A WIA member skillfully carves a gourd. Gourd art is sold in order to generate funds for WIA and income for families.
Women
in Action (WIA) is a group of 40 women who are organizing health,
education and income generating programs in the poorest settlement of
La Primavera (Springtime); a poor, urban neighborhood of Managua.
WIA
members are impoverished women, who live in one-room, tin houses and
work as street vendors in order to provide for their families. Most are
single mothers, who have never had an opportunity to study. There is
little access to health care in the community and most families cannot
afford to send their children to school.
In
January 2001, against incredible odds, the women formed WIA in order to
answer the needs of the community. Since that time, WIA have worked
hard together to carry out several successful projects that are
dramatically improving community health and nutrition, providing
educational opportunities for adults and children, and offering sources
of income for families. There programs include:
Gourd art cooperative
Backyard garden and chicken raising project
Soy food program
Educational sponsorship program for adults and children
Women in Action Center with classroom, community store, public library, and computer room
