By connecting children and families of La Chureca to sponsors in the in US, MPI-Nicaragua's child sponsorship program aims to treat malnourishment and related health problems as well as raise awareness about conditions in this trash dump community.  With the help of generous donors and the hard work of past and present program directors, this program has grown substantially to treat more children in more ways.  Entering the program's third year of operation, current MPI-Nicaragua volunteers seek to follow in the footsteps of past members and continue contributing to the betterment of these people in need.  Read on to become familiar with the program and to see what's new with child sponsorship. 

Child Sponsorship: A Brief Overview

"Established in 1978 as the official dump site of the city of Managua, the community of La Chureca is currently home to an estimated 182 families literally living among the trash.  Sustenance for these people is often provided by food items arriving daily from garbage trucks as well as fish caught from the highly contaminated waters of Lake Managua, on the shores of which the community sits.  After spending time here and witnessing the need for something to be done about the resulting malnourishment and related health problems of the children, MPI's first health team initiated the child sponsorship program in 2004.  By seeking sponsors to fund nourishment and medical needs of these children, this program enables people in the US to become a part of a child's life in order to both meet the needs of La Chureca and raise awareness abroad of the situations faced here.'

Current Operation

"Currently, MPI-Nicaragua's child sponsorship program now assists 46 children, each of whom are given a small gift on their birthday, as well as milk, iron-enriched vitamins, and oatmeal once a month.  In order to create a sense of responsibility within the community, mothers are required to attend weekly health talks to "earn" food while at the same time equipping themselves with information that may lead to better health for their families.  Working in close conjunction with Esmeralda, head nurse at the local Funjofudess clinic, affectionately called "Esmo," current program directors visit the site twice a week in order to facilitate MPI's community presence and build beneficial personal relationships between PDs and local families.  In addition, once a month, all seven current MPI-Nicaragua program directors descend upon the clinic for two days a week to take heights, weights, and pictures of the children, as well as distribute milk, vitamins, and oatmeal.'

Recent Developments

"In August, a group led by Dr. Roger Patnode from North Country Mission of Hope came to La Chureca in August to test community members for abnormal levels of lead poisoning, a common problem due to the food sources here.  Though several members of the community, including children in the child sponsorship program, were found to have high levels of lead in their blood, MPI is happy to report that none of the levels required immediate hospitalization.  In addition, MPI looks forward to using the results to work with local physicians to construct an epidemiological map of the community.  We also look forward to working with North Country Mission of Hope again in February to follow up on the people who were tested.'

"Due to a continuing cooperation between MPI and the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health, talks have included information on breast feeding and soy-based nutrition.  By pursuing soy initiative, in which soybeans would be sold at the local clinic for zero profit along with information about soy related food preparation, Manna members hope to provide residents of the community with a safe alternative to the harmful food sources encountered in the garbage as well as in Lake Nicaragua."

          - From Matt Crozier, current Nicaragua program director.

SPONSOR-  If you'd like to help MPI's Child Sponsorship program or if you want to sponsor a child yourself, contact childsponsor@mannaproject.org.

RAZOO-  Razoo.com has extended its $10,000 Change Your World Contest deadline to October 1st. That means two and a half more weeks to get more people signed up for Manna's group and help our chances of winning!

VOLUNTEER- Interested in volunteering abroad for 4 to 11 months? Know someone else who is? We're still looking for long-term volunteers at our Nicaragua site. To learn more, download the volunteer handbook and application or go check out our opportunities online.

SEPTEMBER 10- It's a girl!  Amanda and Tomás Gutierrez have a baby girl, Samantha Denise.  Also, happy birthday to Nica program director Erin Duncan!

SEPTEMBER 13- Today in history:

   1609- Henry Hudson reached the river that would later bear his name.

   1985- Super Mario Bros., the best selling video game of all time, was                               released for the Nintendo Entertainment System.