Dear Friend of the Clinic,
I expect you could use some good news. Well, we have it for you this month.
For starters, Hurricane Julia roared into eastern Nicaragua a few weeks ago. Thankfully, it did not pack the same punch as Hurricane Nate did in 2018. However, it did flood nearby communities, lashing the area with winds and heavy rain, as you can see from these photos…
But the electricity came on and roads became passable within two weeks. Phew! (Also relieved was our nonprofit Founder, who also happens to be named Julia!)
Also, phew! The storm did not overshadow or ruin one of the most exciting partnerships the Clinic has ever embarked on: our expanded Community Garden project.
This project, part of our Healthy Eating Initiative, has greatly expanded to include a vast community organic garden plot and a new facility for agricultural classes. The Roberto Clemente Health Clinic partnered with donor John Weston to promote this self-sustaining family nutrition and entrepreneurship program.
The partnership – initially planned to run for five years – will benefit up to 50 families in the “El Asentamiento” neighborhood in Tola.
The land we’re using for the project has an area of 1.4 hectares, which is divided into 50 lots. The lots will be assigned to 50 families.
The families will receive hands-on training in the biointensive method, and they will learn how to apply the protocols that the Clinic has been developing since 2016.
The project allocates a piece of land to each family during the training process and provides the tools and resources necessary to develop organic crops. Overall, the project contributes to improving the nutrition, economic situation and health of the families.
After two years, the individuals involved in the project will receive a certificate showing that they successfully completed their training in farming and sustainable organic gardening.
The land currently has an area for education, one greenhouse and a storage room, and we also provide safe water to drink and water for gardening.
The first course started on September 1 and will last for three months. Families are currently working on the land and will see the first harvest by December!
We cannot wait to show you how this project develops in the coming months.
But there is some concerning news. As you would expect in this downward economy, donations are down for the Clinic. To sustain these projects and continue running our 24/7 medical facility with all our health initiatives and programs, we need your support…
YES! I want to help The Roberto Clemente Health Clinic community today!
The Roberto Clemente Health Clinic is supported by individual donations. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered in Maryland, so all your donations are tax-deductible. We accept funds through PayPal, where you can also donate with your credit card. You can also mail a check, and we accept stock donations as well. To donate, click here.
Sincerely,
Lorena Cernadas
U.S. Development Office
The Roberto Clemente Health Clinic
[email protected]
Direct line: 410.369.0512
P.S. The Oxford Club is providing matching funds this year up to a total of $50,000 for donations made by December 31, 2022.
P.P.S. A global generosity movement is happening on November 29, 2022! Giving Tuesday is a movement that’s unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. Please support our mission of providing affordable access to high-quality healthcare and wellness programs in the Tola coastal communities of Nicaragua this Giving Tuesday. Click here to donate online.