From MPI-Nicaragua's Child
Sponsorship January Update:
As we enter into the dry season, the landscape throughout Nicaragua is starting to change. This change can be
seen and felt rather strongly
inside La Chureca. Although the
browning of leaves is hard to detect
in a place with so little vegetation, the scorching heat and blinding
dust are proving to be just as unforgiving as the November rains.
The change in season is accompanied by an increase in respiratory and skin problems. One of the biggest dangers comes from fires, many of
which ignite without warning as combustible chemicals in the dump get
exposed to the burning
temperatures.
Despite these challenges, there is plenty to be thankful for. I'm happy to inform you that our clinic in La Chureca is in the process of
getting a facelift. Within the next two weeks the clinic will have a new ceiling, new floors, a bigger pharmacy, and an additional
consultation room. These renovations will undoubtedly help us provide
increased services and better healthcare for the children in our program and the community at large.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some exciting news. The Spanish government has agreed to allocate €30 million to the
launch a project aimed at sealing the La Chureca waste disposal site.
The project is being headed by Deputy Prime Minister María Teresa Fernández de la Vega and the Spanish International Cooperation Agency
(AECID). The goal is to improve living conditions for the people who
live and work in the dump by offering
sustainable alternatives for the treatment of Managua's waste and totally sealing the dump. As of right
now, no specific plan of action has been released to indicate exactly when and how they will close off
the dump but as soon as more information becomes available, I will let you know.
All the best,
Marcela
marcela@mannaproject.org
Child Sponsorship Team
