Ladies of Las Chacaras crochet purses

Crocheted with 100% recycled plastic raffia

The language gap was easy to overcome with a crochet hook in hand. And the ladies of Las Chacaras were excited to learn another trade to enhance their skills and increase the possibilities of crafts to sell. A group of women from Colorado took a week out of their lives to teach them different crochet stitches, and 'tricks of the trade.' They also shared their hearts, and helped to cut plastic bags into strips for more 'yarn' to crochet more purses. Two months later ... the ladies mastered the skill well enough to make 30-40 purses for another group of women from Oregon, who have taken the purses to sell at their church ... just in time for Christmas.
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The purse above was crocheted in a little over one day, and has matching trim, satin lining and a zipper to keep contents secure. Helen carries it proudly and never misses an opportunity to show it and share the story.

Chickens in La Ceiba ... a new roost!

Friends and neighbors band together and deliver 100 chickens to their new location

Gamaliel made the physical transfer into the new coop

Manantial has contemplated moving the chickens from our original project to a new location for a month or two, and we finally accomplished it August 28th! Originally, ten members of two churches were beneficiaries of an egg business. But one-by-one the members found it increasingly difficult to work together - so much so that all but four chose to quit. They gave up their stake in the project because it was harder to manage their relationships than to manage the 100 chickens. We did not want to be referees in a continuing drama. The old saying ’one rotten apple’ applies. Rather than let the barrel spoil, we met with all ten to ask these original beneficiaries if they wanted to split the project 50 chickens in one place and 50 in another. One group (where the chicken house was located) decided to give it up entirely - all 100 chickens. Their vote was not unanimous. Four said yes to keep 50 chickens and only one said no. He is the owner of the property where the coop was located! He said he would no longer guard the chickens at night. He also said he wants to use the structure to raise pigs (for himself only). He tasted success and wanted to ‘go it alone’ - he did not want to share with others.

The members who took the 100 chickens to the new coop invited the four who did not want to quit the project to join them at the new location. Time will tell what their decision will be. For now, the chickens will lay 85-92 eggs per day in their new digs. We’ll show you pictures of the new chicken house soon.

Las Chacaras and La Ceiba update ...

Sandra makes the first sewing machine loan payment

Gerald and Melissa make jewelry in Las Chacaras

Holly takes pictures of the 'ladies' ...

The hens lay 85-90 eggs a day

The community of Las Chacaras is in full swing making jewelry and sewing purses. The pig pen is also half-way constructed, and we're no longer concerned with what we think is a reasonable time frame for its finish. We'll hear from the men when they're ready to make the next step! We're learning (though it isn't always easy).

Word has spread that purses are made in Las Chacaras, so buyers walk into this community to purchase them - making it unnecessary for the ladies to take the purses to the marketplace. They currently sew 24 purses a day, and have 'graduated' to a much nicer/more firm fabric ... which brings a better price AND doesn't require a layer of interfacing to make them stiff. The ladies have figured out price points and have made adjustments that improve the product, improve sales and improve margins. They are amazing! Most recently ALL 7 machines used for purses quit working entirely (rusted due to climate). The warranty covered the repairs, which were made yesterday. They're back in business and will use '3-in-1' oil to lube the machines in the future.
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Holly and Melissa visit the communities with us weekly ... and recently we all sat around a small table and made different styles of necklaces and bracelets, showing one another our creativeness (not really bragging, but excited for new ideas): "Look at this ... this is how I made it!" etc. While entranced in our own worlds, a GIANT GIANT!! butterfly landed on Melissa (I think it was a moth by the size of the body) and she became paralyzed ... mouth open ... no words came out. Gerald saved the day and gently removed it, and then we all went into laughter that comes from release of nerves. The picture above shows them after the hysteria (when we were able to hold a camera).

We visited La Ceiba and swept the soiled rice husks from the dirt floor and replaced them ... a task they do monthly. The hens are comfortable with humans in their space - and it was nice to lend a hand and experience their work. Last week we collected 60 eggs (with more laid and gathered later in the day). We no sooner put the eggs into "cajillas" (which hold 30 eggs each) than they were SOLD! Yesterday we wanted to buy a cajilla, and before we could ... a boy rode up on his bicycle and ordered 2 cajillas (60 eggs) ... and we lost out again! The eggs are selling as fast as they're laid. While we were there, it rained SO HARD that we took cover under a tin roof (the church structure) and we could NOT hear each other for 45 minutes when the downpour finally stopped.

Life is good ... and the people of these two commuinities are proud of their success (and we are too).

Purses in Portland

Ladies from Portland purchase purses from Nicaragua

A team from Portland (and Wisconsin!) watched the ladies of Las Chacaras sew a variety of purses while the team taught health (CHE) half days and helped build a pig pen the other half. The gals then brought the purses to their church in Portland and showed the work to the ladies there. And sold them all. Now the purses are more than 3,000 miles from their humble beginnings.

Soon the ladies in Las Chacaras will learn to make a different kind of bag ... one more "sustainable" and "eco-friendly" (from used plastic shopping bags). Stand by for this one. The idea was originally brought to us by a team from Clackamas County in Oregon. Crochet lessons begin soon.

Our first team teaches health (CHE) ...

Jann and Sheryl teach basic health care

Sheryl plays games with the kids
Adine helps with cement work for the pig pen
James documents the time ... a video is coming soon!
Jann and Sheryl also help with the pig pen (background)

Seth shared his birthday with a pinata for all the kids
His first toothbrush ever
Learning about (and coloring) germs
Washing hands and then seeing leftover germs still on your hands with the help of a black light

Clean water and basic health is a concern in third world countries. A team who believes clean water is a "right" of people everywhere taught five days in Las Chacaras. They addressed the children while their parents listened:). The children had fun while they learned about "germs," and then saw them under black light, reinforcing the need to wash hands and brush teeth more carefully. The team taught other basic health issues too - and took part of their day to help the locals build a pig pen for a future micro-loan.

On the top of the list was clean water. They gathered samples, tested water, and showed everyone worms and critters that live in unpurified water. They brought a microscope and hooked it to a computer so the lesson would be a good visual. It IS hard to believe something you cannot see (gee, that goes without saying in many things in life). And so the microscope was their portal to "belief."

Though we believe in sustainability through business and community micro-loans, we believe clean water is a RIGHT and will not charge the people for the solution they make to purify water (with the help of a purification unit). We will find the right person to use the unit ... who will then dispense the "brine" to the folks in Las Chacaras. Though we will test every well in the community, we will begin with a standard amount of 3mL per gallon - which will be adjusted per well if there proves to be a difference. Because the brine is used to purify drinking water only, and takes such a small amount to purify a gallon - it can be carried home in a small bottle. People won't need to cart large buckets of heavy water ... which task would get old quickly and might also be a deterrent.

It is so encouraging to watch people enthusiastically help other people ... especially to impart health and concern, and promote relationship with those who othewise might feel sidelined.

Thank you team. You're awesome!

Hens are laying eggs!

We check out the chickens ...
The chickens check us out too

In La Ceiba, the small community of El Convento gathers up to 91 eggs per day ... and sells them to neighbors and small stores in the area. Egg production is so good that sales are a worry (nice problem, actually). They feel pressure to sell them fast enough! To help, the director at an orphanage in Vera Cruz has committed to buy 8 "flats" (of 30 eggs each) per week, which has given the beneficiaries of the chicken project some immediate relief while they build their customer base more locally. There have been a few "bumps" - but the chickens are happy, the coop is clean ... and though it's hot still (100F) the chickens lay their eggs every day.

The loan repayment is on schedule ... and the people are beginning to think of what else they may want to accomplish that will also derive income. They have hope and look to the future.

We look forward to the rains which come in late May or early June - and hopefully so will the chickens!

Welcome to Manantial (a wellspring, source)

Freddy Guadamuz, John and Helen Little represent MANANTIAL

We are three (of hopefully many) people who care deeply about transforming lives from poverty to sustainability. We live in Managua - we welcome you to join us.

While we understand the 'relief' philosophy of giving - we add relief sparingly to the 'development' side ... which aims for sustainability. We believe 'development' transforms lives and is more effective in the long term. It gives people hope, pride and a sense of community. Therefore, it is our goal to help small impoverished communities band together for the common good, and walk together out of poverty - into a transformed life where they can support themselves and know they don't need (or want) hand-outs. The end goal is to have these people help others ... and so on down the line.

Generally, here's how we work: We begin by listening to the desires of a community (to raise pigs, chickens ... to sew or whatever THEY choose and believe will help them make a living). We talk through a plan on how to accomplish the goal - send them to an appropriate company for education, and then loan them the money to realize their goal. That of course is an over-simplification, but that's the short story. We are involved in the process, but more as advisors and encouragers as the communities find natural leaders and learn to work together. We witness leadership rise from the ranks ... not always the "assigned" leaders. We visit each community weekly so they are certain we are interested and support them. We encourage them as they realize their dreams and walk into a new future.

Currently, we're working in two very poor communities in the rural area surrounding the city of León, Nicaragua: La Ceiba and Las Chacaras. After seven months of planning, La Ceiba now has 100 hens that lay 89 eggs daily - and this business supports 10 families. The women of Las Chacaras have begun a sewing "business" - each with their own sewing machines, but sewing as a cooperative. They are testing the market to find their niche and will begin to repay their loan soon. The men of Las Chacaras dream of raising pigs (for sale) and we're currently working to bring this project to fruition. If you're interested ... we are too!