A Nicaraguan Street

The first two weeks in Nicaragua we spent traveling through the country learning about all aspects of the Nicaraguan educational system. We visited daycare centers, community-based literacy programs, primary and secondary schools, teachers' training schools and the University of Central America. We also met with women's groups, unions, church-based educational organizations and an agricultural co-op.

The most intense and emotionally powerful meeting was in Esteli with the Mothers of Heroes and Martyrs of the Revolution, a support group of women who lost children in the revolution or have lost them since in the war with the Contras. As the women showed us through the photo gallery of these children, the real meaning of the revolution in human cost became clear to us.

At Esteli we also visited a jam and ceramics cooperative run by women. This project, begun as a training program for the unemployed, is thriving today and the women workers there are very proud of their workplace which includes an on-site daycare. But where the cooperative excited us, a tobacco factory with predominantly female labour disturbed us. Under the worst conditions (back-breaking work and noxious ammonia fumes), women sort tobacco eight hours a day. Fifteen pounds of tobacco leaves have to be separated and classified to earn 53 cordobas ($.60) per day. The factory uses women employees primarily because the men in the region are involved in the military and there is some fear among the women that when war is over the jobs will belong to the men. Despite the hardships, however, the women in the factory reminded us that "Many of us only see the problems of the revolution now, but we forget the way things were before."

Women sorting leaves in a tobacco factory

Life with Nicaraguan Families
After two weeks of playing tourist and feeling like outsiders to Nicaraguan society, all of us were ready to relinquish our comfortable hotel to find out what life was really like for the average Nicaraguan family.

While excited to finally test our ideas about Nicaraguan life, many of us found the first few days stressful. The conditions included ill-functioning toilets, dark concrete showers with no hot water and (worst of all!) large flying cockroaches. We also had to learn ways to get around the language barrier, though most families were very patient and eager to teach us Spanish.

In Nicaragua, 50% of the population are single mothers. This is only partially because of the war with the Contras which sends men away from their families and which to date has killed 52,000 men. There is also a high rate of desertion. What was most remarkable to us was how valued the children are and how much laughter we heard under each roof. Nicaraguan society is still patriarchal, but in families women rule the roost and are less male identified than we are in Canada. Where we had anticipated strict rules and repression, we found open and raucous communication between mothers and daughters including a healthy dose of sexual humor.

The Work Project
While living with the families, we started work on the Luis Alfonso Valesquez Primary School in the neighbouring barrio. Here group process and gender issues were worked out in a stressful cross-cultural situation. As to be expected, the men in the group were more knowledgeable about the technical work than the women and some watched impatiently as the women struggled to learn to use the tools. Family a meeting was called to discuss the tension and frustration, and we decided that it was important for everyone to contribute to the project to the best of their abilities. We were pleased to hear from a teacher that the children were impressed to see Canadian women using a hammer and nails. We like to think we provided a new role model for the Nicaraguan girls who watched as we worked and followed us from classroom to classroom loyally carrying our tools.

After all our work (cleaning washrooms, painting blackboards and repairing roofs) it was wonderfully gratifying to see the school all lit up on our last day! All the children congregated in the square for a closing ceremony and the teachers praised the solidarity between the people of Canada and the people of Nicaragua. This was a moment we would remember.

Coming Home
Many of us experienced a significant amount of culture shock on returning to Canada. The material wealth of shopping plazas and supermarkets overflowing with merchandise was a startling contrast to the scarcity of resources we had seen in Nicaragua. Some of us found it difficult to relate to people who had not shared this important experience. However, all of us have been delighted to see the real interest which our friends, family and colleagues have demonstrated about our trip. We have developed a slide-show about the project and are presenting it to many interested groups, and as well, we are in the process of organizing another brigade to Nicaragua in the summer. If you are interested in obtaining more information about the Nicaraguan brigades, or if you would like us to bring our slideshow to your organization, contact Canadian Action for Nicaragua, (416) 534-1766.

Jacquie Buncel studies adult education and feminist studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

Jo Lampert teaches English at Seneca College in Toronto. Both continue their work for Nicaragua through solidarity groups in Toronto.