Speakers for February 25 – Rich Stewart, Harriet Clune & Bill Spellman
Today’s program was on the most recent Rotary East trip to Nicaragua. Rather than show pictures, Judy Hoag, our International Chair, invited the other participants to give their impressions of the trip.
Rich Stewart gave the history going back to about 1998, when a category 5 hurricane blasted Central America with over 50” of rain in 24 hours. This wiped out homes and roads and pretty much destroyed the country. Rich was there a couple years after the disaster and notes there has been a lot of progress.
Rich mentioned how students are learning English, but do not have anyone there who actually speaks English. The students were eager to practice and learn with their visitors.
Bill Spellman has been there at least 4 or 5 times. Lots of concrete block buildings have gone up over the years, but this is the first time he saw them making the concrete blocks on-site.
This was the first visit for Harriet Clune. She was a bit apprehensive because of the poverty she expected to see, and also about being perceived as giving a “handout.”
They attended a Council meeting where report was given on the microcredit project. This began with $500 which was divided up for various entrepreneurs to help set up their businesses. The loans were guaranteed, mostly by individual members of the Council. All loans have been paid in full, including the interest of 5% per month, with very encouraging results.
For example, one woman had gone to school to learn how to sew. She bought a treadle sewing machine and fabric with her microloan. She began making children’s dresses and embroidered them. Then she taught her mother-in-law how to sew. Now they have two machines and both make dresses for the market. One of the beautiful dresses was passed around for us to see. Harriet gave another example of a woman who sold tamales has been able to increase her sales from $100 to $150 per month due to the microloan.
In sum, the microloan project encourages self determination and requires accountability. These are not handouts, but hand-up’s. Harriet said this trip made her consider – it’s only an accident of birth that we are here rather than in an impoverished area of Nicaragua.
The cost of a trip to Nicaragua is about $600, including meals, airfare, etc. They said pictures and presentation could not do justice to how a person is changed by going there. The next trip is in April.
Thank you, Judy, Rich, Bill and Harriet for this inspirational presentation.
== Rocky
