As the first blog of the year, we want to share with you the CDCA’s goals for 2010:
1. To have at least one general informational meeting with every urban neighborhood and rural village in Ciudad Sandino during 2010. The objective of this is to find out from the folks in Ciudad Sandino what current issues are with an eye toward increasing participation in our existing projects (i.e. the clinic) and identifying needs not currently being met.
2. Eye clinic – this will give us the capability of matching patients to donated glasses. Currently we need about $14,000 or a donated machine to make this a reality…we already have the rest of the equipment.
3. Genesis spinning cooperative in production – we are expecting the machinery to arrive sometime in February, and installation will take an estimated 3 months. To be able to install machinery we are still lacking $2,500 for windows and $1,500 for emergency exit doors and $45,000 to install the electricity.
4. To produce enough cotton to supply the Genesis spinning plant through increasing the number of farmers growing organic cotton.
5. Increasing operating income by 25%: this will help us continue to do necessary but mundane things such as pay our Nicaraguan staff salaries, pay our light bill and keep our vehicles running.
6. To have $1 million in Vida Fund by 2012 – this will help us continue to loan start-up and expansion funds to worker-owned co-ops (see http://www.jhc-cdca.org/VidaFund.html)
Goals awaiting sponsors:
These are goals that we would love to work on, but currently do not have designated funds for and don’t feel that we can include in general budget at this time. We are looking for sponsors for these goals:
1. Energy independence at a) clinic b) industrial park and c) center
Getting off the grid will help us to avoid excessive repairs and low life-expectancy of machinery, particularly the sensitive dental and laboratory machinery at the clinic.
2. Finish 2nd Clinic building interior walls for security purposes
3. Hire a paid health promoter to increase health outreach work in Ciudad Sandino
Of course meeting these goals will require some creative fundraising. We can use your help!
This year we are looking for:
• volunteers willing to show our video in their homes
• musicians willing to do a benefit concert for us
• E-bay enthusiasts willing to help organize an online auction
Please let us know at jhc@jhc-cdca.org if you can help. We welcome any new ideas you have and
Thank You for all that you do!
– Becca for everyone at JHC-CDCA
