In the municipality of El Tuma / The Dalia, 40km from Matagalpa, agricultural workers make up the housing co-operatives to respond collectively to one of their essential needs : to have a place of life of dignity and self-identity.
They are organized, cover their piece of territory, and imagine a place of life in which the power of decision belongs to them. Back in charge of our mission.
In February 2024, Leah Oswald and susanna Lerch, our two in charge of projects, are made in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. During their stay, they have participated in numerous events, meetings, and discussions, but one of their best moments was the depth visit to the three housing cooperatives located in the municipality of El Tuma / The Dalia, 40 km from the city of Matagalpa.
These three co-operatives have some common points : they are composed to 85 % of women, but this has been particularly sought after. These women are representative of a social group is very important in this municipality : the agricultural workers, essential part of the culture of coffee, the main economic activity of the territory. Agricultural labourers themselves, or a member of a working-class family who moved to a job as a teacher, they have formed cooperatives to respond collectively to one of their basic needs, to have a place of life itself.
The co-operative Victoria de Noviembre in the village of El Carmen was able to build a dozen houses to its members on a land made available by the municipality, and am experiencing the collective management of a neighbourhood : fruit tree plantations, construction of a common room, bamboo garden vegetable shared and small shops.
The co-op Nuestro Barrio in the village of Mora has acquired a beautiful terrain thanks to the revolving fund managed by the central local cooperatives CECOVI, and has completed the refund. A project of urbanization and vegetation progressive is going to be the first ” eco ” in the region.
The co-op Voces Guerreras, in The village of la Dalia, comes to acquire a land full-bodied, very well located at the entrance of the village, also thanks to the revolving fund local self-managed. The ownership of the ground is done through a participatory process, aimed at strengthening the collective dimension and the commitment of all members and their families.
“What has struck, in the course of these visits, is the joy manifested by these groups of people organized, striding their piece of land and imagining a place of life in which the power of decision belongs to you”, tell us the story of Leah and Suzanne. They have also been marked by the existing network between these women from different villages : through meetings and joint activities organized in the framework of the cooperative movement, they share knowledge, help each other, but also form strong bonds of friendship.
Our collaboration with Multipro, services cooperative in charge of the technical support to co-operatives continues on this encouraging backdrop.
