A New Goyena

Coated in layers of sweat, our group ofeight stood in the stagnant air of 103°Fheat. In a 5’ by 8’ dirt floor room, wewatched, in silence, original footage ona Panasonic television set. Theinsignificant chugging of a nearby fanwas occasionally subdued by the bark ofa dog, but for the most part, thechugging was all we heard. Yet theheat, the stagnant air, and the slightlyuneven sound of the fan were not whatmade a lasting impression on our eightpairs of eyes. Instead, as we walked outof the tin-roof home and back into thebeaming Goyena sun, we treasured thedecade-old footage describing the oldGoyena: a Goyena rich with life -- everyinch of land was filled with lush, dense,green vegetation. There was a clean,flowing river. There was sunshine, andthere was peace.

But the Goyena that we found justoutside of Leon, Nicaragua was far fromthe Goyena sanctuary previouslydocumented by the digital images. Thelush vegetation had been replaced withthe ashes of long-gone shrubbery. Theonce-flowing river had been partiallyblockaded by a gravel road thatpermitted the passage of industrial-sizedtrucks. The drinking water wascontaminated with the pesticides usedto protect endless fields of sugar cane.In a short period of time, Goyena hadchanged.

It was odd. Broad, sweeping changes toa community in rural Nicaragua. Whenwe first got to Goyena we found whatwe thought was a peaceful community.But as we dug deeper into the roots ofGoyena, we found that real peace was

very hard to come by.With time, it becameclear that thesetransformations hadintroduced smalltremors in Goyena’sinfrastructure of peaceand stability.

The major sources ofthese changes that thevideo documented?

San Antonio,Nicaragua’s largestproducer of sugarcane,ethanol, and electricenergy. Founded in1890 by the mostpowerful family inNicaragua, Las Pellas,San Antonio is thelargest employer of theGoyena community.

Yet along witheconomic opportunities,San Antonio hasbrought a deadly seriesof by-products.Chemical pesticidescontaminate drinking water and destroythe valuable diversity of crops. Sugar-carrying trucks pollute the air. Newlyconstructed roads and bridges destroynatural vegetation and essential rivers.Most concerning, members of theGoyena community suffer from chronickidney disease (CKD), a conditionaffecting 30% of coastal Nicaraguanlaborers and rendering victimsdependent on expensive dialysistreatment and medications. Althoughmost ex-sugarcane workers blame the

or the pesticides sprayed bythe sugar companies, Boston Universityepidemiologist David Brooks, who hasbeen investigating the causes of CKD in

Nicaragua since 2010, suspects that thegrueling conditions of sugarcanefarming - 9 ½ hour shifts in 90-100degree weather - may aggravate anunknown susceptibility to CKD. Despitethis, the Ingenio denies theemployability of sick workers, ignorestheir pleas for financial compensationand medical treatment, and refuses toshorten workday hours.

Our research didn’t end with thesestories. We dug further.

In a meeting with USAID Nicaragua atthe U.S. Embassy in Managua, welearned about the status of public healthin Nicaragua.

N e w H a v e n / L e ó nS i s t e r C i t y P r o j e c t

S u m m e r 2 0 1 2 N e w s l e t t e r

In this Issue:A New Goyena: Yale Public Health Delegation.... P. 1

Food Security Efforts Expand ... P. 2

U.S. Military Aid Fuels a Human Rights Crisis inHonduras .... P. 3

Theater Update... P. 3

WalkBikeTransit on the Streets... p 5

Volunteers - Behind the Scenes... p. 5

Continued on p. 2

Yale delegates with members of the Youth Brigade outside preschool.

Food Security EffortsExpandWhen Hurricane Mitch hit Goyena in1998, the resulting flood forced thecommunity to leave their lands andmove further from the river nearby.They moved to a smaller piece of landdonated by a farming coop. The newcommunity built more solid housing,but families now live much closertogether and have little land forgardening, fruit trees or small livestock.

In late 2010 the NH/LSCP Boarddecided to focus on quality primaryeducation and food security as twoareas that needed attention, arepriorities for the community, and whereNH/LSCP’s role could help thecommunity create a greater degree ofself sufficiency.

In 2011 we created a Food SecurityCommittee in New Haven (with peoplewith food policy, internationaldevelopment, and farming experience)to give technical support to Leόn staffon this issue, and to look for resourcesas needed. One of the first efforts ofthe Committee was to work with Leonstaff to develop a food security surveywhich was initially administered in early2012.

The survey polled 27 families withpreschool age children in Goyena. Morethan a third of the families participatingin this study reported indicators ofextreme food insecurity during thethree previous months before thesurvey. Specific responses included:• Food you bought did not last and youdid not have money to buy more:40.74%

• Your children were not eatingbecause you lacked money for food:37.04%• You or another adult stopped eatingbecause there was not enough food:33.33%• You lost weight because you had nomoney to buy food: 40.74%

This survey also revealed a lack ofconsumption of fruits and vegetables,but it’s not clear if this is caused by alack of access or the preferences of theinhabitants. Nearly 52% of respondentsthink they are not fed properly and ofthose, 86.7%, believe they are not fedproperly because they do not choosenutritious options (73.3%) orspecifically because they are not eatingfruits and vegetables (13.3%).

More analysis is needed to betterunderstand the foodsecurity challenges inGoyena, communityresources available, andthe Committee isworking to expand thesurvey to try to answerthese questions.

Also, the first significantstep in Goyena toaddress food insecuritywill be to form acommittee of students,teachers and parents tolook at using school

lunch programs and a schooldemonstration garden as vehicles forimproving nutrition. The preschoolalready has a kitchen and lunchprogram with parents cooking foodprovided by the government andNH/LSCP. The new demonstrationgarden will allow students to beinvolved in growing and tastingvegetables, some of which can also beused in the cooked lunches. We alsowant to involve parents in looking atincluding more vegetables and fruit inthe family’s diets’ at home.

There is also an effort to put a kitchenin the primary school. This new mealprogram will be coordinated by theteachers and the cooking will be doneby volunteer parents. The New HavenFood Security Committee began aKitchen Sink Sale here - through which

donors can “buy” pots, plates, utensils,stove, etc - to raise the $900 neededfor the new kitchen (“Purchases”/donations still welcome…).

Finally, NH/LSCP recently received afourth year of a grant from the NewEngland Biolabs Foundation whichsupports the work of the GoyenaEnvironmental Youth Brigade. The 12member Brigade has been taking anactive lead on sustainability and foodsecurity projects. The grant will help tocontinue and expand this work in 2012-13. ◊

First grade teacher Sonia Matute snacking with some of herfirst grade flock participating in the afterschool program.

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Particularly in urban areas, USAID hashelped advance maternal and prenatalhealth: newly constructed “halfwayhomes” for pregnant mothers,expansive centers for healthcaretraining, and extensive vaccinationcampaigns for children under the“FamiSalud Project” have improved thelives of many Nicaraguans.

But what about the former sugar caneworkers with CKD? Unfortunately, carefor occupational hazards falls low onthe USAID list of priorities. And, for themost part, the has avoidedinternational backlash to theenvironmental impact of their work. In2006, the private-sector division of theWorld Bank, the International FinanceCorporation (IFC), awarded SanAntonio with almost $55 million inloans, helping the expand theirfactories and produce more sugar andethanol. In the process, they haveunsurprisingly also produced evenhigher rates of of CKD.

Where do we go from here? What canwe, a delegation of eight students, doabout this? As we begin to grapple withthe overwhelming reality for theseNicaraguan sugar cane workers, weinvite you to be part of our discussion.Let’s bring this discussion here to NewHaven. Let’s work together to make oursister city in Nicaragua a safe place tocall home. ◊

A New Goyenacontinued from p.1 ...

U.S. Military Aid Fuels aHuman Rights Crisis inHonduras

We approach three young Honduransoldiers who stand outside a militarypost in Guadalupe Carney, a ruralcommunity in Honduras’ Aguan Valley.Two are 19 and one is 20. Dressed inmilitary garb the oldest wears anautomatic weapon on his chest.Sporting vests and name-tags andarmed only with cameras andnotebooks, we cautiously ask for aninterview. After exchanging looks, theynod.

“Have you received training from theUnited States?” “Yes,” the oldestsoldier replies.

“What kind of training?”

“Close combat, counter narcotics... Welearn how to combat drug-trafficking.We spend six months in practicaltraining and three months on theory.”

When asked who trained him hehesitates briefly, averts his gaze andtimidly lists names of U.S. Captainsand Generals.

The United States gave over $9.8million to the Honduran military andpolice in 2011 and has budgeted over$8 million for 2012. This aid is part ofthe Central America Regional SecurityInitiative, a program designed to stopthe flow of drugs to the United  Statesvia Central America. Almost half of theillicit drugs that enter the United Statespass through Honduras.

We ask the soldier if there is muchdrug trafficking in Guadalupe Carney.His look implies the obvious. “No.”

“What do you do here if there is nonarco-trafficking?” we ask.“Sometimes the community causesproblems. We call the base if they taketo the streets or if they invade MiguelFacussé’s land.” The picture isbecoming clearer.

Just moments before, we met withcommunity members of Guadalupe

Carney. Beneath a grass-roofedgazebo they told us about deaththreats, intimidation andassassinations. “We brought ourfriends and co-workers to this veryfloor after they were murdered,” theytold us.

In 2010, five community memberswere killed. A mother of five told usshe lost her husband only ten daysafter her last child was born. The menwere killed when campesino groupsoccupied El Tumbador, farm land thatborders Guadalupe Carney. Althoughthe land is legally theirs, theyexplained, it is occupied by abusinessman, Miguel Facussé, one ofthe richest people in Honduras. Hisprivate guards shot the five men.

This tragic story is all too common inthe Aguan Valley. Conflicts betweencampesinos and this large landownerend brutally. Forty-five campesinoshave been killed in Aguan since thecoup d’état in 2009. In response tothese conflicts the Hondurangovernment militarized the zone withaid from the U.S.

The young soldiers’ answers to ourquestions reveal whose side themilitary is on. Their instructions are tocall base when the community “causesproblems.” In other parts of the valley,the police have been called in. Familieshave been evicted from their homesand whole communities have beenburned to the ground by the police.U.S. funds for the “War on Drugs” inCentral America are supporting adifferent sinister agenda.

In the 1980s the CIA built militarybases in Honduras to arm and  trainthe Nicaraguan Contras to fight againstthe Sandinista government. One of theU.S. military bases used in the 80s wasthe Regional Center for MilitaryTraining. After the facility ended its

Article excerpted from Witness forPeace Solidaridad May 2012 E-Newsletter.

The NH/LSCP Theater Committeecontinues to organize community-based trainings in New Haven andGoyena, Nicaragua. In the top twophotos above, some of the 23participants at the Forum Theatertraining in New Haven in April. In June, Katy Rubin, Aaron Jafferisand Megan Fountain traveled toGoyena for the second year tocontinue Forum training (includingworking with Goyena women toproduce a Forum piece on domesticviolence - bottom photo) and to createdocumentary theater on the history ofthe land of the nearby community ofTroilo. The Committee is organizing apublic presentation on these efforts forthe Fall, and also just received aMayor’s Community Arts Grant tocontinue and expand Forum training inNew Haven.◊

Theater Project Update

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operations the land was transferred tothe Honduran government’s agricultureinstitution for distribution tocampesinos.

Some of these lands reached ruralfarmers. A portion of it is thecommunity named Guadalupe Carney:the very community where we stoodand interviewed the three youngsoldiers. Other large plots were illegallysold to large business owners. One isMiguel Facussé. He bought land like ElTumbador across the Aguan Valley toexpand his palm oil empire. This landproduces palm oil for export ratherthan supporting the livelihood of ruralfarmers like those in GuadalupeCarney.

Campesinos risking their lives occupyland for survival. Meanwhile, youngsoldiers receive orders to protect theland-holdings of businessmen likeMiguel Facussé. And they do so afterreceiving military training from the U.S.

The land situation has gotten worsesince the military coup in 2009 whendemocratically-elected President,Manuel Zelaya, was overthrown. Toappease mounting criticism, the coupregime held what many considerillegitimate elections and Porfirio LoboSosa was elected president. The UnitedStates led the way to internationalrecognition of the Lobo administration.

Since the coup the human rights crisishas mushroomed: Eighteen journalistshave been killed, violence againstwomen and hate crimes against theLGBTI community have risen,Afrodescendent and indigenouspopulations are under-threat as they

struggle to maintain their land and theculture it sustains.

While the human rights crisis rages theLobo administration pushes neoliberalpolicy that benefits multi-nationalcorporations and the U.S. continues tosupport militarization: $17.8 million forthe war on drugs and $50 million forthe Soto Cano Air Base (Palmerola AirBase).

As we stood and listened to these timidyoung soldiers the cycles of U.S.military and economic violence becameclear. Our conversation revealed acommon-thread that weavesmilitarization, neoliberalism andrampant human rights violations: TheU.S. supports an administration that isfavorable to multi-national corporationsand a military force that protectscorporate interest. The result? Theabuse of human rights and loss ofsafety and security for the Honduranswho suffer from these policies and whodare to speak or act against them.

There is a wave of nonviolentresistance in Honduras lead by thosewhose rights are under constantthreat. Witness for Peace has heardthe call from our partners for a long-term presence to accompany them asthey seek justice. We will be inHonduras to document the impact ofmilitary aid and to pressure ourgovernment to stop backing a militarythat abuses the rights of its citizens.  ◊

Honduras...continued from p. 3

Parents, teachers, and students clean the primaryschool before classes start in February.

November TeachersDelegation

The November 18-24 delegation will becomposed of educators and otherinterested individuals, and will:

• Learn about economic, cultural, andpolitical realities in Nicaragua, and thehistory of US intervention there.• Investigate education in Nicaragua, itschallenges and its strengths.• Explore natural beauty of Nicaragua.• Spend time the rural community ofGoyena meeting with students,community leaders and educators• Participate in activities/workshops tosupport NH/LSCP Education projects inGoyena, and explore with communityways North Americans can supporteducation in Nicaragua once delegatesreturn.

The cost of the trip is $1200 plusairfare. Some partial scholarshipsare available. For more information goto www.newhavenleon.org, write toChris at nh@newhavenleon.org or call203.562.1607.

The delegation will be led by JenGoldberg, Director of Early ChildhoodEducation at Fairfield University(jgoldberg@fairfield.edu).

Primary students gather at well outsideGoyena school buildings.

Page 4

ConsiderMaking aMonthlyDonation. Yoursteady supportwill allow NH/LSCP to maximizeour impact on the lives of peopleliving in poverty – and to helpthem change their circumstancesfor the better. Go tonewhavenleon.org/

Behind the Scenes in New HavenNew Haven/León SCP is blessed with a corps of friends who help usget our work done. Below are volunteers who have been with us formany years, and some for decades. They are dependable, loyal andwonderful to be around.

VICTORYA MC EVOY. Victorya has done it all. From our earliestdays she has raised funds; worked Give Peace A Dance; set upbefore and packed up after too many sales to count; loadedmaterial aid containers; run and organized tag sales... and I may bemissing other ways she has been helpful. It's hard to remember atime when I've turned to ask for help and Victorya has saidno.....SUSAN LANDON. Our skilled volunteer bookkeeper foralmost twodecades. Herefficiency at theProject'sholiday sales, ismatched by hergood humorand energy.Susan is also ano-nonsensemasterfulevents'planner.....SHELLYALTMAN.Saltman is ourgo-to personfor all thingsrelated to theProject's computers. When to replace them, tech support, thedatabase and all of its possibilities, and also ourwebmaster.....ROGER PAHL. For over fifteen years has come twicea month to our office to make deposits and pay the bills for theProject. Here on the third floor in the heat of the summer and thecold of the winter, Roger arrives ready to work. Always on time andever pleasant, his dependability and carefulness are muchappreciated.....SUSAN BENNITT. For years Susan, a facultymember at Hopkins School, has recruited students from Hopkins foran annual delegation. She does not stop with recruitment,though.Susan does orientations, helps plan the delegation's itinerary alongwith New Haven and Leon staff and is indefatigable on the ground inGoyena and Leon. Her imaginative leadership has helped make theHopkins delegations one of the longest running annual delegationsto date....MARIE MILLIARD and BARBARA KAPUSTA. TheseEast Haveners are on call for getting mailings ready, pricing craftsfor our annual sales, set up for our annual Fiesta, sending out pledgereminders, and other clerical tasks. My one complaint is that wedon't go out for pizza often enough.....JEN GOLDBERG. Jen, aprofessor of education at Fairfield University, is leading the Project inour education program in Goyena. Starting with the three levels ofpreschool,teacher trainings are being offered to the current faculty.Eager to learn, they are very receptive to the creative and simpleapproaches Jen shares with them.....

WHAT A CREW! Many thanks. It's an honor to work with you.Patty Nuelsen ◊

Page 5

Hopkins delegates at the preschool with a keyboard theyused to teach different concepts - numbers,letters/spelling, and body movement to the students.

NHLSCP’s WalkBikeTransitCampaign on the StreetsYou may have seenus out in New Haventalking aboutconcerns aboutclimate change, food insecurity and transportationchoices. News of d extreme weather has beencontinuous, giving new urgency to this effort. Ofparticular concern with regards to NH/LSCP’s foodsecurity work is the present drought in the US.

"Time is running out. The world may be muchcloser to an unmanageable food shortage –replete with soaring food prices, spreading foodunrest, and ultimately political instability– thanmost people realize," says Lester Brown, EarthPolicy Institute.

"The drought isn't merely badbecause the crops are parched.Climate change has nudged thetemperature more than a degreehigher than the previous record-breaking US drought in the1950s," says author, economistand food policy expert Raj Patel."We don't yet know what the finalreckoning will be for food prices,"Patel said. "The price is driven bya demand for animal feed, high-fructose corn syrup, and an

incredibly stupid US biofuels policy that mandatesthe transformation of food into ethanol. With theUS producing over half of world corn exports, andwith the price of those exports set by domesticuses of corn, the US drought will have a profoundimpact on [global food] prices."

“2011 will be remembered as ayear of extreme events, both inthe United States and around the world,” saidDeputy NOAA Administrator Kathryn D. Sullivan,Ph.D. “Every weather event that happens nowtakes place in the context of a changing globalenvironment.” Researchers found the 2011 crop-destroying drought and heat wave in Texas was"roughly 20 times more likely" the result of man-made climate change -- warming due togreenhouse gasses -- than of natural climatevariation.

In 2010, transportation contributed approximately27 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.Choosing to drive less, walk more, bike, or takepublic transit (and supporting policies to helpmake these choices more attractive) will help limitgreenhouse gas production, clear the air locally,and make us all healthier. ◊

NOAA arctic sea icesimulation 1885-2085.

Try Some New Games.

Volunteer with NHLSCP inNew Haven... Help withfood security, fundraising,education, theater,outreach.Contact Chris atnh@newhavenleon.org or303.562.1607.

On a school marker board inGoyena:

New Haven/León Sister City Project608 Whitney AvenueNew Haven, CT 06511www.newhavenleon.org nh@newhavenleon.org 203.562.1607

Tired of Horsing Around?

You

Action

KitchenSink Sale

Help Create a SchoolKitchen in the PrimarySchool in Goyena.

“Buy” Pots, Pans,Utensils, Stove, etc.Donations can be sentto NH/LSCP or go tonewhavenleon.org/donate_online.

Intern inNicaragua

Seekingbright

committedpeople with

goodSpanish ... to work in ruralcommunity . . .In education,

envi ronment ,

deve lopment ,

publichealth,

theater,etc...

December 1,Annual Holiday and

Gift Bazaar.