Oklahoma UCC Churches & Chacraseca, Nicaragua
The partnership between Oklahoma UCC Churches and Chacraseca was grounded in the need for a micro-enterprise bank for the small farmers in Chacreseca. The difficulties of sustaining family farms is something Oklahoman’s understand all too well; and this partnership is rooted in the shared experience of nurturing new life from tiny seeds.
JustHope has now engaged the Oklahoma churches in two other life-sustaining projects -- clean water, and micro-credit for women.
The partnership started in 2004 when the Association churches joined together to raise $5,000 to start a micro-enterprise bank for the small farmers in Chacreseca. The difficulties of sustaining family farms is something Oklahomans understand all too well; and this partnership is rooted in the shared experience of nurturing new life from tiny seeds. JustHope has now engaged the Oklahoma churches in two other life-sustaining project s— clean water and micro-enterprise.
Several Oklahoma churches are hosting programs, holding fund-raisers and collecting donations to raise the funds needed to complete the nine-year, community-wide effort to provide clean drinking water to each of the 1,500 families in Chacraseca.
AND, the Association is also participating in establishing several micro-enterprises:
--- a bakery in Chacraseca ($500 for the re-start of this stalled project)
--- a micro-credit project for women in Chacraseca ($1,000 in seed money has been provided)
--- a women's cooperative bakery in Santa Emilia ($2,000 provided; $1000 more pledged)
