Society's striving to tackle poverty
THE world has seen immense changes over the last three decades, but scores of families in Nicaragua still struggle through daily life without the things people in Sheffield see as basic necessities.
The country has suffered devastating natural disasters including earthquakes, hurricanes and flooding as well as massive political turmoil.
Many rural families are so poor they rely on their children to work, meaning youngsters just don't get the chance to go to school.
The Sheffield-Esteli Society was set up in 1979 as a partnership between Sheffield and the municipality of Esteli – the third largest city in Nicaragua and the administrative and commercial centre of the northern part of the country. The two cities were twinned in 1987.
Since then the society has worked on many crucial projects as members travelled to Nicaragua for hands-on work as well as fundraising back home.
Over the years the group has supported school building, furniture and library facilities.
Adrian Look has been a member since he moved to Sheffield in 1990 and, despite numerous visits to Esteli, says nothing can prepare visitors for the heart-rending poverty there.
"When you visit people in their homes it is not just that they have mud floors but they lack any kind of facilities or electricity," he said.
"It is the lack of any kind of comfort, simple things are a luxury, beds are often made of salvaged wood.
"The depth the poverty reaches is so stark and, even though I have seen it many times in Nicaragua, I am still moved to tears."
The society launched the same year as the unpopular Somoza dictatorship was overthrown in a revolution that saw thousands of people die in fighting.
Nicaragua's Sandinista government has now declared a policy to guarantee full primary education to all children, but nobody knows just how many families still aren't being reached.
The Sheffield group is supporting a new project helping people in Esteli get children into education including improving nursery school provision in the more remote areas.
It also wants to support communities with plans to build classrooms or adapt existing buildings as well as getting parents more involved.
Adrian believes a lack of money isn't the only thing that stops children in the most rural areas accessing education. In some cases they simply can't be spared by their own family.
"If children are at school they can't produce as much money than if they were economically active, and families are so poor they need all they can get," he said.
"It is as simple as needing to get enough to eat.
"Most children attend school for just half a day but they tend to also have a job for half a day, have to help look after siblings, and might have another job in the evening, polishing shoes or something like that."
The society works with four other European cities to support Esteli's poorest people by raising funds and organising visits.
Members have helped to set up the Sheffield Esteli Student Partnership at The University of Sheffield, as well as building links between the city's Freedom Road and an Estel barrio.
Sheffield's Heritage Park Community School, where Adrian works as an art teacher, is in the process of developing links with a special school in Esteli called Ninos De Ayapal.
The children will be exchanging letters and photos as well as establishing an internet link through computers that had already been donated to the Esteli school. There are also plans in the future to raise enough cash so teachers from Nicaragua can visit Sheffield and the possibility of Sheffield pupils making a trip over there.
Despite the obvious huge differences between the two schools, the pupils at Heritage Park are already keen to get involved in and find resonance with Esteli and its children.
Teachers from Heritage Park visited the Esteli school last year and were taken aback by the parents' staggering determination.
"There is a stigma attached to having children with special needs so often husbands have left wives unsupported and neighbours won't offer help," Adrian said.
"Those mothers are so determined to help these children as much as they can and it is quite amazing."
The number of people volunteering for the group and the amount of grants available to help have dwindled since the Sheffield-Esteli Society was first launched. The group is keen to hear from anyone interested in getting involved. Call 0114 255 5550.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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