Lifting up through learning

The Learning Centers in Nicaragua are off to a great start for 2018.   The first monthly meeting was held in January where the basic rules to open or improve the functioning of a W/NP Learning Centers are explained, such as:   

1) Fill out your form

2) Attend or send a delegate to monthly meetings and trainings

3) Make quarterly reports and deliver it to the office

4) Pay your membership of $5.00 per year.

With the participation of the leaders, the calendar was prepared for the monthly meetings of the whole year for 2018(see photo).  Working together, the classes to be developed were selected for the corresponding meetings and requests for required materials formulated. 

The following evaluation and feedback information was taken into consideration for preparing 2018 activities:

All workshops organized by WNP are important because it strengthens our capabilities, teaches us to optimize the materials that are donated to us. It allows to socialize and exchange experience, to improve our communication and allow us to create self-employment.

All learning activities are very important because we learn many good things to improve our work, get ahead and support the community. We now can develop our own projects.

Wisconsin Nicaragua Partners is the place where we learn new things and share experiences with the leaders. In each meeting we are informed with all the activities that we can develop in our communities.

We have done great activities for our communities, somehow, we have helped them to change their lives, to challenge themselves and the most import thing is to help each other.

Thank you for your interest and continued support, we look forward to sharing regular updates with you during 2018.

“Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow's reality"  — Malala Yousafzai

Each monthly Learning Center meeting is special and October was no exception. 29 Learning Centers were represented at the October 28th gathering.  Beauty class Professor María brought her students to the meeting and changed the leaders looks by doing a fantastic job with complimentary manicures, pedicures and hairstyle techniques. “The arrangement of my hair came at the time I needed. I liked it! Thanks to Maria and her students.”

The meeting began with a prayer asking God to illuminate understanding and the group sang the mañanitas (Happy Birthday song) for Leonor´s birthday. The handcrafting activity of making ribbon ties was presented by Instructor Petronila.  Information was shared on how to join in the 2017 Bike/Hike on December 16th in Catarina (see photos, as this just happened this past weekend as was scheduled!). Apiculture training was held in Tipitapa, two of the Learning Centers in attendance confirmed the information to be very useful and interesting. 

The Learning Centers in attendance were reminded and encouraged to submit an annual report at year-end. The reports provide needed documentation and help to highlight the activities of the whole Learning Center Program coordinated through Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners. 

The monthly gathering concludes with a time for evaluation and comments from meeting participants:

“New knowledge was giving to us, thanks to donors and the organization.”

“It was simple and practical elaboration. We are able to share this knowledge now with our community.”

“Thank you very much for this activity. We had a very attentive teacher.  We can have better income if want to have our own business.”

“I ended up beautiful, very attentive and professional work was done thanks to Mara Elena. We had haircuts and straighten hair to have beautiful looks. We were provided with brochures about cake decorations for those who need to take a photocopy to teach at the centers.”

“As always I helped in the kitchen area. In addition, I participated in the Beekeeping activities. I congratulated Doña Chepita because we learned to make soap with honey garlic ginger.”

 “We are doing fundraising by selling brochures to learn the pinch with a cost of 10.00 Cordobas   (US$ 0.33). WNP will be benefited with the activity.”

Thank you for your interest and support to the Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners Learning Center program, working together, we make a difference.

Links:

• More Learning Center reports in English and Spanish