Template:AAG active project In a nutshell: through Engineers Without Borders, we have learned of a town in Nicaragua called Morrito. We know that they have several elementary schools with dirt floors and thatch roofs, and no secondary school, library, or internet access. They also have a well which was built several years ago by an NGO which gets contaminated with lake water. An engineer who visited the community a year ago spoke with the local teachers and they said that they would most like to see a library built. Based on this information, it sounds like several engineering students might find a place to help out.

So several of us from San Francisco have banned together and are going there on Aug 4th to see if there is anything we can do to help. As of this writing, only 3 people have bought tickets, all of them engineers and none of them who speak Spanish. Our plan is to take on a relatively large project like fixing the well or building a school or library, but without the help of a guide/translator, we are sure to not get far, so if you speak Spanish, we are dying to hear from you. We are also looking for people with knowledge of medicine, politics, law, business, economics, anthropology, international development, and people who give a damn. if you are interested, contact me david.reber (talk · contribs)

Background Materials

this PDF has some background information on Morrito

This pdf also has descriptions for several projects available.

Itinerary

Arriving on flight 1074 in Managua at 11:33 AM on Aug 5th

Staying in Managua hotel Aug 5

Traveling to Amaya on aug 6

Travel to Leone on Aug 9

Travel to Morrito on aug 11 (catch the ferry from Granada at 2pm)

Return to Managua on aug 19

Depart Managua 6:50 AM on Aug 20

Morrito Activities

We are conducting this trip in order to get to know the people of Nicaragua and assess what projects we might be able to conduct and how we might be able to help.

specific activities

  • Conduct Sanitary Survey - There was a well drilled several years ago by an NGO but the water in it is acidic and yellow so we will be taking samples and surveying the facilities to see if we can fix the problem.
  • how do Nicaraguans use water? Do they boil it? do they use water cachment? how far must they go to get it? Bathing? Washing cloths?
  • The EPA has a manual for conducting sanitary surveys we should think about following. Also, as content produced by federal employees, this manual has no copyright and you can help by porting it to appropedia if you have the free time.
  • Learn about construction techniques - there are 10 schools in the region which are constructed of dirt floors and thatch roofs. If we are to construct a school, we must design it with local construction techniques and materials. We will need to determine what these techniques and materials are.
  • Talk to the local government. It is important that the choice of projects be collaborative. By asking what we can do for them, it is more likely that our project will be valued and maintained after we leave and we will receive more support in conducting the project.
  • The community has voiced the desire for a library. This sounds like a really good idea and if we could get that library on the internet, it would be the first internet connection in the community.
  • Arrange contacts. Whatever project we eventually take on, it will be very important to have strong contacts that we can contact for whatever questions we have.
  • Whirlwind wheelchair has also invited us to tour their facilities which are a 4 hour ($0.50US) bus ride from Granada.

Things to bring

  • gifts
  • post cards from your home town
  • shorts (it's hot)
  • paper (for writing)
  • flash lights (power in Morrito is intermittent)
  • shirts and hats with western logos
  • acidophilus
  • backpacker water filter/purification tablets
  • Food - we will need to obtain all of the food we will need in Morrito ourselves. We will probably take as much as we can carry on the boat and then hire a truck to go to the closest market a few days in.

How to keep up to date

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Costs

Plane tickets to Nicaragua are around $586 (as of May 17) and in country costs shouldn't get beyond $40/day. You are responsible directly for

  • Plane tickets
  • Travel Insurance
  • Food

The following costs will be reported to the trip treasurer and divided evenly at the end of the trip

  • Lodging
  • Long distance transportation

Proposed hotels

Ralf H of whirlwind wheelchair (whom we will probably be visiting in Nicaragua) has recommended American Hotel in Leone.

Contact

Leave a comment on the talk page with your contact info and we will get back to you shortly.

Read More

As your research leads you to interesting Nicaragua sites, post them here.

Misc Notes

  • mail takes 8-10 days
  • The mini bus terminal is called "Parada de buses privados". Just tell Taxi driver "Parada de busses privados a... (e.g. Leon or Granada)". You may want to write down this sentence on a card and show it to taxi driver. At the bus terminal (just a place outside along a main street with lots of people and vehicles), there are large and small Vans going all over the country. Just to listen for guys yelling out "Leon, Leon, Leon" or "Granada, Granada, Granada". Lots of guys will run up to the taxi as you unload to try to help. If you don't know what you are doing, usually its best to accept help and offer a tip to one or 2 guys. Tips (20 cordobas, 1 dollar) are useful until you get to know where you are going and what you are doing. People will just start helping you, at airport, anywhere without asking.... but you have to tip them or use a firm NO. Nothing is free. However, never let someone else carry your most precious items (which should be hidden on you in a small bag anyway)
  • don't bring a sweatshirt
  • the boat leaves Granada on Monday and Thursday at 2pm, and returns to Granada on Wednesday and Saturday at 5-6 am.
  • There is a bus from Morrito-Juigalpa-Managua that leaves Morrito at 5am and arrives sometime in afternoon and Managua-Juigalpa-Morrito
  • There is a bus that leave from Juigalpa to Morrito at 3pm everyday.
  • in Granada, a good place to stay is Bearded Monkey, or Barba del Mono. It is a lower budget place with dorm room style lodging. Also Casa Clarita or Casa Capricho are medium priced but very nice places.
  • It will be very hot and humid with frequent showers while we are down there.
  • when the peace corps sends people, they get the following shots, and I suggest we follow suit.
  • Flu shot
  • Typhoid shot
  • rabies shots
  • malaria pills
  • NOBEL has been recommended as a good calling card to use when contacting Nicaragua
  • You can find Nicaragua's health information page from the CDC here

People Attending

Note: a question mark means this person has expressed interest but hasn't committed

Questions

  • Will we have access to ATMs? Travelers Checks? US Dollars? Credit Cards?
  • Should those of us going on the first attend spanish classes in country
  • Might the Peace Corps be interested in collaborating with us? Note: I tried to find contact information for the Nicaraguan Peace Corps office and had no luck - feel free to pitch in here
  • should we rent a house for the first week in Aug?

Liability Waiver

We will be asking everyone who goes with us to sign the liability waiver

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