sporadic rains and some water from the near-by river, plant and harvest drought-resistant crops such as watermelon and squash.

Solutions like this help Donald and the other farmers in the community to not only have something to eat, but also make it possible for their children to continue going to school. The training made possible by CEPAD’s supporters is what causes this positive change in communities such as Las Huertas.

You can make a difference for families like Donald’s by donating to CEPAD’s year-end campaign. We need to raise $20,000 to support leadership training in two villages for 2016, pleasedonate today! https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/cepadusa