“Now?” the kids ask, more than two hours before homework and reading hour. “How many more minutes?” We were told Nicaragua didn't have a culture of reading, but after just a few weeks with access to books, some had read almost all the picture books. Even children who don't yet know how to read (or tell time!) come to listen to stories read by one of us or by an older peer, make up their own stories, or practice writing numbers or drawing shapes. (Visit our wish list here to give them more books to read! Used copies are just as good as new ones!)
In this post, we'll try to give a brief overview of the progress since the last blog. In the future, we'll try to write updates more frequently in order to give you more details and shorter posts.
Here is a rough sketch of the progress we've made: we finished the most basic and essential security and electrical improvements, celebrated the inauguration of the program, began a homework and reading hour five days a week, started two (now three) Radio and Digital Arts classes with youth ages 9 to17, hosted two all-day workshops—one on youth rights and another on recycled material artisanship—presented Podcasts for Peace to several US and Canadian youth delegations, held two fundraising raffles, and took the participants on three field trips (one to a local library/museum, one to a youth-focused library, and another to a recycled material artisanship fair). Local artists painted the lovely logo that appears on the Podcasts for Peace facade, designed by Rosalie Z Fanshel.
In this post, we'll try to give a brief overview of the progress since the last blog. In the future, we'll try to write updates more frequently in order to give you more details and shorter posts.
Here is a rough sketch of the progress we've made: we finished the most basic and essential security and electrical improvements, celebrated the inauguration of the program, began a homework and reading hour five days a week, started two (now three) Radio and Digital Arts classes with youth ages 9 to17, hosted two all-day workshops—one on youth rights and another on recycled material artisanship—presented Podcasts for Peace to several US and Canadian youth delegations, held two fundraising raffles, and took the participants on three field trips (one to a local library/museum, one to a youth-focused library, and another to a recycled material artisanship fair). Local artists painted the lovely logo that appears on the Podcasts for Peace facade, designed by Rosalie Z Fanshel.
The weekly movie screenings continue to be a hit. Jamileth Chavarria, who worked at a feminist radio station, gave two workshops on gender roles and left us with a wealth of resources for making radio programs, and Guissel, one of Yamileth's daughters, has started hip hop dance classes three times a week. Last week, a local university student named Zamir started English classes that will take place three days a week, and Luis Carlo began teaching the Radio and Digital Arts students basic computer skills, which will allow them to edit their projects themselves in the future.
At the all-day recycled material artisanship workshop last Sunday, about 50 people, mainly youth, learned how to make wallets out of milk and juice cartons, purses and coin bags out of soda can openers, and earrings out of potato chip bags and soda bottles, thanks to the expert instruction of several members of Cooperative El Parche Giftshop in Granada. To make the workshop possible, members of the Podcasts for Peace Community Support Team (Equipo de Apoyo) spent hours in the market (Mercado Oriental) under torential rain buying more than 250 pounds of food, chairs, and other su pplies for the workshop and the program in general. Mayquelin went to meet the instructors, Yamileth rented more chairs and tables, we set up the space, and in Adelina's house next door, a group worked for several hours to prepare the lunch for the attendees.
At the all-day recycled material artisanship workshop last Sunday, about 50 people, mainly youth, learned how to make wallets out of milk and juice cartons, purses and coin bags out of soda can openers, and earrings out of potato chip bags and soda bottles, thanks to the expert instruction of several members of Cooperative El Parche Giftshop in Granada. To make the workshop possible, members of the Podcasts for Peace Community Support Team (Equipo de Apoyo) spent hours in the market (Mercado Oriental) under torential rain buying more than 250 pounds of food, chairs, and other su pplies for the workshop and the program in general. Mayquelin went to meet the instructors, Yamileth rented more chairs and tables, we set up the space, and in Adelina's house next door, a group worked for several hours to prepare the lunch for the attendees.
This is only one example of how vital the community Support Team is. Every Sunday afternoon we meet to discuss the successes, challenges, and to plan upcoming events. Members of the Team supervise during reading and homework hour, accompany us during field trips, and help us resolve conflicts among the participants.
But it hasn't all been easy. The challenge Podcasts for Peace currently faces is that despite the tremendous efforts from the Support Team, there is still not enough community support to make the project sustainable. James and I currently serve as the program coordinators, media class instructors, supervisors, tutors, and librarians for homework and reading hour, program treasurers, grant writers, and housekeepers, and are also in charge of publicity and outreach efforts. This means late nights, a stressful workload, and the frustrating deferral of many important tasks (such as publishing student work and keeping the website up to date for our supporters and collaborators) in favor of more urgent tasks (lesson planning, catching students up on classes they miss, and preparation for weekend workshops). Expanded community involvement—especially from the parents of participants—is currently the most critical objective for Podcasts for Peace, but it is also one of the most challenging, as community and Support Team members have full-time jobs and other responsibilities that prevent them from volunteering as much as they would like. To address these issues, we are going to hold a meeting tomorrow for parents and adults in the community to explain what the program is about and to ask for more support. We will also continue to take time for critical reflection and strategic planning with the Community Support Team.
But it hasn't all been easy. The challenge Podcasts for Peace currently faces is that despite the tremendous efforts from the Support Team, there is still not enough community support to make the project sustainable. James and I currently serve as the program coordinators, media class instructors, supervisors, tutors, and librarians for homework and reading hour, program treasurers, grant writers, and housekeepers, and are also in charge of publicity and outreach efforts. This means late nights, a stressful workload, and the frustrating deferral of many important tasks (such as publishing student work and keeping the website up to date for our supporters and collaborators) in favor of more urgent tasks (lesson planning, catching students up on classes they miss, and preparation for weekend workshops). Expanded community involvement—especially from the parents of participants—is currently the most critical objective for Podcasts for Peace, but it is also one of the most challenging, as community and Support Team members have full-time jobs and other responsibilities that prevent them from volunteering as much as they would like. To address these issues, we are going to hold a meeting tomorrow for parents and adults in the community to explain what the program is about and to ask for more support. We will also continue to take time for critical reflection and strategic planning with the Community Support Team.
Another goal, which you can help us with, is to get some more books for the kids. Please take a look at the Podcasts for Peace wish list here (remember, used copies are fine).
Thank you for keeping up with our work here in Nicaragua!
Abrazos,
James and Mika
P.S. Check out our updated gallery and participants pages!
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