From smandel at admin.umass.edu Sat Aug 21 22:07:40 2010 From: smandel at admin.umass.edu (Sandra Mandel) Date: Sat Aug 21 22:07:44 2010 Subject: [Sage] EVENT: Sustainable Development in Nicaragua: 9/7/10 In-Reply-To: <20100821152657.78074co0ashvlpq9@umail.oit.umass.edu> References: <20100821141350.14564wg0eraswoda@umail.oit.umass.edu> <20100821151847.2099107416v2p5lj@umail.oit.umass.edu> <20100821152657.78074co0ashvlpq9@umail.oit.umass.edu> Message-ID: <20100821220740.69175rd5zz4gs7sc@umail.oit.umass.edu> Please post. Thank you! > FORMER VALLEY RESIDENT, FULBRIGHT GRANTEE AND WESTERN MA FOOD > BANK EMPLOYEE RACHEL LINDSAY REPORTS ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NICARAGUA > > On September 7, 2010 at 7:00 in the Community Room of the Media > Education Foundation in Northampton on Gothic Street, the > Solentiname Friendship Group of Western MA welcomes Alan Wright, > President of SOSTENICA and Rachel Lindsay, Coordinator of > Sustainable Development for SOSTENICA, who will be discussing > current efforts to develop a national Sustainable Rural Development > program in northern Nicaragua. This gathering is free, open to the > public and wheelchair accessible. Everyone is welcome! > > SOSTENICA promotes sustainable economic, human and community > development in Nicaragua by providing funds that offer credit and > technical assistance to small business owners and farmers throughout > the Northwest region of Nicaragua. SOSTENICA?s collaborative work > integrates environmental and educational projects with financial > services, creating a holistic and long-term approach to the > alleviation of poverty in Nicaragua. SOSTENICA envisions a world > without poverty, based in dignity, environmental stewardship, and > strong community values. THE SOLENTINAME FRIENDSHIP GROUP is a > western MA-based solidarity group that has an established > relationship with this Nicaraguan community with the goal of > improving the quality of life for all its participants. > > Rachel Lindsay is the Coordinator of Sustainable Development for > SOSTENICA, and currently lives full-time in Nicaragua. She > graduated with honors in cultural anthropology from Wesleyan > University, CT and then worked for four years as an apprentice and > assistant manager at the Food Bank Farm in Hadley, MA. In 2009 she > was awarded a Fulbright grant to study the intersection of > microfinance and sustainable farming in Nicaragua, and is currently > helping to develop a national Sustainable Rural Development program > for 650 microcredit borrowers in northern Nicaragua. A devoted > local food advocate and organic farmer, Rachel supports land rights, > sustainable agriculture and environmental justice movements across > Latin America. > > Alan Wright, the founder and President of SOSTENICA, received his > doctorate in Philosophy from Yale University. For twenty-five years, > Dr. Wright has worked for social and economic justice in Nicaragua. > He lived and worked in Nicaragua from 1990 through 1995. Dr. Wright > is currently collaborating with a team of Nicaraguan professionals > to deliver micro-credit and bio-intensive agriculture to rural > Nicaraguan communities. In addition to his work on behalf of > Nicaragua, Dr. Wright works to promote agro-ecology and food > forestry as ways toward first and third-world food security and > greaterconnectedness to the earth. > > The Solentiname Friendship Group will also provide an opportunity to > view and purchase paintings, pottery and crafts by Nicaraguan > artists. All proceeds are returned to community development efforts > in Solentiname, Nicaragua. > For more information contact: Sandy Mandel @413-585-8240 or > smandel@admin.umass.edu >> >> >> >> > >