Volcanoes, bananas, beauty and poverty in Nicaragua

ST James the Great, Radley, is linked to Nicaragua through the work of Seed Inter-national Fund Trust (SIFT),which we support. In addition, Margaret Norgett and I are trustees of SIFT. It was in this connection that we visited Nicaragua for two weeks in April.

Now peaceful, Nicaragua is the largest and poorest country in Central America. It is a land of volcanoes, many of which are still active. Fruit abounds and, by western standards, is incredibly cheap. A bunch of 50 delicious bananas cost us 60p. It is a country of outstanding beauty with both a Caribbean and a Pacific coast, and Lake Nicaragua with its tropical islands. But is also a country of great poverty. On the Caribbean Coast, for instance, there is98% unemployment.

SIFT is a small Christian aid agency, seeking to bring help to this needy nation. SIFT sponsors children through school, whose parents cannot afford the small state charge. It helps support an orphanage of 70 children in the capital Managua.
On the island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua SIFT is buildings even medical clinics and paying for the training of nurses to run them. We also have a feeding programme there for the most malnourished children, and have a scheme of sustainable livelihoods. In this we lend money to individuals to start a small enterprise, which is repaid in time and then lent out again. In addition, SIFT has taken up the cause of fishermen who are being thrown off their islands in Lake Nicaragua where they have lived for generations, as these islands are being sold to rich Nicaraguans and outsiders. We have just purchased 26 acres of land on a peninsula in the lake tore house these fishermen.

Let me introduce you to three people who we met:

• Isaac lives on the side of an enormous rubbish tip. His pathetically small shack with leaks in the roof, houses him, his wife and four children in one room. He had his foot blown off by amine and SIFT has paid for him to have an artificial one, but he struggles to feed his family.

• Marie (aged 9) was at the twice weekly feeding programme. As visitors we had given out sweets to the 50 children – a rare treat. Marie’s brother arrived late while a story was being told. I saw her look at her one precious sweet and hand it over to her brother.

• Carlos (aged 10) leads his family ox every day 3miles there and back to the nearest well to fetch water. SIFT hopes to put in piped water to the 30,000 people on Ometepe.

If you are interested in learning more about the work of SIFT, please contact me for a brochure(01235 532860) or look at our website: www.seedtrust.com