Tour Leader: Amy Wiza
Tour Dates: January 15 - January 25, 2005
At the end of January 2005, sixteen enthusiastic travelers returned to Wisconsin with a new perspective on life after participating in the annual Learning Centers Mission, a
tour that provides people of all walks of life and ages an opportunity to travel in Nicaragua while accompanied by natives, namely the Managua office staff, who reflect the warm, welcoming nature of the people. It may not seem like it makes a world of difference, but each traveler on this tour will reaffirm the importance of an integrated experience coordinated by local staff.
Although there were many activities, the focal points of the tour were to experience the culture and to participate in the Learning Centers workshops, a series of hands-on training sessions involving both Wisconsinites and Nicaraguans. The workshops were located in the communities of Chiquilistagua, Diria, and Ciudad Sandino. W/NP now has over eighty Learning Centers scattered throughout Nicaragua where one can learn vocational skills that will generate much-needed income for their families. Several delegates are chosen by each center to attend the workshops on the condition that when they return, they will share their newly acquired skills.
This year, there were 266 Nicaraguans attending the three workshops. Each workshop began with a general session facilitated by Joe Redding, RN, and Larry Pingel, firefighter and paramedic, both of Stevens Point, who demonstrated how to implement the Heimlich Maneuver, techniques for successful CPR intervention, and care for burns and broken limbs. We were all astonished with the intense interest shown by the Nicaraguan women who were furiously writing down all that they were hearing. The Nicaraguans were then divided into groups of no more than ten per Wisconsin volunteer and workshops were held.
The Wisconsin presenters ranged in age from nine to 79-years old. The youngest, Heather Wiza, at nine-years old and on her third trip to Nicaragua, has become
somewhat of a veteran in international travel. Heather and her cousin, McKenzie Smith, also nine-years old, presented finger knitting at all three workshops. There was no doubt as to their affect on the communities as all of the children in the areas were seen wearing necklaces, wrist and ankle bracelets, and hair ties after the workshops. The eldest member, Henry Gillis, Stevens Point, was excited about his first experience in Nicaragua and has plans for continued participation.
Once each workshop was completed, the tour participants wasted no time in exploring the country. It was interesting to watch the group as they discovered how Nicaragua's geography is both a blessing and a curse. Some of the most varied and abundant resources in Central America are found here, but the twenty-plus volcanoes and location between two warm-water oceans has brought the country more than its share of natural disasters.
To gain a full understanding, the group made visits to the Masaya and Mombacho volcanoes. They hiked in cloud forests as well as dry savannahs. They watched basket-weavers make large baskets for carrying produce to the market, they learned about free trade zones (sweatshops) in third world countries, and they discovered why W/NP is working so hard to provide vocational skill-training that helps to keep people in their communities rather than working in the multi-national sweatshops.
The group also spent time in Estelí, Stevens Point's partner city, and toured a cigar factory where they observed over 850 people working at a frantic pace to produce world-famous cigars. They met with women in a penitentiary where W/NP has a knitting project and received several hand-knit products. They toured schools and day care centers and met with teachers. They shared small gifts with the "garbage pickers" and their families at the Estelí garbage dump in a moving experience. Most importantly,
the tour participants learned first-hand about the daily challenges people face living in a developing country.
The 2005 tour participants came from a variety of professional backgrounds, and many hours were spent in pre-planning to assure that each was provided an opportunity to meet with their professional counterparts. This resulted in a visit to one of the primary fire departments in Nicaragua where they were shown the national command center for emergencies. The fleet of emergency vehicles included a ladder truck, pumpers, and an ambulance sporting large painted signs with the W/NP logo. These were vehicles sent from Wisconsin to supplement their fleet. All were deeply impressed by how the department can function with what can best be described as very limited resources and an EMS system in desperate need of radio equipment.
After having first-hand experience working with their counterparts in Nicaragua, the tour group imbued the motto "Working together, we make a difference!" with new meaning.
