Benjamin N. Duke International Summer of Service

Grupo Fenix and Las Mujeres Solares

Isa Ferrall

Organización Proyectos La Gente

Over the summer of 2014, I participated in a

Renewable Energy and Sustainable

Engineering Volunteer Intern Program with an

NGO called Grupo Fenix. Grupo Fenix’s

mission is to contribute to the well-being of

rural communities by offering alternatives to

harmful environmental practices through

promotion of renewable energy technologies.

Grupo Fenix acts as the umbrella

organization for smaller groups including Las

Mujeres Solares (The Solar Women), JHPF

(Youth Pedaling into the Future), and Sansun

(Youth Agriculture Group).

Localización

The biggest lesson I found in Nicaragua was

to learn to live without; without running water,

without reliable electricity, without outside

contact, but also without pressure or stress.

The people of Sabana Grande value family

and friends more than anything. They do not

Lecciones

I could not have imagined a more welcoming

place to spend my ISOS. My eight member

host family pictured below welcomed me as

another sister and friend. The members of

Gracias

I first want to thank the Benjamin Newton Duke Scholarship for

funding this adventure with specific thanks to Jenny Wood Crowley

and Charlie Thompson for their constant guidance and support. I

also want to thank the staff at Grupo Fenix and my homestay family

for their inspiration and help throughout my summer experience.

Other mentions go to my wonderful parents and the NAE Grand

Challenge Scholar Program.

While in Sabana Grande,

Nicaragua I focused on three

sustainable engineering

projects:

• The Bici-Bomba

The Bici-Bomba is a bicycle

powered water pump for the

San Miguel Arcángel primary

school in Sabana Grande and

the JHPF. With this teacher and

community requested project,

the K-6th graders can now petal

the bike and pump water across

the school grounds to their hand

washing station or educational

garden.

• Cocinas Solares

The Cocinas Solares (Solar

Ovens) are made by the Solar

Women, but often fall into dis-

repair after long periods of time

outside. With six of the women, I

identified ovens in need of

repair and replaced ten oven

doors and three stands.

• Canales para Recoger

Agua

With the help of a local metal

craftsman, I designed a water

collection system using 108 ft of

canals made from folded scrap

metal for the roof of a building.

This water was used to water

plants during the major drought

just experienced in Nicaragua.

My project location was

in Sabana Grande in the

mountainous north of

Nicaragua. It is a small

rural farming community

where the fields are still

plowed by bulls and

water is hand pumped

from the well. Motmots

(left) are fairly common

beneath the pine-topped

hills surrounding the

valley. The saying goes

in the village, you are

either catholic or

protestant, a Real

Madrid fan or Barcelona

fan, but everyone would

say stop to say hello.

Grupo Fenix and Las

Mujeres Solares were

a constant inspiration

in their dedication and

passion for improving

their life with the sun.

walk fast because there

is no need to rush past

life and not enjoy it. The

land of lakes and

volcanoes is magical

because of the people.