Getting to know Nicaragua
EcoSouth member Paul Moreno from
Rediscovering SofoNic
Paul Moreno Arteaga
When one speaks of
Until this time, my knowledge of the activities of the Network in
The Network in
My first impression was the intense laboriousness. At the EcoMateriales plant, two units were producing MicroConcrete Roofing tiles at full capacity, a block making machine was functioning at its maximum, a MB-800 mill (new model that produces 2.5 times more than the MB-600 and with less noise) was producing puzzolana cement, and outside along the tiles that were curing, were stored blocks and moulds. In the offices, more people were busy - administrative personnel, drivers, social promoters, architects and people simply coming in and out.
They implement projects of various types throughout all of
This responsibility requires not only quantity and quality in the production of the EcoMaterials, but also a great management and negotiation sillsy to organize the workers, talk with the beneficiaries, make arrangements with the local authorities, acquire land, surmount the bureaucracy and carry out the legal formalities.
The character of the farmers and indigenous Nicaraguans is that of a strong and independent people, and you can imagine the difficulties encountered in meetings and conversations in order to arrive at a consensus, especially in the housing projects that have a process of participatory design, a field in which SofoNic has acquired vast experience.
Private constructions require other skills, including a human touch, a common language, quality of finishing, complying with deadlines. The excellent qualities of the people involved in these activities has contributed to EcoTec´s becoming, without a doubt, an efficient and reliable construction firm.
The growth of SofoNic has consolidated with each experience or project realized, and from the errors it has learned lesions that have strengthened the capacities and skills of this successful team.
The work of SofoNic also incluyes an agreement with Pedals for Progress, an organization in the United Status that recycles bicycles and sends them to countries where they are needed. At the installation of of SofoNic, the warehouse serves as a storgage area for the bicycles as well as sales center. As well, many helmets, jackets and baseball bats are sold or donated to future Nicaraguan sports champions.
The
