The Chacocente Project is the brainchild of Ms. Sheryl Avery, an American woman who visited Nicaragua several years ago and was stunned by the deplorable conditions of people who live and work at Managua’s garbage dump, “La Chureca.” With the aid of different US-based groups, Ms. Avery moved to Nicaragua and purchased some land to start a commune as well as created an NGO (Out of the Dump) to help these people. The idea was to get some families from La Chureca and resettle them onto the new land with the purpose of providing these people with an opportunity to learn trades and lead a better life. The overwhelming majority of people who live at the dump make a living from salvaging discarded metals and plastics and selling them to recycling companies. Sanitary conditions are appalling, and the possibilities of getting out of the cycle of poverty and despair are minimal. Historically, government efforts have been nominal and little has been accomplished. Several NGOs do work at La Chureca, but their emphasis has been traditionally on improving conditions at the site. Ten families agreed to move to the Chacocente Agricultural Community for five years, at the end of which period they would gain ownership of the house they built as well as approximately two acres of land for cultivation. It is expected that by that time they will become self sufficient. At this stage, the Chacocente Agricultural Community is still considered a pilot project and the hope is that there will be a second phase to the project in the near future.

The American Nicaraguan School created a Middle School barely four years ago. Towards the end of its first year, an open invitation was extended to any group from the greater community to make presentations to Middle School students to adopt their cause as their community service project. After the Out of the Dump NGO finished their presentation, our students voted overwhelmingly to integrate this project unto the everyday Middle School life.

For the past three years, Middle School students have been engaged in different fundraising activities to help finance the building of a school at the Chacocente Agricultural Community. Besides fundraising, our students have visited the community on several occasions to develop direct links with the local children and to contribute with physical labor on the project. This has been done under the leadership of the Middle School Student Council and the National Junior Honor Society. Our student leaders agree that the experiences they have had have been educational for them in ways they did not expect. The project itself is not based on charity, but on building self-reliance and leadership.