mission driven: life and building a school in nicaragua

Images of NicaraguaJeanine Stewart Lupisella ’87/ MS ’92 and her family spent a month in El Sauce helping

to build an elementary school and celebrated its grand opening Feb. 11, 2012. Here are some of their experiences living with families and working with the community.

Images of NicaraguaLas Minitas, School Construction

Las Minitas is a small mountain community outside of El Sauce. Residents lobbied the government for four years to obtain a permanent teacher for their children in elementary school. First, the teacher taught in a yard. Fathers then used salvaged wood to build a shelter.

Geneseo alumni, staff, students and many members of the public and friends raised more than $11,000 to build a permanent school.

The10-mile ride from El Sauce to Las Minitas took over an hour due to the steep incline and rough terrain.

A small truck was used to ferry people, materials and supplies to the top of the mountain.

The school that was replaced was a simple structure made of wood beams and an aluminum roof.

The school had a dirt floor, a dilapidated white board, and desks in need of repair.

The new school was built upon the old school. The old school structure was utilized for shade as long as possible.

Rebar was used to reinforce the concrete columns and support beams.

Four lengths of rebar were joined together using rectangular supports, and then tied together using metal twist ties.

The first week was devoted to digging the foundation and constructing the rebar supports for the concrete columns.

All the water used during construction came from a nearby well.

The water was pumped through a long hose and then carried in buckets up to the building site.

Water was used to soak the bricks before they were laid down.

Everyone of all ages helped bring the bricks from the brick pile to the masons.

Once the foundation was completed, the brick walls went up rather quickly.

Throughout construction, the walls needed to be kept moist. Water was poured over the walls frequently.

Once the wall was a specified height, concrete was then poured down chutes to create the main support beams.

Special care was taken to prepare the wall in the front of the school.

Sand, stone and cement were used to make concrete and mortar.

Digging the school’s latrine took more than two days to reach the correct depth.

After leaving Nicaragua, the floor, roof, windows and doors were installed.

Before

After

Before

After

At the grand opening ceremony on Feb. 11, 2012, the students were immediately drawn to the new books which were on the shelves. Volunteers were able to outfit the school with books, wall maps and other resources often not available in schools.

Everyone celebrating the grand opening, which included speeches, performances and a skit.

Images of NicaraguaEl

SauceWe lived with Alida in the village of El Sauce when we were not in Minitas constructing the school. She is one of several host families with whom Geneseo students and volunteers stay with during service-learning and academic trips. At night, we attended the English class organized by Geneseo.

Images of NicaraguaLas

Minitas

Images of NicaraguaThe School Promotion Ceremony

Families in Las Minitas celebrated promotion from first grade while we were in Nicaragua. We were excited to join in the event, and the community party that community leader Gustavo Martinez held. It was the final event held in the old school before the shelter was torn down and replaced.

Kids used to have to walk to another settlement to attend classes.

Images of Nicaragua

Coffee Production

Members of the Los Altos de Ocotal cooperative who are building tourism in El Sauce are mainly subsistence farmers, growing enough to eat for their families. They also raise coffee and live in the traditional way – no electricity or machine-based production. Everything is hand harvested, roasted, ground and bagged.