San Carlos Community Thrives

Sharing a successful clean water project & inspiring the village of La Gallina

Having begun the community building process with PML Director of Community Development, Rosa Lira in 2016, San Carlos residents continue to advocate for education, health, safety, and housing issues. Rosa worked with the community to create committees to organize for change including a leadership council called OMEGAS (Organization of Women Entrepreneurs Advocating and Assessing Solutions) and a Water Committee.

San Carlos women counseled their neighbors in La Gallina and inspired them with the example of completing a clean water project. For a story about the work of the San Carlos Water Commission, click here to read "Well Done!"

PML started working in La Gallina in 2019. In 2020, during the pandemic, the mentees became the mentors: La Gallina residents shared their ideas for combating food insecurity with San Carlos residents. Ideas included setting up home-based business loans and learning new job skills to expand job opportunities and sources of income. After a series of meetings that included San Carlos and La Gallina representatives, they developed a plan and asked PML if they would provide funds for small business loans.

In December 2020, the San Carlos residents began to set up small business initiatives with $2,850 loans (from PML) to 21 women. La Gallina did the same and established $3,915 loans to 26 residents. A few of the women from San Carlos also participated in the baking class held in La Gallina.

Another successful initiative involved a group of San Carlos residents who learned basic medical procedures from the San Carlos Health Center doctor. The group includes a couple of university medical students who want more practice.  The goal is to support the Health Center staff by participating in vaccination campaigns and traveling to homes to monitor chronically ill patients.

YOUTH PIZZA BUSINESS

In an effort to generate income to cover educational expenses, 12 teens participated in a class for young entrepreneurs. It began with group dynamics activities and progressed to visualizing goals and organizing necessary steps. They carried out a market study, trained with a qualified cook. Rosa or intern Gabriela usually accompanied the teens. Seven of the teens were part of PML’s Youth Cultural Exchange (with Minnesota youth) in 2018 and are playing a strong leadership role. It is exciting that the exchange program strengthened the youth’s engagement in their community. Finally, with a donation from PML, the teens bought a pizza oven and cooking utensils. 

The teen-run pizza parlor has become a weekend hotspot. These young entrepreneurs serve as role models for the next generation and adults are duly impressed. 

One proud parent made the analogy of the tiny mustard seed becoming a mighty tree: from kids hanging out at a monthly PML youth group meeting, they have become business owners with marketable skills that will propel them into a successful future!

Making a dream come true - building a RECREATION AREA 

The San Carlos youth have been meeting since 2015. After a successful campaign to reduce student bus fare, they decided to tackle an ambitious dream—to acquire a safe, accessible place for recreation. Thanks to support from Minnesota donors and the Lake Minnetonka Excelsior Rotary Club, residents purchased some nearby farm land and materials to create a community recreation area in 2019. 

San Carlos boasts the following newly formed teams: children’s soccer, girls’ soccer, boys’ soccer and baseball, men’s baseball and women’s kickball. Not only does this provide healthy entertainment for the team members, but each team has its own fan base, so the wider community is also enriched. Neighboring residents from La Gallina, El Pilar and Los Mangos are often invited to play.

An oversight Operations Committee of teens is supported by girls’ soccer coach Yader Obando. The committee is charged with creating field and building policies, managing equipment use, and coordinating property maintenance.

The field has been a saving grace during the pandemic. It allows for the residents to gather outside, and provides a distraction during these worrying times.  Furthermore, they don’t have to travel in crowded public transportation into the city looking for leisure activities.

The whole community spent a weekend in September 2020 clearing weeds and manually digging post holes; most of this work was done by teenagers. They constructed a barbed wire fence as a temporary barrier to keep cattle out. 

The youth also decided to contact the electric company to ask if a light pole in the field could be moved. It prevented two teams from easily playing on the field at the same time. The electric company approved the relocation. However, two successive hurricanes hit the east coast of Nicaragua in November 2020 and resources were used to rebuild the electrical systems of damaged areas. The youth hope that the pole will be moved at some point. Likewise, the municipal government was willing to send out equipment to level a bumpy section of the field, but then the national budget and equipment were allocated for other purposes.

After careful consideration, the residents determined that protecting the recreational field is a priority. The residents will construct a concrete base with sturdy chain link fencing around the perimeter of the recreation area.

Future plans include building a concession stand/storage unit with a roof extension over a concrete base where community residents can meet, shielded from rain or sun. The community wants to build bleachers and a “dugout” (a small roofed structure to cover players). And there is a continuous need for uniforms and sports equipment.