Responding to Hunger in Nicaragua

Friday, March 31, A.D. 2006

One of the beautiful ways Week of Compassion works is through our ecumenical and international partnerships. As you know, Week of Compassion responds around the world around the year. We are only able to do so in conjunction with our cherished partner organizations and churches. Since its inception in 1999, Foods Resource Bank (FRB), an ecumenical Christian organization committed to alleviating world hunger, has been one of our close partners. FRB focuses on “food security” programs. Food security refers to the ability and access of people to produce enough food to provide for their own needs and the basic needs of their family. In other words, FRB focuses on assisting people in feeding themselves. FRB, like Week of Compassion, relies on other partner organizations to respond to hunger and poverty.

Since March 1994, Week of Compassion has been the lead funder of an FRB food security project with the Council of Protestant Churches (CEPAD) in Nicaragua. We are supporting the Rural Women’s Development Program, one of the many FRB food security programs to which we contribute. Out of our deep respect and admiration of the Nicaraguan people and CEPAD specifically, we have been delighted to accompany these women as they struggle to confront poverty, violence, and political oppression. The Rural Women’s Development Program project seeks to contribute to the food security of 170 rural women of limited economic resources and their families who live in highly vulnerable areas and are affected by economic crisis, natural phenomenon and problems of gender inequity. “These women come from humble homes with a high level of domestic abuse as a result of our society’s patriarchal culture,” states Damaris Albuquerque of CEPAD. "In addition, they have low levels of educational and cultural development, with scarce access to training, technical assistance and credit. There is a very low level of participation by women in the community, almost no involvement in leadership, and lack of participation in the decision-making process.”

Leonor Velásquez is just one of the many women who have benefited from this program. Having had no previous education, Leonor now has the agricultural skills and training in environmental protection she needs to maintain her own garden. She has also planted a variety of fruit tree seeds, including mango, mandarin oranges, cashew fruit, and banana. She grows squash, spearmint, and cilantro. Her hens no longer wander around, but are kept in hen houses that guarantee their health and security to prevent illnesses. Leonor thanks the animal health and hygiene workshops, received through this project, for this achievement. “Now I am not one of those people who waits for others to do things, but I do them and invite people to follow along, watching me,” she proudly says.

Thanks to the Rural Women’s Development Program, organized by FRB, supported by Week of Compassion, and facilitated by CEPAD, Leonor is now providing food security for her family and is a leader in her community, modeling for other women how to do the same.

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Disciples Habitat Home Builds to Begin for Evacuee Families

As part of the Disciples' commitment to long-term recovery work in the aftermath of the '05 hurricane season, Week of Compassion is working with Habitat for Humanity and the Office of Disciples Volunteering to build a number of "Disciples" Habitat homes for hurricane evacuee families. The first two builds are now scheduled for June 2006. Disciples volunteer groups and individuals are needed.

The first is a "weekends-only" build with the Nashville, TN Habitat affiliate and is a special partnership with Nashville Disciples. Housing is available. For details and scheduling, contact John Carpenter at 615.584.7078 or 615.782.0100, or email jcarpenter@carpenterwright.com.

The second build is in partnership with the Lauderdale County, MS Habitat affiliate and First Christian Church, Meridian, MS. 15-20 persons per week can be accomodated. For details and scheduling, contact Sarai Ann Webb at 601.483.1200 or 601.917.6224, or email sarai@thomaswebb.com.

Additional "Disciples" Habitat builds are planned throughout the Gulf South later in the fall. For more information and scheduling on these and other volunteer opportunities, please contact the Office of Disciples Volunteering at 317.713.2670 or 888.346.2631.