Hello Partners and Amigos,
The Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas, Inc. Board of Directors has initiated a Capital Campaign, "A Bold Step Forward," to raise $300,000. Much discussion has taken place on the whys and hows of raising this amount of money. More important is the discussion about the where and for what this money will be used. It is here that the future direction of our organization is being decided.
W/NP cannot continue to do good work without the resources needed to build and maintain the foundation for our activities in Nicaragua. We need staff and offices to support our projects and also to increase our visibility with the public on both sides of the partnership.
As the familiar saying goes, "If you give a person a fish, s/he will eat for a day; if you teach a person to fish, s/he eats for a lifetime." Because of my own experiences, I know that if you don't provide the support system for the person whom you just taught to fish, s/he isn't going to be able to practice what has been learned.
We need to build that support system if we, as an organization, are going to help Nicaraguans practice what we've taught them.
We need to remodel our office in Managua to make it energy efficient. We would also like to create a training center in the building to continue and build upon our "Train the Trainer" philosophy. This will allow Nicaraguans to provide the knowledge and skills to teach themselves and "eat for a lifetime."
We need to support our professional staff who manage the hundreds of activities emanating from our office in Stevens Point.
We need your support. Our goal of $300,000 is an achievable goal. It depends on the cooperation of individuals who have a commitment to our partners in Nicaragua. Therefore, every dollar received is greatly appreciated, needed, and will be wisely used.
Providing monetary support is something each and every one of us can do. If we truly value the good that W/NP is doing, then I ask you to search deeply into your heart and find the amount you can afford to give. Please help us build the foundation of support needed to continue our good work in Nicaragua.
Sincerely,
Martin Havlovic
