| Sister Cities
Since 1987 Blacksburg and New River Valley residents had been traveling to the Northern Nicaraguan mountains with Witness for Peace. After an extensive public relations campaign initiated by leaders from various church, student, and civic organizations, the Blacksburg Town Council proclaimed San Jose de Bocay - its Sister City in 1989.
The San Jose de Bocay School
After discussion with the community, it as soon determined that a school was desperately needed for Bocay. The Blacksburg Sister City committee began to raise funds, and after much hard-work, gathered in about $30,000.
In 1993 land was purchased, and the chool was built by Nicaraguan crews. In 1994, children began to attend classes. At last report in 2007, the chool was serving over 750 students. Since the 1990's the Sister City committee has had an on-going effort to continue to support the school by sending oney for computers and other supplies and paying for teachers to get advanced training.
San Jose de Bocay Becomes Energy Self-Sufficient
Electrification began under the direction of Benjamin Linder, the American Engineer, who was tragically killed in 1987 while building the first micro-ydroelectric (MH) plant to bring electricity to the Bocay region. This original MH plant was finished in 1990 and has been joined by three other MH plants, allowing residents to finally have electric lights, run pumps, and farm equipment. Their reputation has spread, so much so that delegations have traveled from Honduras and El Salvador to study and copy their successes. About the Coalition for Justice
The Coalition for Justice was formed in early 1981 as a Virginia Tech student organization to speak out against the violent repression of progressive movements in El Salvador and soon expanded its focus to Nicaragua and Guatemala, whose right-wing governments were slaughtering tens of thousands.
Today the Coalition is concerned with broad peace and social justice issues but still keeps its focus on Central America.
Blacksburg -- San Jose de Bocay (Nicaragua): Sister Cities
Travel to Blacksburg’s Sister City
San Jose de Bocay, Nicaragua
Jan. 6 - 17, 2009
Join other residents of Blacksburg and the New River Valley Region on a 12-day trip to our Sister City, San Jose de Bocay, Nicaragua. This small mountain village in rural north-central Nicaragua is on the edge of Central America's largest biosphere reserve, the Bosawas
Rainforest, nestled along the banks of the River Bocay. The trip will include opportunities to meet villagers and community leaders to learn about their daily lives and their projects to educate their children and become energy self-sufficient.
Our group will be traveling with Green Empowerment, a Portland, Oregon based nonprofit that partners with rural communities in the developing world to mplement renewable energy, clean water delivery, watershed restoration projects to alleviate poverty and improve the
environment. Empowerment's partner NGOs know the local language and culture and have a long-term commitment to the rural communities which are served. On this trip, Green Empowerment will be working hand-in-hand with the Nicaraguan NGO, the Association of
Rural Development Workers--Ben Linder ATDER), and the community committee for San Jose de Bocay.
Trip Goals: - Re-establish ties with the community
- Form an alliance with the community to promote shared goals of protecting the remaining rain forest and it’s biodiversity
- Discuss with community and Green Empowerment staff ways to assist the community by improving the school, extending the electrical grid, and help with the planned computer school.
Schedule:
Jan. 6 - Leave USA arrive Managua
Jan. 7 and 8 - Orientation in Managua
Jan. 9 - Travel to Matagalpa - Meeting with ADTER-BL and visit to a coffee
cooperative
Jan. 10 - Travel to SJB and meet with APRODELBO
Jan. 11 - 14 Stay in SJB visit the school, meet with community leaders, see energy projects, participate in some service-type work, i.e.. planting trees, ight construction, meeting students during class room visits.
Jan. 15 - Travel back to Managua
Jan. 16 - Meet with US Embassy and Debrief
Jan. 17 (Saturday) - Arrive back in USA
Cost: $1478 + airfare
For more information, contact Clark
Webb: 540.392.1037
San Jose de Bocay
Nicaragua
Sign up for a trip of a lifetime!
Reserve by 11/01/08
Coalition for Justice
P.O. Box 299
Blacksburg, VA 24063
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(540) 552-8880 |
