Point Taken

All of the active BECA scholarship recipients are asked to participate in weekend community service projects twice a month.

On the second and fourth Saturday morning of every month for about three hours most of our students get together to clean up schools, tutor children, donate blood and other stuff like that. They pay their own transport to attend.

And beginning this year, the students have been coming up with the project ideas themselves. The default choice is usually cleaning up a primary school.

It all sounds really great, right?

Not so fast.

A lotta grumbling lately. From the students. And who bears the brunt of this grumbling? Our Coordinators, which really isn't right.

The projects aren't obligatory but the students who participate receive a "bonus" payment along with their regular monthly stipend. Therein may lie the problem, I dunno.

Some staff members and students feel that the social projects should be compulsory. And without any "bonus." Others think we should do away with the projects entirely. Or at least put them on hold. Yada yada yada.

I was explaining this situation to an Argentinian friend. Her response was quite interesting.

"Let's not forget that BECA itself is a social project." 

Hmmmm.

Point taken.

Just Because

Did you know that BECA has a video of every scholarship recipient since 2008?

Yep.

(Here's the link to the playlist on our Youtube channel.)

The idea at that time was to make a video of all of the candidates and post them on our website to aid individual sponsors in selecting a student to sponsor.

BECA has since abandoned the individual sponsorship model.

Nevertheless, we intend to continue with more videos of our new becados this July.

Economically it doesn't make much sense.

But it serves as a lasting memory for the student and for our BECA family.

It isn't all about dollars and cents. Sometimes you have to do some things just . . . .

Well, just because.

Here's one of my all-time faves:

Blood, Sweat, Tears & Pesos

"Why doesn't BECA pay for student transportation in the classification stage? BECA is supposed to be helping young people, not be making it more difficult for them." 

This is something that I hear once in a while.

I admit that the criticism irks me a bit, especially when it comes from do-gooders working in other non-profit organizations here in Nicaragua.

Nevertheless, I kind of understand their logic.

After all, if BECA is an anti-poverty organization, what in the world is it doing making poor people scrape up bus money to attend computer classes? Just give 'em the money, say the critics.

Here is the opposing -- and our -- view.

BECA is all about facilitating scholarships for serious-minded young Nicaraguans.

The key word is serious.

And the way we see it, somewhere along the line there has to a sacrifice of some kind. And in our program that happens to include a financial sacrifice.

Our experience in BECA has shown that ambitious, passionate young people will do what they have to do to come up with that transportation money for six months.

• They work part-time jobs. 
• They bug their parents. 
• They ask their relatives. 
• They ask around at their church. 
• They ask their local governments (new for 2013!)

If people feel an opportunity is worthwhile, they will make the sacrifice.

Bottom line? Handouts just don't work!

And you know the best part?

At the end of their journey, when our candidates make it to graduation day, they can proudly declare that they have earned their scholarship, fair and square.

And not because of any handout from some generous, high-minded benefactors.

But because of their own blood, sweat, tears and pesos.

It's a glorious day.

BECA Course One Graduating Class, Matagalpa, December 2011

A Few Random Thoughts from Ticolandia

Two weeks have passed by in Ticolandia.

What am I enjoying?

• A nice gym. There is a modern gym minutes from my house. Yes, I have an elliptical machine in Nicaragua, but it isn't quite the same thing.
• Cooler weather. It is suffocatingly hot right now in Masaya. Don't miss it.
• FAST Internet. I have a speedy connection in my San José home. I can watch streaming hockey games on TV. Which brings me to . . .
• Hockey. Yes, it's playoff time. Hockey every night. I cheer for the underdog.
• Poker tournament Internet streams. Right now there is a big tournament from Monte Carlo being shown every day on the computer. Yummy.

Of course there is a huge down side to being away. 

What am I missing?

• Mucho

Can't wait to go back home.

Sparkling Eyes

I am often asked what was the inspiration for BECA.org.

The answer lies in a small group of teenagers in a Masaya community called Villa Betania.

It was November, 2007 and I was volunteering at Alternativa, a local microfinance institution. Alternativa had a community development department. (By department, I mean they had a group of two or three people whose mandate was to visit communities and work with them to identify their needs and improve their living situations.)

One such community was Villa Betania.

The initial outreach meeting I attended took place on the evening of November 5th, 2007. Total attendance was about 25 with a mixture of adults, teenagers, and children.

The Alternativa representative started his shtick in front of the group. The presentation amounted to putting a huge paper clipboard in front, brainstorming about challenges faced in the community, and prioritizing them.

One of the items on the community bucket list that evening was education.

The teenagers in the community wanted to study computers but didn't have the resources. They felt it was important to know how to use a computer. Logical.

It perked my curiosity.

After the meeting, I spoke with a few of the young people. Keep in mind that it not typical to see teenagers at meetings like this. (Borrriiing!)

I was struck by their earnest desire to study. And the sparkle in their eyes.

That fateful evening BECA.org was hatched.

I went on to put together a pilot project so that seven teens could study computers. Their participation was excellent and it motivated me to develop the concept.

One of those seven teens was in attendance that evening. Her name was Eyling de Jesús Reyes. We learned recently that Eyling passed away suddenly in November 2012. 

Villa Betania, November 5th, 2007. Eyling is the young woman on the far left.

Wherever you are Eyling, check out this next photo. It is a picture taken recently of current participants in the BECA program in Masaya.

Jornada Deportiva, Masaya (25 April 2013)

This legacy is yours, Eyling. Muchas gracias.

*The BECA May newsletter was dedicated to Eyling. It includes a beautiful commentary by Coordinator Sorania Dávila.