This document provides an overview of Partners of the Americas and the Wisconsin/Nicaragua partnership. It discusses how Partners originated from Eisenhower and Kennedy's initiatives to strengthen ties between the US and Latin America. Wisconsin and Nicaragua were paired due to common agricultural economies and geography. The Wisconsin/Nicaragua partnership focuses on community development projects in areas like agriculture, women's programs, health, youth, and humanitarian assistance. A major initiative involves shipping fire trucks and ambulances from Wisconsin to Nicaragua to assist local fire departments. The partnership aims to enhance quality of life through people-to-people exchange programs promoting cultural understanding and sustainable development.

1. What is Partners of the Americas
Where does Wisconsin fit in?
What do WNP volunteers do?
Health/Medical Projects

2. Where did Partners of the Americas originate?
1955 President Eisenhower was interested in
exploring possibilities developing closer ties
between the Central and South American
countries and the United States.
1962 President John F. Kennedy launches the
Alliance for Progress (a program of
governmental cooperation in the Western
Hemisphere )
1964 Partners of the Americas was founded
as the people-to-people component of the
Alliance for Progress.
.
1965 The Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partnership is
incorporated and receives the 501 (c) status as a
non-profit, non-governmental agency

3. . . . . build unique bilateral
partnerships between
sections of the U.S. and
sections of Latin America
and the Caribbean.
Through these partnerships, volunteers on both sides would work together on
self-help projects in community and economic development, while fostering
inter-American friendship and understanding.

4. In 1965 . . birth of the private sector organization
Why Wisconsin and Nicaragua??
COMMONALITIES
• economies heavily dependent on agricultural production
• each takes in approximately 57,000 sq. miles.
• Extensive stretches of coastline and large inland lake
• valuable forest areas
Working together . . . We make a difference!

5. Mission Statement:
Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the
Americas
is a not-for-profit, non-political
organization working to enhance quality
of life in both Wisconsin and Nicaragua,
by people-to-people programs
promoting cultural awareness and
sustainable community development
Volunteers throughout
Wisconsin are involved at
all levels –Partner City
groups along with civic,
church, youth, and
community service groups.

6. Program Focus . . .
.
AGRICULTURE/
NATURAL RESOURCES
WOMEN & FAMILIES
Learning Centers
Chica Nica Doll Dresses
Vocational Training
Community Education
Lending Libraries
Workshop Tours
Micro-lending
Educational Scholarships
Farmer to Farmer
Quality Milk Production
Cheese Making Exchanges
Poultry Project
Small Kitchen Gardens
HEALTH
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Photo Exhibits
Travel Tours
Arts & Crafts Sales
Cultural Festivals
Coffee Sales
Partner City Activity
Vitamin A
Maternal & Child Health
Eye Glass Missions
Sunglasses Project
Community Water Projects
Student Medical Travel
Professional Medical Exchanges
Therapy Dressing Project
HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE
Fire Truck Shipments
Disaster Relief
Shipping Projects
Medical/Hospital support
YOUTH
Scholarships
Youth Projects
Backpack Project
Book collections for library
Youth Exchanges
Working together, we make a difference

7. Partners believes citizen participation
is essential to a strong and healthy
community

8. Health & Humanitarian Assistance
Nicaragua is a country that is
faced with earthquakes,
volcanoes, hurricanes, tidal
waves as well as challenges
of a man made origin
Wisconsin has always
responded generously and
with care.
Working Together, We make a difference

9. A unique project called “Firefighters United” has brought together Wisconsin
and Nicaraguan firefighters. W/NP began to ship fire trucks and ambulances to
Nicaragua in 2000, and soon firefighters in both countries began to join in the
activities. An average of three or more emergency vehicles are shipped each
year, as well as firefighter coats, boots, helmets, air packs, hoses and other
necessary equipment. 27 fire trucks (6 more waiting to be shipped) and 15
ambulances with a value of more than $1,000,000 have been shipped. This
program would not be possible without the Denton Program which allows the
vehicles to be shipped on Air Force cargo planes. Thanks to Dr. Brad Martin,
the W/NP program is immensely successful.

10. Getting donations to Nicaragua takes
Collaboration . . . .
U.S. Dept of
Defense
Humanitarian Assistance
W/NP
Hospitals, Fire
Depts,
Schools

11. W/NP Warehouse in
Stevens Point
2139 N. 2nd Drive
Volunteers - Bob Moodie Trucking, WI Nat’l Guard, Wisconsin Truck Lift

12. It takes a team effort
Getting donations
from Wisconsin
to Nicaragua…..a
challenging but
NOT impossible
task!

13. 3rd Thursday of the month
W/NP Warehouse Packing Days
Volunteers come to pack, sort
donations, wash Fire
Trucks/Ambulances (6 awaiting
departure)

15. Ambulance from Stevens
Point arriving. Note: aircraft
had mechanical problem,
crew asked to use fire truck
to get to engine, as nothing
available at the airport in
Managua)

16. Humanitarian Assistance
EMS
W/NP
W/NP has sent 27+ fire trucks and
14 ambulances to Nicaragua over
the past 12 years. When they arrive
they become properly of the
Direcion General de Bomerbos de
Nicaragua or the Asociacion Civil
Cuerpo de Bomberos Voluntarios
de Nicaragua.
U.S.
DoD

17. Some vehicles are purchased by
individuals, others gather a
group of friends and pool their
money, others are donated

18. 2012 shipments arriving to Managua from
St. Anna Fire Dept. & Columbus WI

20. Share your knowledge – give
yourself or someone else an
experience of a lifetime!

21. Opportunity knocks:
GO TO NICARAGUA , MEET NEW FRIENDS, SHARE
YOUR EXPERTISE
Las Colinas Fire
Dept.

22. Western Wisconsin Technical
College truck in Managua

24. Nindiri Volunteer Fire
Department – operates out of
Jose’s home. His bedroom
houses the 4-6 volunteers on
24 hour shifts

25. Typical
scenes in the
public
hospitals

26. Lenin Fonseca Hospital
National Adult Trauma Center
National Adult Burn Center
_________________________
______
Velez Pais Hospital
National Pediatric Hospital and
Pediatric Burn Center

28. Opportunity knocks: take the challenge, go share your knowledge & make new friends!

29. Above: Rothschild turn out gear….
Left: Clintonville airport beacon
now at the pier on Lake Managua!
Opportunity knocks: Be on the look out for items still in
good use to share with EMS, Firefighters and the medical
communities in Nicaragua

30. Picking up donations at W/NP
Managua office from Wisconsin
Fire Departments

31. Customs to the W/NP office in Managua to the hospitals and fire departments…..

35. For y ear s, Sher i n i dent i f i ed r em
odel i ng
needs at t he M
anagua of f i c e.
M ni ng of
or
th
M ch 16 2009 she dr ew t he pl an t o t he
ar
l ef t , l at er i n t he af t er noon she f el l
next door t o t he of f i ce whi l e vi ewi ng
t he adj acent pr oper t y as poss i bl e
opt i on.
She di ed of a head i nj ur y –
her m or i al f und r em
em
odel ed t he of f i ce
accor di ng t o her pl an.

36. Sherin Bowen’s
memorial fund
put into action
just the way she
would have
wanted

37. Before and after……

38. Managua Office dedication

39. The Burn Therapy Dressing Project is a social health program working in
collaboration with the Lenin Fonseca and Velez Paiz Childrens Hospital that
benefits people who lack resources from rural areas in Nicaragua.
W/NP Learning Center ladies make the therapy dressing for patients recovering
from burn treatments or plastic surgeries.

40. Current Status of Burn Patients in Nicaragua
Burn patients from different parts of the country need to be transferred to the Managua
hospitals. The two public hospital options where burn units are available are: Fernando Velez
Paiz childrens hospital and Antonio Lennin Foseca general hospital. Currently, the public
hospitals are not able to provide appropriate burn therapy dressings for the burn patients.
The patients are referred by their doctor to the W/NP office on Tuesday and Saturday’s where
the Learning Center volunteers make the burn dressings.

41. Carlos and Rafael are brothers who work in
a sugarcane field in their hometown.
Last December 23, there was a big fire in
the field while they were working. Both
brothers were trapped in the flames, unable
to escape. Ninety percent of their skin was
burned off due to this fire, and they had
nowhere to turn for help. Five months after
this devastating accident happened, Doctor
Leandro Perez sent them to the
Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partner’s office to
receive therapy dressings. Carlos and
Rafael received gloves, sleeves, vests and
pant dressing pieces.
These brothers’ continuous persistence
inspired everyone around them. Wisconsin
Nicaragua Partners enjoyed their jokes and
encouraging dispositions in the midst of
such tough hardship and misfortune.
German, who happened to be receiving his
hand dressing the same time as Carlos and
Rafael, heard first hand from these two
gentlemen how much quicker his burn
would heal from the therapy dressings.

43. Therapy Dressing Project

44. Carlos, 17, was hit by an electrical cable of 13,000 watts while he was walking on
the roof of his house, his left arm, chest and legs were burned.
“Included in this report, is the acknowledgment and appreciation of Lynda Pracht’s efforts
with the Chica Nica Project. The advanced sewing skills acquired through sewing the Chica
Nica doll dresses have contributed to the quality construction of burn dressing garments. The
Chica Nica project has 35 members from different Learning Centers and four ladies from
Chica Nica are part of therapy dressing project staff. Quality control workshops provided by
Lynda Pracht for 14 years have given the women opportunity to put into practice these past
four months how to make masks, gloves, pants, shirts, sleeves, foot and ankle leggings, and
different parts of the body garments that burn patients need to wear after the initial treatment
and during the healing process”

45. Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners Therapy Dressing Project Update
In 4 months, since the project started, the volunteer staff in coordination with Doctor Leandro has
provided services to 51 people.
200 garments have made and every patient is a challenge as some need more than one garment and
some of their affected areas are difficult to fit. The process to fit and make the garments can take up
to 2 hours or more if needed.
Opportunity knocks: make a financial donation at www.wisnic.org to help buy materials
Gerardo, 22, has a broken arm and 46 % of his body has third degree burns.

46. Visiting our Partner Country
- Nicaragua

47. Traveling in Nicaragua……

48. Exploring family
businesses

50. Nicaragua has simply delicious
food of all types!

51. “It is also in our interest to help a neighbor in need. It renews
our soul. It lifts our collective spirit. I believe to whom much
is given, much is required. We’ve been given a lot as a
nation, and therefore, I believe we’re required to help – help
people realize their potential.”
President Bush, July 9, 2007

52. What can you do?
Become a member of W/NP
Share your knowledge with a training workshop – either
you go there or bring some Nicaraguan firefighters here.
Learn about our Partner Country, its people and its culture
Gather medical and EMS supplies
Buy and ambulance or fire truck
Involve your local hospital, get a contact and pick up
excess supplies as they are available
Organize a local Partner City chapter
Donate money
Working together, we make a difference

53. Room 129 Nelson
Hall, UWSP
Stevens Point, WI
54481
715-346-4702
www.wisnic.org
wnp@uwsp.edu
Michael.Curtis@ministryhealth.org