Summary, food distribution process:

We were a team of five people: the team leader -expert in this area-, two technicians -experts in water and sanitation-, a translator of Spanish-Miskitu, and me -communication and advocacy department-. We are based in Alamikamba, but bought the food in Siuna, a city near to Alamikamba, because the prices were better, despite we had to pay for transportation.

We store the food bags in the office of Save the Children in Alamikamba –where we also slept-. Every morning, we carry a boat with the aid for the communities that we would assist. We already knew how many households had per community, thanks to the census we did before we started the distribution process. 

We started the distribution on the most remote communities from Alamikamba the second week. 

We use two boats to serve the greatest number of people per day. All the staff traveled by speedboat but one of the technicians, who was traveling in other with the food supplies. This second boat was much slower due to the weight of the cargo.

We used to start at 5 or 6am; distances are large and from 6pm is night in Nicaragua, so we have forbidden traveling across the river for safety.

We arrived first, so we could start the process: with the census, we gave food ticket to one person per home, who told us how many people live in the same household, ages and sex. This process used to take two hours, depending on the size of each community. Then, the boat with the load came, and the bags were distributed to the people with a ticket.

• First day: Auhya Pura, Tuburus and Bethel. We spent almost 2 hours by speedboat. The slow one arrived 5 hours later. Bethel was the last one. The conditions in these three communities are very poor. 12.08.13
• Second day: AukaMango and Dos Amigos. We realized that the communities that are further away of Alamikamba have worse conditions. The problems are more severe between the populations closer to the Atlantic coast. 13.08.13.
• Third day:  Galilea, Buena Vista and Limbaica. These communities are closer to Alamikamba and we could appreciate that the conditions are better. 14.08.13
• Fourth day: Klarindan and Ladricola. The situation is also better. 15.08.13

Total of beneficiaries

Community	Houses	Children	Adults	Total
Auhya Pura	31	113	84	197
Tuburus	18	62	48	110
Bethel	33	139	91	230
AukaMango	46	153	97	250
Dos Amigos	68	242	167	409
Galilea	54	168	136	304
Buena Vista	54	172	129	321
Limbaica	56	152	153	305
Klarindan	40	88	92	180
Ladricola	74	190	178	368
Total	474	1479	1195	2674

General impressions

Most communities have the same problems, though are more severe near the coast.

• All the wells are contaminated; in Bethel and Dos Amigos there are none.
• In every community, there are sick people from drinking dirty water. But there are no health post in almost any community.
• In most, mud and sludge flood everything. The hygienic conditions –and the latrines- are terrible. In addition, there are animal droppings everywhere, including around wells and schools.
• The quality of education is not good; children cannot even finish elementary education in most communities. In none of them they can study high-school.
• Almost anyone can write; most of the beneficiaries have signed with the initials of their names or fingerprint.
• No birth control at all; numerous families living in poor conditions. We have also realized that there are only 97 people older than 60 years old (1197 adult population in total).
• There is no good communication system or emergency alert; the most dangerous is when there is none.
• People have lost most of their crops and this aid only solves the problem for a week. In my opinion, the situation will be worst when the food runs out, because many really have not anything else.

Children are very curious and tender in all communities. Although they do not speak Spanish, they approach me; teach me the school, like to see the photos I do. I'm the only non-Nicaraguan member of the team and many people ask me where I come from, where is my country or if I miss my family.  

People who talk to me are very polite and respectful. The teacher of Dos Amigos asked me "are you all right here? Do not mind being surrounded by so many different people to you? I have seen that you speak with a lot of persons. Sometimes when foreigners come to work with organizations, they do not want to leave the ship or talk to anyone, only with their partners ".

I can imagine how
I can imagine how uncomfortable you feel when someone does not want to approach you for any reason. We have not had any problems in the communities, quite the opposite. They have always been hospitable and friendly.

We are very expected; since the boat is approaching, many people come out to welcome us. Furthermore, many people wait until we went to say goodbye.

Limbaica, Galilea and Buena Vista indigenous communities

14.08.13

Limbaica

“I was at home when the river overflowed. I was unhappy because I saw my dad and my mom sad because everything they grow is "died” (she means the entire crop was lost). The bananas, rice ... All are "died", then I was sad, "says Estefani, a 13-years old girl from Limbaica who speaks Spanish.

We are in this community the third day of food distribution. This community is closer to Alamikamba and we appreciate that conditions are not as bad. We distribute food aid to 305 people, of which 152 are kids and 41 are under five years old.

In Limbaica, there are three wells in good conditions; however, well water is contaminated after the overflowing of the river.

 “In recent weeks, many children have not gone to school because they are sick from drinking polluted water. Most have diarrhea and allergies” says one of the four school teachers.

Although Limbaica is also Miskito, many people speak Spanish. “Here, we can study until 6^th grade”, says Rachel, an eight years old girl, very happy and fun, who has been walking with me since I came.

Estefani studies first grade in high school. “I go every day to Alamikamba, it takes almost four hours”. She has the "lucky" to be able to attend secondary school because her family can pay the round trip every day (with a great economic effort). 

The food distribution process was pretty quick and tidy, we give out aid to 56 families, among them, 47 children under 5 years old. 

Galilea

The beneficiaries are 168 children -63 under five years-, 136 adults, 304 people in 54 homes. There are three wells and three are contaminated.

Some children show me the school. The latrines are a little better; the yard is full of animals (especially cows and horses). 

I am surprised that the school is closed; when I ask why, children do not know but they are dressed with the uniform (although most walk barefoot), so they should have lessons today.

Buena Vista

In Buena Vista there is one well and it is polluted. The beneficiaries are 172 children -64 under five years-, in 54 homes, 321 people. 

On August 14, we share out food aid in these three communities. The closest community to Alamikamba is half an hour by speedboat and less than 3 hours by slow boat. 

All three have better hygienic conditions and we find more people who speak Spanish. However, all three have the contaminated well water.

Dos Amigos II

13.08.13

We did an interview to the health leader, a teacher and the community leader to try to understand better how life is in an indigenous community like this.

There are two things that are very easy to realize. 

• Living conditions are very bad; there are no facilities, population is living with the bare minimum to survive.
• The community is very united; they are a cohesive group. "We want to live well and live together, live together like a community that is what we are, sharing life and knowledge," says the school teacher.

"Here we all know each other; everyone can go in every house. All children are friends and play together," says Felton, a 13 years old boy. This also causes a lot of social pressure, "if you do something different from other people, rises much envy against you and you just don't do it, because the other people will treat you differently," says the teacher of another indigenous community of this area.

MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS

Water

One of the biggest problems in Dos Amigos is that there are no wells, not even one. They use rainwater or they gather it of the river.

"Many children do not come to school because they are sick. My older sister is sick because of the dirty water," says Jeanette, a seven years old girl. The sewage from all communities and cities in Prinzalpoka, go into the river. This water is dirty and polluted. Moreover, the kids use to shower in the river. The latrines are also in very bad conditions.  

Health

Another huge problem is that there is not a health post or a drugs store in Dos Amigos. 

The Ministry of Health distributes the medicines once every semester, but only if the health leader is there. Once they have finished, there is no possibility to have more. The only way is going across the river to Alamikamba; it can take nearly an hour by speedboat, five hours in slow, but 12 hours if you only have the canoes to paddle (like most families here).

Felton’s father tells us “I had 14 children, two of them died of diarrhea and pneumonia when they were still babies. They got ill and we could not arrive in time to the city”.

The most common diseases are caused by contaminated water. "This year, two children under 5 years have died of easily treated diseases, like diarrhea. All because we had no time to get to the hospital or medicines", says the health leader. 

Alarm / communications system

"There is no communication system here. There is no phone coverage or satellite phone to notify in case of emergency", says the community leader, Ralph Penglas. If someone is dying and does not have the "luck" that is during the day and someone with a speedboat is traveling and can ( and want) help, the person dies. This is unacceptable and unfair. These communities have a very difficult access but these problems are solvable. It is necessary the commitment to provide them with a communication system to act in an emergency.

“In case of natural disaster, there are brigades in another community who have a satellite radio. When they receive the information that reaches an emergency, they warn in their community and then they come here by boat, and we will notify it here with a bell. Then, we collect the necessary and go away from the river", says the community leader.

The process is reversed in case someone has committed a felony, or he/she intends to do it. "If someone, for example, goes out with a machete with intent to kill someone, we go to the community with a satellite radio and they notified this to the police. Then, someone from Alamikamba comes by boat," says Mr. Penglas.

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION

“There is an indigenous territorial government with some autonomy of the central government, but still we depend on the Major of the municipality". 

"In a Community Assembly with all the population of Dos Amigos, we choose the community leader for a year” tell us Mr Penglas. He is four months in the position; does not speak well Spanish and does not seem self-confident, but he is very hummable and pleasant. 

"When there are problems between families or non-serious crime (a crime that they do not consider serious), the adults got together and made ​​a decision. In addition, the entire population of Dos Amigos meet once or twice per month and discuss community problems and make decisions”.

Land

"The land is not owned by anyone, is part of the community. There is a communal land where everyone can grow, work or take their cattle with permission from the authority.

However, each family has a smaller piece of land where only they can farm. However, it does not mean it is private property because they cannot sell it or give it. They can only give it to their family. If someone new comes to live here, we give a piece of land as well”.

Birth control and religion

In every community there is a church, always with the same style; the religion is very important. They are Christians but have some peculiarities, for example, priests can marry and have families, and women can only dress with long skirt.

Health leader confirms what we have observed "here, there is not family planning at all”. The school teacher of Auhya Pura told us "a woman once said that contraceptive methods cause cancer". Ignorance about sexual matters is common in all the communities we visited. Furthermore, "many pastors tell us that birth control is sin, it is worse for us," says a woman from Dos Amigos, mother of 8 children.

We found the same situation than in Auhya Pura: families with young parents –around 20 years old- and with many children (approx 6 per family) living in a house with one or two spaces and latrines in dreadful conditions. 

More than 60% of the population in Dos Amigos are children, most of them with malnutrition and exposed to serious health problems, many of them caused by contaminated water; but also with a poor educational system that does not guarantee that kids can even finish elementary school.

The basic rights of food, clean water, accessible health care, education and housing are part of the Rights of the Child, which should be ensure in any part of the world. However, we are especially alarmed because in Nicaragua most of the aid is concentrated in the Pacific, while the Atlantic is still forgotten and ignored.

Dos Amigos, indigenous community.

13.08.13

As soon as we arrive to Dos Amigos, other indigenous community along the Prinzapolka river, we see that the hygienic situation is the same than in Auhya Pur; everything is full of mud. But we also appreciate that many people come to wait for us, including the community leader, Ralph Penglas Reno, a middle-age man with humble appearance, who received us politely.

DISTRIBUTION

Dos Amigos is bigger than Auhya Pura. Here we deliver food aid to 409 people, of which 142 are children. “When the floods came, my parents were very sad," says Felton, a 13-year-old boy .

"We lost half of the crop. The house was also flooded," said the child's father, Fidel Gómez. “I have 12 kids and I do not know how I will feed my family. Until October we cannot replant and there are not enough seeds for everyone. Almost all people in the community have lost crops, we all need seeds. We are grateful for the food you are going to give us, because it solves the problem for a week. Now I am feeding my family with fish and bananas”. 

Felton’s family is one of the 68 families who are going to pick up the food aid of Save the Children.

It is easy to see how necessary is the food distribution here; not only because is palpable the poor conditions in which people live here, also because children are very thin and the treatment they give us is so grateful and hospitable.

EDUCATION

I like having school and studying”, says Felton with a big smile. However, access to school is a big problem for most children, because a part of the land is sunken and they can cross it only when the current is low. “When it rains, I cannot go because the bridge is still not finish. With this flood we did not go to school during two weeks”, explains us Felton, talking about the bridge that Save the Children is building. He and almost all children who are with us, walk barefoot through the mud.

Nilo Martínez, a teacher of Dos Amigos, tells us that “there are 105 children in this school and 4 teachers, but here they only can study up to 5th grade”. Although he does not speak well Spanish, he tries to explain as best as possible. He is shy and does not seem older than 30 years old. Clearly, he has not a lot of preparation, but assures us that "I love working here and teaching children."

A school teater in Alamikamba confirms that "most teachers of indigenous communities have not finished high school. Recently, a guy offered to teach in one of the communities but he only finished elementary school. They had to accept him because there was no one else”.

They invite us to eat; they give me a juice (with river water), but they are so nice and polite with me, so I drink it. Even though life here is hard and “rude”, the threat with us is very delicate and friendly. 

Auhya Pura, Indigenous Community

12.08.2013
After a few hours by boat, we arrive to Auhya Pura, a small community with houses along the river, where only Miskitu is spoken. The community leader comes with us to the church and we begin the process of food distribution. This church has been the "temporary school" for more than 6 years. Here, we are going to give food aid to 197 people, of which 113 are children

DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AID

 "Some kids come without eating and come sad. Most families here have lost the entire crop. The food which you are going to distribute today is essential because many of them have not how to eat" says Tania Moody, one of the teachers of the community.

To find out how many aid we have to distribute, we did a census, we went house to house to count how many are affected by the floods. In this community, 31 households receive food aid. Then, they come with their ID and tell us how many people live per household, sex and age of each one.

The families are very numerous because the birth rate is high and parents are young. We are surprised that there are very few people over 60 years. It also surprises me that most do not know how to write and have to sign with the initials of their names or with the fingerprint.

In the community we are highly expected; since they heard a boat coming, they are waiting on the bank of the river. Children are very sweet and cheerful. They show me the new school and want to see the pictures I do.

COMMUNITY CONDITIONS

The community has very poor conditions. The houses are built on bases and are made of wood. Most are small and only have one or two spaces, although there are many people living in each house. 

Everything is full of mud and there are many animals dropping due to the overflowing of the river and flooding in the community. The latrines are also in very poor conditions; there are several parents who tell us that many children are sick due to lack of hygiene and contaminated water. 

Most people walk barefoot, including children. Kids are very happy and curious; they are playing all the time together. "I'm afraid to come to school when it rains, because we have to come by canoe and it is dangerous," says Ivania, a 10 years old girl who is surrounded by children. "Many children do not usually come due to the weather, because if it rains, because who live far away and have to come sculling, cannot come", tell us the teacher. However, Yoiner, an 8 years old boy, says "We are all friends, we always play together".

EDUCATION SYSTEM

"I am happy because I can come to school", tell us Yoiner, a 8 years old boy with a big smile, "I love adventure stories".
The teacher says, "Kids enjoy coming here and doing homework. All are very studious. But where we are now (in the church-"provisional school") they have many problems. We have not tables, then they write crouched on banks.

"I'm very happy because we will have a new school," says Ivania. "Our school is going to be the prettiest of the River" tells Yoiner, who is waiting for his parents to pick up food aid. This school is being built by the Christian Medical Action with funding from Save the Children, "next month it will be open, we are going to be the first to study there!" tell us Yoiner excited.

"They want to have lessons until 6th grade so we have more chances to end childhood education" says Ivania. "Most of the kids do not finish elementary school because there is no possibility to study up more than 4th grade here. Now we have around 70 children", tell us the teacher.