Two weeks of unpaid vacation in between a move from Iowa to northern California allowed me to spend the last 16 days in Nicaragua for EOS work. This was my third time here and meant that I have now spent a total of one out of the last 12 months in Nicaragua. Each trip has been more successful then the last and the previous two weeks were, without a doubt, the most productive I’ve had since founding EOS in 2008.
We are approaching a tipping point for this organization. In 16 days through countless hours of conversation with Wes and numerous productive meetings across the country, we finally identified the specific ways EOS will begin to create lasting change in rural communities throughout Nicaragua and Central America. We also validated that there is a pressing need for our services, and thus, EOS recently began informal partnerships with multiple NGOs and local groups that want to work with us.
We are now working closely with the Peace Corps, Opportunity International, and an eco-tourism co-op called Enlace in Nicaragua to promote our core technologies (drip irrigation, fuel-efficient barrel ovens, and biodigesters) and train others how to implement, use, and maintain them. With this approach we can reach more people in an effective and sustainable way.
With the help of Wes’ growing contact base in Nicaragua, we also began the process of registering as an international NGO in Nicaragua and are in touch with authorities at two Nicaraguan universities who are helping us with the process of hiring a Nicaraguan engineer for our project technician role that we hope to fill by this June.
The last two weeks will pay dividends to EOS for years to come. Just three months into this calendar year, I can confidently and happily say that 2010 is the year of EOS.
Cheers,
Greg
Managua, Nicaragua – 3/13/10