Stop me before I volunteer again!: May 2013

Bienvenidos to my Blog!

Hello Family, Friends, and Curious Readers,

Thanks for stopping in to see what I am up to. This is my first blog, and I hope not to bore you too much with the details of my life. But rather hope to offer you some insights into development work, the highs, the lows, and well the boring.

But before I move away for 27 months, let me give you a little information about myself before I lose a steady internet connection.

So after graduating from Boston College in 2005, I decided I wanted to learn Spanish and "save the world" so I moved to Cusco, Peru. I began by volunteering for The Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco by researching and writing a small business plan for the organization. I continued to work with the organization until February of 2008, when I returned to the US to prepare for my move to Madrid, Spain for 15 months to study an International MBA at IE Business School. And now, after a year of searching for the perfect development job, and taking odd jobs in the meantime, I have joined the Peace Corps and am volunteering again. So wish me luck, and PLEASE someone stop me from volunteering again!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Tech Exchange on la Isla de Ometepe!

Everyday, when I lay my head on my pillow to go to bed, I think to myself, "Dang it! I forgot to get something up on that yof mine" So today, I decided to get up early and just do it. So let me pull out my calendar and update everyone on the major events in the past couple of months...

To begin with, I was finally able to make it to the island of ometepe! It is an island created out of two volcanos in the middle of a very large fresh water lake in Nicaragua. I was able to make the trip thanks to an invitation from a fellow volunteer to work with a women's sewing cooperative. I was only there for two days, but in those two days we had lots of sucesses. Before my workshop, the 4 members of the cooperative were making approx. 5 finished pieces in 4 hours. With just a few changes to their production process, we were able to make: 20 completed coin purses, cut materials for 16 more, and cut materials for 2 aprons.

I felt my exchange was a giant success, and the following day they took all of the completed bags to a restaurant on the island, which were accepted on consignment, picked up a C$1,000 for bags previously sold, and then proceeded to sell 4 new bags that same day. The ladies, which previously had their materials donated, were able to then buy a lot more fabric with their earnings, and expand their new production method to more products. I am very proud of them... it was all them, and continues to be their effort and that of PCV Noelle that is driving them forward. A success indeed!