Dos Pueblos New York Tipitapa Sister City Project Inc

NEWSLETTER: DOS PUEBLOS PUBLISHES A NEWSLETTER THAT INCLUDES REPORTS ON CURRENT SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL NEWS FROM NICARAGUA, REPORTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF PARTICULAR PROJECTS FUNDED BY DOS PUEBLOS, DELEGATION TRAVEL REPORTS, UPDATES FROM COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, AND EDUCATIONAL ARTICLES ABOUT ISSUES AND EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES RELEVANT TO NICARAGUA. IN 2018, DOS PUEBLOS CONTINUED TO DISTRIBUTE AN ISSUE OF ITS NEWSLETTER TO OVER 2,000 PEOPLE. THE MAILING LIST INCLUDES ACADEMICS, DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS, DONORS, AND PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE REGION. THE NEWSLETTER IS ROUTINELY POSTED ON THE DOS PUEBLOS WEBSITE (WWW.TIPITAPA.ORG), AND IS MAILED TO EACH SUPPORTER.COMMUNITY EVENTS: DOS PUEBLOS HOSTS FORUMS, CONCERTS, DELEGATION TRIP REPORTS, AND SPECIAL EVENTS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT NICARAGUA AND TO RAISE MONEY TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS IN TIPITAPA IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE-TO PEOPLE EXCHANGES BETWEEN NEW YORK AND NICARAGUA.DELEGATION TRIPS: DURING 2018, OVER 25 U.S. RESIDENTS TRAVELED TO TIPITAPA UNDER THE AUSPICES OF DOS PUEBLOS. BOARD MEMBERS AND INTERESTED PEOPLE/YOUTH TRAVELED AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE TO MEET AND COLLABORATE WITH COUNTERPARTS IN NICARAGUA. CHILDRENS LEARNING CENTERS: IN 2018, DOS PUEBLOS CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT FOUR CHILDRENS LIBRARIES THAT PROVIDE, BOOKS, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH AWARENESS TO OVER 2000 KIDS EVERY WEEK. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO SUPPORT SCHOOL READINESS AND RECREATION, FROM PRESCHOOLERS TO SCHOOL AGE KIDS UP TO 18 YEARS OLD, AS WELL AS PREVENT HIGH-RISK BEHAVIOR. DOS PUEBLOS ADDED A FIFTH LIBRARY IN 2016, IN THE COMMUNITY OF CHILAMATILLO, DESIGNED BY A LOCAL ARCHITECT. DOS PUEBLOS MAINTAINS THIS STRUCTURE, COORDINATING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE REPAIRS DURING DELEGATION TRIPS AND AS NEEDED, USING SUSTAINABLE METHODS INCLUDING ADOBE BRICK AND PLASTER. THE SURROUNDING QUARTER ACRE AROUND THIS LIBRARY HOSTS AN ORGANIC GARDEN, GROWING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO SHARE IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP INCREASE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS. OUR DOS PUEBLOS VOLUNTEERS WORK DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TO INCORPORATE A LONG-TERM STRATEGIC PLAN TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTH AND EDUCATION THAT PROMOTES POSITIVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.POTABLE WATER: DOS PUEBLOS PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO COMMUNITIES FOR THE PURCHASE OF PIPES, PUMPS, TANKS AND OTHER SUPPLIES NECESSARY TO OBTAIN POTABLE WATER, AS LONG AS THE COMMUNITIES ARE ORGANIZED TO PROVIDE VOLUNTEER LABOR (SWEAT EQUITY) AND CAN CONTINUE PLANS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS RECEIVE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM THE MUNICIPALITY TO ASSURE THAT THE POTABLE WATER SYSTEM IS CONSTRUCTED TO THE LEVEL OF LOCAL REGULATORY STANDARDS. THE COTTONWOOD FOUNDATION SUPPORTED DOS PUEBLOS' POTABLE WATER PROJECTS IN 15 UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN TIPITAPA'S TIMAL ZONE, FROM 2004 TILL 2012, WHEN THE FOUNDATION CLOSED; SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE INTENSIFIED OUR OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUAL DONORS TO FUND OUR ONGOING CLEAN WATER PROJECTS. IN 2016, A NEW WELL WAS DUG IN THE COMMUNITY OF MARVIN SALAZAR, PROVIDING WATER FOR HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS. IN 2017, WE RAISED THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO REFOREST THE AREA AROUND THE WELL. THE COMMUNITY HAS MAINTAINED THE GARDEN AND HAS SEEN THESE PLANTS THRIVE. WE HOPED TO DISTRIBUTE OVER $3500 IN FUNDS FOR A WATER TANK FOR SAFE STORAGE AT THIS SAME WELL. DUE TO THE CURRENT POLITICAL CRISIS, HOWEVER, THE COMMUNITY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE THE MATERIALS FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE TANK ITSELF. OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS HAVE MAINTAINED CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND WE HOPE TO BREAK GROUND AS SOON AS TRANSPORTATION AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS HAVE STABILIZED ENOUGH TO RESUME THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING AND INSTALLING THE NEW TANK.IN JANUARY 2018, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRAVELED TO VARIOUS COMMUNITIES IN TIPITAPA TO EVALUATE THE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND NEEDS IN THOSE AREAS. WITH THE HELP OF OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, DOS PUEBLOS WILL MAKE A PLAN TO IMPLEMENT A NEW WATER SYSTEM IN ONE OF THESE COMMUNITIES IN 2019. COMMUNITY EDUCATION: MEMBERS OF DOS PUEBLOS AND ITS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS ARE CONTINUALLY EDUCATING THEMSELVES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES ABOUT PROVISIONS OF TRADE AGREEMENTS, AND THE IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON POOR PEOPLE AND THE UNEMPLOYED. LOCAL VOLUNTEERS WORK CLOSELY WITH OTHER NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS SERVING THE TIPITAPA COMMUNITY TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN NICARAGUA.ORGANIZING FOR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPSADULTS AND TEENS: DOS PUEBLOS CONTINUES TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS THAT SUPPORT EDUCATION, HEALTH, WORKERS EFFORTS, WOMENS RIGHTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS THAT LEAD TO BETTER ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES IN TIPITAPA. SINCE 2013, A GROUP OF ABOUT 20 NEW YORK CITY TEENS AND 20 NICARAGUAN TEENS MEET IN TIPITAPA IN FEBRUARY TO ADDRESS COMPLEX SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT THEM. (IN 2017, WE EXPANDED THIS PROGRAM WITH A SECOND TRIP IN APRIL. DUE TO THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN NICARAGUA, AND THE US STATE DEPARTMENT WARNING AGAINST TRAVEL, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MAKE THAT TRIP THIS YEAR.) WE STRONGLY BELIEVE IN EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY HAVE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE IN GLOBAL SOCIAL ISSUES, MAKING THEM EFFECTIVE AND EMPATHETIC FUTURE LEADERS.