Live Long and Prosper!

This past Wednesday, ANF held a fund raising event in Managua's Alhambra VIP movie theaters where over 100 attendees made a donation and watched the premiere of the new summer release, Star Trek.

The movie began in all three of Alhambra's theaters at 7:30PM, and each person received a free bucket of popcorn courtesy of COSAS magazine. People enjoyed themselves because, not only did they spend two hours watching a great and action-packed movie, but they also made a charitable donation.

In the eyes of both ANF and those who attended, the event was a definite success. On ANF's part, the funds raised will help achieve ANF's mission of striving to provide hope and opportunity to Nicaragua's poor. On the part of the public, many requested (and even insisted) that this type of event be repeated on more frequent basis.

Thank you to Alhambra movie theaters and COSAS magazine for supporting ANF and helping to put on such a great event.

Changing a Mother's Life

“For a year, my daughter carried me around everywhere. But today, I will be able to be more independent and even go to church alone.”

These are the words of Catalina Romero, a 65 year old woman from Ciudad Sandino in Managua, Nicaragua’s capital.
Until May of 2008, Mrs. Romero was able to walk and lead a normal life. She had lived with diabetes for 18 years of her life when she awoke one morning with her right foot turning purple. She went to the doctor who gave her treatment to stop it from spreading to the entire leg. Sadly, it was unsuccessful. Catalina said she felt like she would rather die than have to live without her leg, but her daughter cried and begged her to be positive about the situation because she needed her mother present in her life. A couple of months later, Catalina’s right leg was amputated.

From the moment she had her leg surgically removed, Mrs. Romero’s perspective on life changed drastically. Finding herself completely dependent on others for the first time in her life, she felt herself a burden on her daughter’s life. She hated the feeling of having to depend on people to get around, knowing that her independence as a woman no longer existed. Her mood swings were strong, getting more depressed and discouraged by the day.

On May 26, Catalina received a donation from ANF that changed her life - a wheelchair. Her outlook visibly changed from the moment she laid eyes on her wheelchair. Her first trip on it, she said, would be to the nearby church with her daughter and grand-daughters.

Students Helping Students raises funds for impoverished school

As part of the Students Helping Students program, students of the American Nicaraguan School held a fundraiser at their school's annual Kermesse. The group's aim is to raise funds in order to provide an impoverished school in Managua with school supplies, desks, and a better infrastructure (including clean water, a bathroom, and better classrooms).

The fundraiser consisted of a small blow-up swimming pool filled with plastic balls. Each ball had a tiny sticker on it. The ONE plastic ball with a red apple sticker on it was the key to winning an iPod.

By the end of the event, they had raised c$3,400!

Shocking Visit to Somoto

Last week, I visited Totogalpa in Somoto, where a water well, donated by Life Outreach International (LOI), was installed by ANF last year. We spoke to some of the members of the community who benefit from the well, and we were able to see the happiness and different, improved lifestyle they now have thanks to this donation.

Previous to the existence of this well, the families of Totogalpa began a trek of two or three miles at 3:00 a.m. to reach a water source, only to find a line of 50 others also waiting their turn to collect the filthy, diseased water. Part of the contamination of that water source came from dead bats!

Two residents of the community, Elena Ruiz and Juan Antonio Perez, shared with us the fact that they used to have to send their children to school without bathing them. Instead, they would simply rub a damp towel over them to clean them as best they could.

Today, with a water well only steps from their homes, they are not only able to bathe their kids before going to school, but they are also able to access as much water as they need to water their plants and grow fruits and vegetables in their backyards. This is the case for the more than 40 families that are being benefited by this water well. It is amazing to see the positivism they now have in life after seeing that people cared about their situation and took steps to help them overcome it. People in the community were infinitely grateful for ANF's help in making a difference to their everyday lives.

New Computer Lab for the New School Year

ANF Nicaragua is excited to have finished the computer lab in Colegio Autonomo Las Americas, located in Managua, just in time for the new school year.

This computer lab allows more than 500 students from 5^th to 12^th grade to enjoy the implementation of cyber life in their school. The lab will have capacity for 36 students on 18 computer stations (12 donated by RTI/USAID and 6 by Target AMC) internet access and a printer. The students will learn how to use a computer, manage basic information system programs, and take advantage of the internet connection to do research on relevant and updated information.

Today we thank RTI/USAID and Target AMC for their support in making this computer lab a reality to the school.

ANF and CB Richard Ellis (CBRE- global real estate services company) worked together to build 62 homes that benefited 434 people in Nicaragua.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLIOcRDtofg

This video shows the desperate conditions people live in before receiving a new home, the construction process and the finished project.

I ask you to join us in thanking CBRE for making this possible as well as spreading the word so other companies can join in efforts just like this one. Let us know if you can.

Vote for ANF

Today ANF asks for your help in bringing computers and internet access to poor students in Nicaragua and all you have to do is click here.

ANF has been selected to be one of 12 organizations to receive a grant for development projects in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

Part of the decision making process is an on-line popular vote. This is where you can make a difference. Click on this link and vote for the project in Nicaragua. We are the fourth box from the top, titled "Fortalecimiento de la educación tecnológica de dos escuelas vulnerables en Nicaragua."

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
Thank you for getting involved, spread the word and help make this project a reality.