Bainbridge-Ometepe Sister Islands Association

WE ENCOURAGE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, EDUCATION, FRIENDSHIP, AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES BETWEEN BAINBRIDGE (US) AND OMETEPE (NICARAGUA) ISLANDS. OUT OF FRIENDSHIP, WE HELP OMETEPE COMMUNITIES IN EDUCATION, HEALTH, LIVELIHOOD, AND COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS.

EDUCATION: WE SUPPORT STUDENTS IN COLLEGE WITH SCHOLARSHIPS, AND WE SUPPORT LEARNING FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS, INCLUDING BLIND, DEAF, AND MOBILITY-CHALLENGED PEOPLE. IN ITS 32ND YEAR, COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS HELPED OVER 60 STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED FROM OMETEPE HIGH SCHOOLS TO STUDY IN NICARAGUAN UNIVERSITIES. STUDENTS ARE SELECTED AND MONITORED BY COMMITTEES IN THE 9 COMMUNITIES ON OMETEPE WHICH HAVE HIGH SCHOOLS AND RECEIVE STIPENDS OF UP TO $95 A MONTH TO ASSIST THEM WITH THE COSTS OF THEIR UNIVERSITY EDUCATION. FUNDING IS ALSO PROVIDED FOR COLLEGE SENIORS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THE ADDITIONAL WORK REQUIRED FOR A DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS. WE FUND AN INTERPRETER FOR DEAF STUDENTS, AND WITH HER HELP, WE TEACH SIGN LANGUAGE TO DEAF STUDENTS. WE FUND TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS BLIND PEOPLE, AND TEACH THEM BRAILLE AND MOBILITY STRATEGIES. FOR ALL STUDENTS, BUT PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE CHALLENGED BY MOBILITY ISSUES, WE FUND COSTS FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR THEM TO ACCESS WHAT IS OFFERED. IN THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH, WE FUND THE SALARY OF A FULL-TIME PSYCHOLOGIST TO EDUCATE, SUPPORT, AND GIVE THERAPY TO COMBAT SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND SUICIDE, ALL OF WHICH ARE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS ON OMETEPE. WE ALSO PAY FOR HER TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH HER EFFORTS. WE ALSO SUPPORT EXTRA-ACADEMIC NEEDS (CLOTHING, SCHOOL SUPPLIES) FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND A CLASS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD THEIR EDUCATION DELAYED TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE TOO OLD TO BE WITH THEIR PEERS.

THESE EXPENSES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE OMETEPE OFFICE. THE OFFICE SCREENS, COORDINATES, AND MONITORS ALL OF BOSIA'S ACTIVITIES AND FUNDING REQUESTS ON OMETEPE. INCLUDED IN THIS EXPENSE IS THE SALARY OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF BOSIA'S EFFORTS AND PRESENCE ON OMETEPE. OTHER OFFICE EXPENSES INCLUDE UTILITIES PAYMENTS, RENT, SUPPLIES, AND OTHER SUCH EXPENSES. ALSO INCLUDED HERE ARE MONTHLY STIPENDS FOR A BAINBRIDGE RESIDENT TO HELP IN THE OFFICE. THE TOTAL EXPENSE IN THIS CATEGORY IS MORE THAN THE #3 ENTRY IN THIS SECTION (ABOVE), BUT THIS CATEGORY INCLUDES A VARIETY OF ELEMENTS, AND GENERAL SUPPORT OF ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS.

TRAVEL: AFTER A FEW YEARS WHEN COVID AND POLITICAL UNREST IN NICARAGUA STOPPED TRAVEL BETWEEN OUR TWO COMMUNITIES, 2023 WAS THE FIRST YEAR IN WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO SEND A GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO OMETEPE TO SPEND TIME IN TWO COMMUNITIES ON THE ISLAND, WORKING ON PROJECTS AND STAYING IN LOCAL HOMES WITH FAMILIES. ALSO, TWO STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE OMETEPE OFFICE TRAVELED TO BAINBRIDGE. WE ALSO SUPPORTED THE TRAVEL COSTS OF AN ADULT FROM BAINBRIDGE ISLAND WHO LIVED ON OMETEPE FOR 8 MONTHS HELPING IN OUR OFFICE WITH OUR PROGRAMS AND WITH COMMUNICATION BACK TO THE BOARD. IT WAS EXCITING HAT WE WERE ONCE AGAIN SUPPORTING THE BUILDING OF PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF OUR TWO COMMUNITIES.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT: FOR COFFEE GROWERS ON OMETEPE: PRODUCTION OF COFFEE ON OMETEPE, WHICH WE BUY, IMPORT, ROAST, AND SELL IN THE US, WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY FUNGAL DISEASE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SPRAYING, FERTILIZATION, AND INTRODUCTION OF NEW PLANTS TO TRY TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE COFFEE CROP. WE FUND A FULL-TIME AGRONOMIST TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS. FOR COMMUNITY NEEDS AND PROJECTS: THESE ARE BROUGHT TO OUR OFFICE ON OMETEPE BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND APPROVED AND FUNDED IF THEY SHOW VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE WITH US IN THE SUCCESS OF THEIR PROJECTS, USUALLY THROUGH THEIR LABOR.