Work has begun on the Loma Fresca Laundry project!

Merit Award 2012

We are firmly into the New Year and work has begun on the Loma Fresca Laundry project. John Booth (one of the recipients of the BPEC Life Award 2012) and the January 2013 team will be spending their time in Bluefields building a community laundry facility which will save the local women a 2 mile walk to the nearest river. They also plan to paint the treatment rooms in Bluefields hospital. A pioneering dental team will travel to remote communities up the Rio Grande de Mataglapa to serve remote communities who have no access to medical aid.

A close friend and team member, Richard Geary, travelled to Nicaragua in November 2012 to check the site and to meet many of the people who will benefit from the charity’s work. Together with a local builder Richard drew up plans and costings for the building before consulting with John to design the plumbing aspect of the project. It was at this time that a 40ft aid container was loaded back in England with vital goods such as medical and educational supplies. These goods are being distributed during January whilst the team is in Nicaragua. The Peace and Hope Trust are very grateful for the many donations as the need is great – if you are aware of any surplus, but useable medical or educational supplies please let the Trust know.

John and the team travelled to Nicaragua on the 15th January and will be returning to the UK on the 5th February. They travelled for 27 hours to get to their destination over 7,000 miles away in Central America, followed by a flight in a light aircraft to the other side of the country to Bluefields on the impoverished East Coast.

The project began officially on 17th January and is anticipated to take 10 days and 1000 man hours to complete. The cost of the materials for the build are $3564 or £2,376.

John plans to carry out site training with students from the Vocational Centre who will put into practice their newly acquired skills.

Richard Geary kept a diary of the works carried out during their time in Bluefields. To read about this project go to the Loma Fresca blog.