c
   

Palo Solo is an impoverished community about 45 minutes south of Managua,

Nicaragua. We started this to help the 45 families (over 200 people) that live there. Palo
Solo is like millions of other villages throughout the world that are economically
challenged but whose families seek a better life for their children.

c



Palo Solo is an agricultural community in the mountains at an elevation of over 2400

feet. It is located south of Managua and only eight miles from the Masaya volcano.
Palo Solo is one of several communities in the area that receives acid rain from the
volcano which limits the crops that can be grown. As a result, the area can only
produce pineapple, pitaya, cabbage and beans which limits the economic potential of the
region. Income in the area is about $12.50 per week for a family of five or more. The
smog from the volcano also creates asthmatic conditions for a number of the children in
the area leading to specific medical conditions.

^ 
 
 
In addition to the smog from the volcano, the town faces some additional ecological
challenges due to changing climate conditions. As a result of warmer than normal
temperatures in early 2007, the number of cases of dengue fever has exploded in
Nicaragua. Palo Solo had an epidemic in the April - May time frame that affected most
families. Dengue is a debilitating illness spread by mosquitoes that causes severe fever
symptoms (Learn more about Dengue by reading the Dengue Fever Wikipedia).
Nicaragua provides free health care but does not provide medicine. As a result most
families can get medical attention but receive little medication, limiting the benefits of
the care provided.

Due to the drought that affected Nicaragua and much of Central America in late 2006
and early 2007, Palo Solo residents did not have sufficient water to survive. The
community normally draws water from local wells and from a pipe from a nearby
community. Both of these sources dried up during the drought. In normal conditions,
the area has sufficient rainfall to support the communities and local agriculture. In the
2006/2007 drought, families were forced to buy water trucked up the mountain, which
was expensive - $2.50 per week for two months. For families earning $2.50 per day,
this is a catastrophic expense.

While neither of these events were insurmountable (this year the rain seems to have
returned to normal levels), it highlights that relatively small challenges for families that
are already living on the edge can have devastating consequences, wiping out their
savings or making it more difficult to get out of poverty.

c




  


 
















  

 !
 
! 
" 

  "

  




 



 
 





#"
$



  


" 



Given the modest income earned by these families, very small

contributions to the village can make an enormous difference in their
quality of life and help them to escape the parent-child cycle of poverty.

{edicineÎc




!

 

"  !



  
c 




"
%




   
 "  
   


 

EducationÎ

  

  
 $
 
c  
 

 






 
 &
# 

$
  
 

' $  
 !
  




 &





 !
 


   

 
(


   
 

 

" 

$
 " 


 


 )  
" 


 

 
 
  


 $ 

 "




$ 
 $  
 



!   "
$

" 
" 

$ 




 




&
*


"
 

!
*
 



$ 
  




+$ 
" 
  

* " 
,





 
**



   
-

.



$
 




/ $  

 "0 
 
 



0"
1


2



0


3

$

 


  2 

"

2
 0$!

"
4*  +"



$

 



 


"



$
)  
 5/ $ 


 +6 $ 

 

  ,



0





 " 
 +
6 

 "

  +
2

 
"

  


 +
 " 

7
" 

2 02

+/ $ $

&6 ,

 



   
- 



 



$   

"
! ! 8
  




$ 
%



  
   

&"



 



 #
3  




*




   
  


  




$ 
 3

2 0

'-


!
"
$$ 
 

92


1
 


 

2
$0



 $+ 

 "
 $ 


!
  
"

4

9


! 

 "
!



 !




5




!
2

"



 !


2
9


2
! !



"






 
!"  

2

* 0



"
%
:

 

80$ 



980


 

 
2
9
%

2

 !


 
 


"* 
 


 
 #



0%

$


!








$ 
2
9 $
  !0

 
"#
  

$


 
 $




  

 
"*