From: Fintan Kilbride, Member, World Community Service

Date: 28 April, 2003

Visit to Nicaragua: 20 March-3 April

Earlier this month I spent two days inspecting projects in northern Nicaragua supported by Toronto-Leaside Rotary Club under the able supervision of our contact of several years, Stephen Sefton.

Notably, I visited:

1. ... the pre-school built in Estelí at the Women's Centre and operated by Superemos with significant funding from our club.
   The school serves over 50 children, aged 2-5 years, supervised by head teacher Vilma and two assistants. These children of working single mothers are in school from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday throughout the year.
   The quality of care and the dedication of staff is excellent, the equal of any I have seen in Canada.

2. ... a second pre-school in a very poor barrio, also operated by Superemos with our financial assistance. This school caters to 25+ children aged 2-5 years.

3. ... a few of the 30+ bicycle-operated water pumps operated by Superemos with financial assistance from Toronto-Leaside.
   These pumps are located in the poorest neighbourhoods of Estelí, and provide clean drinking water to an average of thirty families per pump. These systems are easily and cheaply installed and maintained; they are energy efficient and, for example, can fill a bucket for domestic use in seconds, as well as drive water up to 1 Km to irrigate vegetable gardens and family plots.

Time did not permit my visiting other projects several hours distance from Estelí, so I relied on anecdotal reports by Stephen's assistant, Vengel Moreno - all of them corroborating the monthly submissions you receive from Superemos.