Thursday, May 20, 2010

Fresh from the Field: Nicaragua

At the end of March, I traveled to Nicaragua to visit with our partners CECOCAFEN and SOPPEXCCA. Both organizations manage education projects, and CECOCAFEN works with women’s microcredit and savings groups.

During the visit, I spoke with project participants, learned of their progress and the challenges that the people face on a daily basis and how they resolve them. As part of the groups’ efforts to improve their projects, I conducted a strategic planning workshop with project coordinators, cooperative managers and the presidents of local education committees. Each person contributed their unique vision of how to create a space for more collaborative work and use financial and human resources more efficiently.

It’s encouraging to support our partners as they work to create sustainable projects. By holding these meetings and looking at how to create a more efficient project, they take ownership and initiative.

Check out Flickr photos from our trip here…