Who I'm Working for and What I'm Thinking

Angel and Las Casas de Esperanza: The History

The four of us sat on the benches of our wooden dinner tables – James the Scotsman, Chris from South Carolina, Angel our director, and I – as the Spaniards on the opposite side of the three juxtaposed tables chain smoked cigarettes, laughing chatting, and swinging on the worn but trustworthy hammocks. We had just finished our communal dinner – two delicious Spanish dishes, one of cauliflower oven baked chicken and veggies – and it was time to relax for the night. Angel had asked us three newcomers if we wanted to hear a bit about the history of Las Casas de Esperanza and we all said, “Of course.” Here’s what he told us.

In 2005, Angel came to Granada to work with La Esperanza Granada, a group that works with local schools and usually has scores of volunteers at their disposal. Angel found that there were many communities where the paved roads from the city stopped that desperately needed help but were not being reached out to by La Esperanza.

Partnered at the time with that organization, Angel started the project in La Prusia in 2006. He bought some acres of property on which people living in chavolas, the shacks lining the dirt roads, would be able to help build their own houses and later pay off a miniscule loan without interest over the course of the next several years or decades. There would be no gift-giving in the usual sense; the people who would benefit would have to invest themselves in the project. Like most good ideas, it was easier said than done. Many people were either skeptical to the idea, confused by it, or downright opposed to it. Once solid houses were actually being built and people could see results, more Prusians wanted in. Today, the community consists of 36 houses, a playground, an adult soldering workshop, a women’s shelter, and a school. There are mini-roads, mini-yards, and plenty of kids running around at all hours.

They achieved the goal of giving people better houses, but problems remained such as unemployment. A disturbingly low number people – something like three or four – have secured full-time jobs in the community; the rest work part time, short-term, or not at all. They are trying to create jobs, but it has proven more difficult than expected.

They are looking ahead, however, and are just about ready to begin the second housing development. First, we are going to be building a house with a set design and afterwards the rest are going to follow that design and help build their own houses.

As far as getting money goes, they have a couple generous friends in the States, including Angel’s son. He works for Microsoft, donates $12,000 a year and Microsoft matches his donation. Not a bad deal.

Angel finished up his talk by saying there are thousands upon thousands of people in Nicaragua who live like the people here in La Prusia. The problem can seem overwhelming, if not irreparable. However, you’ve got to start somewhere and Angel hopes that these communities here can find some way to become self-sustainable and that they can serve as role-models for future ones to follow.

Some Personal Thoughts

Like I said last post, coming down the dirt road, seeing the houses, barbed-wire fences and skinny calves grazing, and seeing my new home which is smaller than my room at home, I felt a bit anxious. I’m already feeling good about being here and can tell it was a good choice. My hands are already torn up from carrying cinderblocks and digging holes, but it’s going to be worth the pain. I’m with chill, easy going people from the States, Spain, and Scotland in the volunteer houses. It’s amazing how much easier it is for me to talk with the Spaniards. It’s mostly due to the accent and the way they speak traditional Spanish – the Nicaraguans have a Spanish all their own – but I fear it’s also because we share similar personal histories: university experience, interest in traveling, trying to find to enrich our lives and put off working. In the coming days, though, I’m going to make more of an effort to meet the families living in the community outside of our barb-wire-fenced area.

It’s odd how comfortable I feel here already in a setting that should be very uncomfortable for me. Most of the people here speak Spanish, there are plenty of bugs and geckos crawling around the house, my bed is a single without sheets or a pillow, I’m in the woods, the occasional scorpion in the bathroom, etc. Already, however, I’m finding myself making more of an effort to appreciate simpler things. Swinging on a hammock with a book after several hours of digging, talking to people when I’d normally be doing something else, walking a half hour to a secluded volcanic lagoon and swimming in its warm waters, just staring at the clear sky at night and realizing how many stars we don’t get to see at home. We’ll see what I’m saying in a week or two when I’m covered in mosquito bites and blisters, but I have a good feeling about this place.