Bainbridge-Ometepe Sister Islands Association

WE ENCOURAGE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, EDUCATION, FRIENDSHIP, AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES BETWEEN BAINBRIDGE (US) AND OMETEPE (NICARAGUA) ISLANDS. OUT OF FRIENDSHIP, WE HELP OMETEPE COMMUNITIES IN EDUCATION, HEALTH, LIVELIHOOD, AND COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS.

EDUCATION: WE SUPPORT STUDENTS IN COLLEGE WITH SCHOLARSHIPS, AND WE SUPPORT LEARNING FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS, INCLUDING BLIND, DEAF, AND MOBILITY-CHALLENGED PEOPLE. IN ITS 30TH YEAR, COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS HELPED OVER 60 STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED FROM OMETEPE HIGH SCHOOLS TO STUDY IN NICARAGUAN UNIVERSITIES. STUDENTS ARE SELECTED AND MONITORED BY COMMITTEES IN THE 9 COMMUNITIES ON OMETEPE WHICH HAVE HIGH SCHOOLS AND RECEIVE STIPENDS OF UP TO $95 A MONTH TO ASSIST THEM WITH THE COSTS OF THEIR UNIVERSITY EDUCATION. FUNDING IS ALSO PROVIDED FOR COLLEGE SENIORS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THE ADDITIONAL WORK REQUIRED FOR A DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS. WE FUND AN INTERPRETER FOR DEAF STUDENTS, AND WITH HER HELP, WE TEACH SIGN LANGUAGE TO DEAF STUDENTS. WE FUND TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS BLIND PEOPLE, AND TEACH THEM BRAILLE AND MOBILITY STRATEGIES. FOR ALL STUDENTS, BUT PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE CHALLENGED BY MOBILITY ISSUES, WE FUND COSTS FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR THEM TO ACCESS WHAT IS OFFERED.

HEALTH: WE FUND THE SALARY OF A FULL-TIME PSYCHOLOGIST TO EDUCATE, SUPPORT, AND GIVE THERAPY TO COMBAT SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND SUICIDE, ALL OF WHICH ARE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS ON OMETEPE. WE ALSO PAY FOR HER TRANSPORTATION, CELL PHONE, AND OTHER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH HER EFFORTS.

SUPPORT FOR COFFEE GROWERS ON OMETEPE: PRODUCTION OF COFFEE ON OMETEPE, WHICH WE BUY, IMPORT, ROAST, AND SELL IN THE US, WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY FUNGAL DISEASE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. WE PURCHASE COFFEE FROM TWO CO-OPS ON THE ISLAND, ONE OF WHICH WAS LEFT WITH NO PRODUCTION, WHILE THE OTHER'S CROP WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. WE FUND A FULL-TIME AGRONOMIST TO SUPPORT ORGANIC EFFORTS TO FIGHT THE DISEASE AND HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW, MORE VIGOROUS PLANTS. DUE TO THOSE EFFORTS, OUR COSTS HAVE RISEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. SUPPORTING TRAVEL OF RESIDENTS BETWEEN THE TWO ISLANDS HAS IN THE PAST BEEN A LARGER EXPENSE, BUT WITH COVID, TRAVEL DID NOT HAPPEN, AND SO COFFEE SUPPORT IS NOW NUMBER THREE IN THIS PRESENTATION.

MOST OF THESE EXPENSES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE OMETEPE OFFICE. THE OFFICE SCREENS, COORDINATES, AND MONITORS ALL OF BOSIA'S ACTIVITIES AND FUNDING REQUESTS ON OMETEPE. INCLUDED IN THIS EXPENSE IS THE SALARY OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF BOSIA'S EFFORTS AND PRESENCE ON OMETEPE. OTHER OFFICE EXPENSES INCLUDE UTILITIES PAYMENTS, RENT, SUPPLIES, AND OTHER SUCH EXPENSES. ALSO INCLUDED HERE ARE A SMALL EXPENSE FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS, MUCH REDUCED IN THIS COVID YEAR, AND TRAVEL EXPENSES IN SENDING TWO BAINBRIDGE RESIDENTS TO HELP IN THE OFFICE, STARTING IN DECEMBER OF 2021. THE TOTAL EXPENSE IN THIS CATEGORY IS MORE THAN THE #2 AND #3 ENTRIES IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT THIS CATEGORY INCLUDES A VARIETY OF ELEMENTS, AND GENERAL SUPPORT OF ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS.