Hurricane Mitch affected many people not just those directly in its path. A few women in New York City heard a call for help from the Women's Construction Collective in Condega, Nicaragua, and they sprang into action. What started as an informal collection of donations for hurricane relief quickly grew into a full-scale development project. The Women's Construction Collective proposed a project to address the immediate need for housing while promoting better living and working conditions for women. In late November 1998 the Condega Homemakers Project was formed, securing non-profit fiscal sponsorship from MADRE, launching a web page, putting out a call for volunteers, and collecting donations.
Because CHP is a small, grass roots organization with no paid staff, it was often difficult to run the project alongside our full-time jobs and school schedules. While many of the volunteers possess prior experience in organizing, there was much to be learned: budgeting, event promotion, grant writing, networking with tradeswomen, not to mention building construction and Spanish. Nevertheless, the devotion and enthusiasm of the volunteers have sustained the project and are the key to the project's success.
The Collective planned to begin construction in February 1999, we had to act quickly. Five women, only three of whom had even amateur carpentry experience, committed to that first brigade in February 1999. While we had advertised the brigade with women's trade organizations in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, we had difficulty finding any skilled women builders to join us at such short notice. Even when skilled women showed interest, it was difficult to coordinate schedules and budgets (though we have since received funding for travel assistance for volunteers). Fortunately, a builder from Wales contacted us and offered to join our brigade.
The building process also presented its difficulties. Most of the volunteers, as well as the Nicaraguan women, were unskilled, so a lot of training was required. The more skilled volunteers had to learn the local construction methods. We worked without electricity or running water, and often the climate would also slow down the work pace. In addition, we experienced some minor personal conflicts on the work site, not unexpected in such an impromptu and stressful volunteer work situation. The first several months of building were quite frantic because we knew there were many families waiting for their houses to be built. We eventually had to learn to accept the pace dictated by the building site being a classroom. As a result the Collective contracted out many of the houses to address the immediate housing crisis.
In spite of these difficulties, the Condega Homemakers project has been a success. We have forged a strong relationship with the women's organizations in Condega. Many CHP volunteers have returned to Condega, and more plan to return in the future. Our volunteer forewoman has committed to a one-year post, teaching construction to women and building a two-story women's community center. Because the CHP organized the very first brigade, we have served as a model to other women forming brigades around the world. Furthermore, CHP volunteers have brought back invaluable life experiences which will help them work for change in their own communities. CHP will continue to help the women's organizations in Condega publicize their projects to secure funding. We look forward to the opportunity to take on a long-term role in improving women's lives in Condega.