Nicaragua Mission Trip Information Session

1. Nicaragua Trip Information
Session
July 29, 2012

2. Welcome to Nicaragua
Land of beauty and poverty

3. Nicaraguan Communities – Living
Conditions in Rural Areas
Typical Water Access and Housing
• Houses typically do not have ventilation for interior stoves
• Water is carried up from streams and then boiled
• Sanitary conditions vary widely

4. How to Effect Change: Volunteers and
Communities Work Together
Volunteers and communities work on projects together
• Builds a sense of ownership on both sides
• Volunteers and communities learn what we have in common

5. Examples of what communities and
volunteers have accomplished
Completed Wells and Washstands
Stoves with ventilation

6. Project Fundraising and the Work Trip
• Fundraising through CUC will be for water and
sanitation projects supporting six area schools
– Los Robles
– Las Pilas
– Calabaza
– El Arado
– Caracol
– El Corozal
• Work Group will assist in development of a
project, likely a lavandero (washstand)
– We will visit funded schools while there

7. Upcoming Nicaragua Trip Goals
• Work to improve conditions for
Nicaraguan schools near San Lorenzo
• Support the community
• Learning experience
• Cultural experience
Nicaraguan School in Llano Comunidad near San Lorenzo

8. Upcoming Nicaragua Work Trip
• Dates: January 12-21st, 2013
• We are seeking to build a travel group of
approximately 15 people
• Work group will assist in development of one
or more of the projects in rural Nicaragua

9. Cost of the Work Trip
• Cost is $1000.00
• This includes food and lodging
• El Porvenir allocates $100.00 of your cost to the project
• $100.00 of the total is due in September
• Remainder is collected in November
• Airfare is separate
– Generally runs between $650.00 and $750.00 for
round trip to Managua
– Service to Managua is through Dallas/FT Worth or
Miami
– Passport must be valid six months beyond end
date of trip in order to book the flight.

10. Passport Logistics
• Ensure you have a valid passport early
• Generally takes several weeks to process
• Renewals are processed more quickly than new passports
• First time passport application is a different form than is
needed for renewals
• Passport locations near CUC
– United States Post Office – Highlands Ranch Branch
• 9609 South University Blvd, Littleton, CO 80130
– Arapahoe County Clerk & Recorder
• 5334 South Prince St., Littleton, CO 80166
– Littleton City Clerk’s Office
• 2255 West Berry Avenue, Littleton, CO 80165

11. Recommended and Required Shots
• Required
• Tetanus
• Recommended
– Hepatitis A (2 shot series)
– Malaria
• A series of pills taken just before and during the trip
– Typhoid

12. Medical Issues
• It is helpful to have medication for food poisoning
available during travel
• Your physician can prescribe this
• However, no one got sick in our previous trip
• El Porvenir staff is proactive in ensuring the group does not
get food poisoning
• Medical assistance is not very available
– Travelers should have any needed medications, and
conditions should be manageable
• Many dietary restrictions can be accommodated
– If in doubt, contact us or El Porvenir with your
concern
• Bretha Mahe - 303 798 4556

13. Typical Schedule
• Saturday evening in Managua
• Monday through Friday in the rural
community for work on the project
• Weekend is devoted to sight-seeing in local
cities.
• Leave Monday from Managua

14. Other Logistics
• Bilingual staff supports the
group during their visit
– Maintaining visitor health and
safety is their primary concern
• Food
– Family style dinners during the
work week
– Weekend travel includes
restaurants with menu options

15. Other Logistics
• Accommodations
– Might require you to rebaseline expectations
– Quality of rural hotels is spotty
Fine accommodations
in San Lorenzo define
the ‘one star’ rating Hotels in Granada are nicer
Join Us At Our Fine Accommodations

16. Come Be a Part of the Future
Water for Nicaragua