Beyond Microfinance.

This past week I have been able to visit a few of the entrepreneurs; take photographs of them, their family employed in their business, their workshops and their products. Some of the places I have visited so far, such as the woodwork ship, or the recycled aluminum shop, have been run by women, a primary target for developing a proper economic development in the community. Development research shows that investing with women in the communities always trickles down to the factors demanding most change, such as investing in children’s schooling and the family’s access to proper sanitation and proper health care.

However, this week I had the privilege of visiting Sergio, a single father who is the primary care taker of his young and quite charming son, Mario. They live in a very secluded area off the beaten path to the Mombacho volcano, toward the town of Masaya. The bus dropped Carolina and I off at the base, and we began our hike up the dirt road. Forty minutes later we arrived at his chicken farm rising above his small house. The loan he received nine years ago allowed him to buy the proper materials and tools to build the sheds, and begin with a few chickens. Today, Sergio has over 50 chickens and has found a few effective markets to sell the eggs. He is very motivated, vary savvy, but also very calm and content. Speaking to him about his experience and taking some pictures for the website, I found myself enjoying his company and the company of his young and curious son who wished to impress me with any little thing he could find. I left their house feeling very impressed and slightly contradicted. It was the first time I saw a microfinancing institution investing in a man for such a long and dedicated period of time. Very often the criticism is that the woman is the caretaker of the home, and the one who will reinvest the profits into bettering the standard of living of the whole family, while the man would either drink, gamble or invest the money poorly. However, what happens when the man is a caretaker of the house? Exactly this. The responsibility to raise a child and ensure its bright future by being able to pay the school fees when he becomes of age, is a driving force not only for women, but for men living in less developed nations.

This week I am continuing with my inventory matching and photographing products for the website, although I am very well aware that it might take months until the Ojala store on the website is actually launched. The NGO needs to find a way to ship and store products for a low cost in a location in the US as to be able to take orders. Additionally, I have enjoyed describing the products as there is a story behind each one. The photographs I have taken of the entrepreneurs fit in it every portion of the website, as they are the faces and the personalities that drive this kind of work.

I had to divide the work Opportunity Nicaragua does in 3 different secions:

1.Economic Transformation: which includes the Ojala investments whose products we will sell on the website (the recycled aluminum, the linen clothes etc.), the IDEA fund investments (the chicken farm, the fishing dock, etc.), the Farm Loans program (the yuka and malanga coco they grow and process for the local markets and for exporting to Florida), and the business and leadership training sessions.

2. Social Transformation: includes the construction of the water aqueduct in a small community outside of Masaya, as well as the construction of a few libraries with reading programs for adults, knitting lessons for kids etc. This is the part of Opportunity’s pilot project—investing with communities as a whole, in long term, sustainable projects.This is the idea that while individual loans could aid a micro entrepreneur put food on the table, investing in more sustainable, community-organized and led projects will go beyond, to the betterment of the community's prosperity as a whole. Going beyond microfinancing. Investing WITH communities, building their capacity, and facilitating the creation of just and responsible inside leadership to continue the journey.

3. Spiritual Transformation: this includes the construction of churches and the funding of the Vida Joven (Young Life) program.

This leads me to my last point in this entry. The spiritual side of this organization’s development work; where I personally have a tiny bit of struggle and doubt. In a very Catholic nation it is difficult to separate work and private life from religious devotion. Jesus’ name is everywhere, on the sides of buses, on every home’s wall, while churches radiate loud singing even at 8pm at night. Using the lord’s name in vain is not only going to offend one or two persons in your proximity, but will make a whole towns square cringe.

I have never been raised or nurtured to gain my motivation, my reason for living from a religious entity. I am a highly spiritual person, easily intrigued by beautiful mosques, ancient churches, and the power of Buddhist mediation. However, I have always been a skeptic of the organized, the structured and the institutionalized religion. While I cant say it has been difficult, I can easily say I have had my skeptic moments when speaking to some of the staff or when sitting through the 1.5 hours devotion session that happens every Monday morning. It is part of their community building, their getting to know one another deeper than what a daily interaction may allow. However, I have had little to share, often feeling inadequate for not having this great devotion to a greater being. As if I am missing a big chunk of my reason to exist and do this sort of work. “Walking with the poor as Jesus said we should”. If I don’t get my motivation from Jesus, then where does it come from? Why am I not chasing a good-paying job in Midwest America that will sustain a luxurious lifestyle?

I am well aware that I get my passion and my reason from something else, something greater than my physical body. But it is mine. It is from my heart, my soul, and my desire to ease other people’s lives as mine surely is. However, in a country so heavily devoted to god, I feel a bit out of the loop. In a city where there are more missionaries and churches than civil servants and town hall offices, I am slightly an outcast. Missing church, not being able to contribute to their devotional sharing, and not mentioning the luck and love god has given me every four sentences, I am different here.

But that is alright. I have enjoyed working with the staff here. I learn something about them and their culture and their devotional spirits every time the topic of religion and faith comes up. And I cherish that for what it is and not let it hinder my work, my feeling of belonging, or my passion for working in community development even if I am surrounded by a religiously motivated individuals. So what if Jesus isn’t my main motivation? So what if I cant contribute to the service? I am here, aren’t I? If they wish to see Jesus working through my hands, that is fine with me. I will simply continue caring, listening, moving with the community.