The Condega Homemakers Project: Sending Women's Building Brigades to Nicaragua

December 2, 1999

Dear friends,

Happy holidays! Here’s another update from the Condega Homemakers Project. Spending October building in Condega was a rewarding and enriching experience. Sonja, Cyndi, and I returned with new volunteers Jen and Sera to work on the remaining four houses of the newly inaugurated Comunidad de Mujeres Unidas (Community of Women United).

Almost half of the houses are now being inhabited. It was a pleasure to arrive at the work site each day to see children playing ball in the street and kitchens and gardens sprouting up in the back yards. Street vendors are now coming to the new barrio selling fruit, cold drinks, kitchenware, and even mattresses – a sign that the neighborhood is thriving. The houses have plumbing and electrical systems installed, though the women still await electricity and running water. Some women have already opened little stores in their front windows, selling bananas or oranges. Thanks to your donations, we were able to give each household a "lavandera," which is a cement sink with a built-in washboard for doing laundry.

We got to work with Teresa and Luz Marina under the direction of Nery, the forewoman-in-training. All these women began learning carpentry at the Women’s Construction Collective before moving on to learn construction. Together we laid out a foundation, poured beams and columns, tied ironwork, installed doors and windows, and laid blocks. It was very exciting to be able to use the generator and cement mixer (purchased with project funds), though to conserve energy most work was done the old fashioned way.

Our Welsh forewoman, Isis, has accepted a one-year post to build and teach in Condega beginning February 2000. Because of the superior design and construction of the women’s houses, the Collective was awarded the contract for 20 houses for elderly people by the city. They are also planning Phase II of the women’s building project, another seven houses built by and for women. Consequently, the Condega Homemakers project will continue for another year.

It has been one year since I made the first call for donations for hurricane relief: won't you consider making an additional donation to help support long-term development for women in Condega? Thank you for your support!

Margarita M. Suarez

Coordinator, Condega Homemakers Project

P.S. Please visit our newly improved web page: www.columbia.edu/~marg/homemakers

You’ll find a newly updated photo collection and more information about the project.