2014 was an important year for Superemos with the foundation supporting new activities while also developing and improving already existing programmess. Thanks to help from our friends and supporters we were also able to remodel the main school building.
The new activities included hosting a public health research project carried out by students from Boston University's School of Dental Medicine and School of Public Health, in close coordination with Nicaragua's Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education.
The foundation also hosted the Estelí Guitar Congress organized by Edward Grigassy with teaching support from the University of Texas at Austin. Also in 2014 thanks to Judy Richardson and her friends we were again able to organize teacher training activities to help rural primary school teachers improve their teaching methodology.
Remodelling the main building has vastly improved its usability while also creating an auditorium facility ideal both for the music education programmes and for events organized by the Estelí Women's School.
We are grateful to everyone who supported our programmes through 2014, in particular, Cele Meyer and her friends of the Central American Fund for Human Development, Dr. Peter Loewinthan and his friends and colleagues at Dorchester House Multi Service Center, Albanisa, the Christine King Memorial Trust, the Barr Foundation of Oklahoma, Evanston First Congregational Church, the Aid for Nicaragua Association in Japan and also a great many individual friends and supporters.
The main areas of our community work through 2014 were as follows:
Estelí Women's School
The Estelí Women's School had another successful year in 2014 with 40 out of 48 scholarship students graduating with their baccalaureate from the women's only evening classes. Another 30 students graduated from among the students studying the Sunday classes which are mixed and for which the students pay their tuition..
Dental delegation and public health research team
A group of students from Boston University visited Superemos in February. Part of the group carried out a public health study to evaluate the dental health of children in Estelí. We hope to follow up that program later in 2015. Another group delivered dental care under the supervision of Dr. Loren Wilson to patients out in rural communities.
the dental care groups - taking a break from working in the communities
Medical delegation
In February we hosted another large delegation of medical professionals and students organized by Dr. Peter Loewinthan. As well as the main delegation seeing over a thousand patients out in rural communities, delegation member Dr. Kirsten Meisinger worked with the local health centre following up women patients with irregular PAP results. During this year's visit it was also possible to discuss with the local Health Ministry officials ways of coordinating future delegations more closely to meet local public health service needs.
the medical delegation loads up before setting out to a rural community
Solar panel workshop
In 2014 our friends from the Help for Nicaragua Association of Japan again visited Estelí to deliver a workshop on the production and installation of solar panels. This workshop was held together with students from the local multidisciplinary faculty of Nicaragua's National Autonomous University as well as members of the "Christine King" Multi Service Cooperative.
participants in the 2014 solar panel workshop
Preschool
Superemos maintains its support for the Sinai community preschool on Estelí's western outskirts. The school serves over forty local children whose parents are working during the day.
preschool teaching assistant Gabriela Irias in an activity with her students
Estelí Guitar Congress
In July 2014 Superemos helped Edward Grigassy and Dr. Michael Quantz of the University of Texas at Austin organize the Esteli Guitar Congress wth students and teachers from all over Nicaragua. The Congress lasted a week with participants also from El Salvador and Guatemala.
participants in the Estelí Guitar Congress receive tuition from Dr. Michael Quantz
Skills training
Superemos offers many skills training classes at different times throughout the year. The classes cover craft skills, simple jewellery making, sewing and baking. Around 35 women a year benefit from these various courses.
craft skills educator Luisa Duarte with a student learning basic jewellery skills
Ceramics
The cooperative's ceramics workshop continues to successfully produce ceramic ware for sale and also offer training in ceramics making skills.
Alan Parrales working on components of a ceramic mobile
Ramon Zambrano producing ornamental ceramic pots
Aromatic herbs
Superemos has a long relationship with local small farmers. In 2014 we invited agronomist Hector Martinez to give various workshops on the cultivation of aromatic and oil producing plants.
Hector Martinez shows workshop participants how to space different varieties of aromatic herbs
Computer skills
Through 2014 our computer skills educator Milagro Silva gave classes to a total of around 23 students a month, all women and young people on low incomes. Milagro teaches basic word processing and spreadsheet skills as well as helping her students get accustomed to using the Internet.
computer skills class with educator Milagro Silva
Music education
The Sones Segovianos music education programme had an extremely successful year during 2014 of which the highlights were the end of term concerts and the Estelí Guitar Congress. The programme in Estelí benefits over 60 music students and over 20 young children learning dance. Superemos also funds a music education programme serving 15 to 20 children in the small rural town of Palacagüina about 60km north of Estelí.
Sones Segovianos director Hannah Curteis with one the programme's choir at theend of year concert
student Tamara Ticay practices guitar
Primary School Teacher Training
Judy Richardson, Alan Olds and Morgan Smith again financed an important teacher training activity for over 25 rural primary school teachers from the area of El Jícaro and Quilalí in the department of Nueva Segovia. These trainings are a very important resource both for the local education system, which has difficulty funding this kind of methodological workshop, and for local teachers who always participate in these training events with much enthusiasm.
participants in a dynamic activity part of a teacher training event in Jícaro, about 150km north of Esteli, funded by the Global Education Fund and organized by Estelí Women's School director Bertha Sanabria and her colleagues
Preventive health care
The preventive health care program continues to work with children in local rural communities promoting good dental hygiene and screening for skin and scalp conditions. In these same communities, programme coordinator Gladis Ruiz works with local women educating on reproductive health. Gladis also looks after the school dispensary and monitors project participants with chronic health problems such as diabetes or high blood pessure. Gladis works closely with the domestic violence programme which visits some of the same communities. She also gives classes to women in the Estelí Women's Shcool on reproductive health, coping with domestic violence and on personal development. The programme coordinates with the local municipal health centre of Nicaragua's health ministry.
preventive health program coordinator Gladis Ruiz
women students participate in a workshop as part of the preventive health education activities
Domestic violence
Superemos has maintained a programe addressing domestic violence since 2012. Through 2014 the programme worked in fourteen communities throughout the department of Estelí, focusing mainly on Estelí's urban area and surrounding rural communities. The programme coordinates closely with the Ministry of the Family and the local Women's and Children's Unit of the national police.
programme psychologist Karen Villarreyna with social worker Alba Peralta
Liaison between the foundation and the cooperative
Superemos is able to carry out all these project activities thanks to effective coordination with the "Christine King" Multi-Service cooperative. The cooperative meets reguarly to plan and evaluate the various progamme activities.
a planning and evaluation meeting of the cooperative's administrative council
Income and Expenditure 2014
(Note: The distribution of expenditures has been adjusted to reflect expenditures on remodelling and skills training more accurately)
| Superemos Foundation | |
| Income and expenditure report for 2014 | US$ |
| Brought forward from 2013 | 11177 |
| Donated income | |
| Central American Fund for Human Development | 59400 |
| Christine King Memorial Trust | 7589 |
| Dorchester House Multi Service Center | 25836 |
| Edward Grigassy and friends | 2898 |
| Evanston First Congregational Church | 500 |
| Global Education Fund | 3000 |
| Hope Little | 500 |
| Japan Help for Nicaragua Association | 1800 |
| Peter Loewinthan and friends | 70854 |
| Proyectos Sociales Albanisa | 9600 |
| Various individual donations | 2295 |
| Local contributions | 1042 |
| Bank interests | 288 |
| Total income | 196779 |
| Expenditures | |
| Computer skills program | 10210 |
| Health Care | 21062 |
| Humanitarian assistance | 4135 |
| Social work/family violence program | 16465 |
| Music Education | 16113 |
| Preschools | 6832 |
| Skills training | 12579 |
| Women's secondary education | 18825 |
| Other education and training related activities | 8310 |
| Administration | 17142 |
| Site maintenance/remodelling | 16320 |
| Medical delegation | 17457 |
| Estelí Guitar Congress | 3298 |
| Teacher trainings | 3500 |
| Bank commissions and charges | 865 |
| Total expenditure | 173113 |
| Carried forward to 2015 |
23666
|