The mountains of Nicaragua are home to a lot of well kept secrets. Little places forgotten by the wider world. One such community is El Trapiche (translated the mill). This community, aptly named given its historic and current focus on producing basic grains, is home to approximately 250 people. In El Trapiche, Rainbow Network operates nutrition centers, a primary school, facilitates regular doctor visits, provides high school scholarships, and gives out micro loans. But now, thanks to a special partnership between Cross International (our second such joint venture) and Rainbow Network big changes are coming to this small community.
Twenty families are about to receive the keys to a new, safe, clean, concrete block home. Well, I may be getting slightly ahead of myself. First, they’ll have to put in a lot of sweat equity building the homes (all twenty will be completed before anyone moves in) and they will go over again their responsibilities as new homeowners including a mortgage payment on either a 10 or 20 year loan to pay for the home. They’ll also receive home ownership training classes provided by the staff of Habitat for Humanity International in Nicaragua to help prepare them to truly thrive in their new homes.
If you’d like to know more about the families who will move into the new homes, click here. To watch Rainbow Network co-Founder Keith Jaspers describe the impact of a new house on an impoverished family in rural Nicaragua, click here. The dollar amounts he lists are a bit dated now, but Keith really provides an excellent explanation of the reasons for and the goals of our housing program. For the Spanish speakers out there, check out this Nicaraguan news story that covers the dedication of a recently completed housing project that was also built through support by Cross International.
Stay tuned, as the construction begins we’ll provide updates and photos as the new homes in El Trapiche take shape.
- Ryan
