Grant supports Nicaraguan farmers

The money will be used to extend a revolving loan fund established by St. Bridget's for farmers in rural Nicaragua. The fund began last summer in response to a proposal from St. Bridget's sister parish, Nuestro Senor de Esquipulas in Malpaisillo, Nicaragua.

Since 1998, when a hurricane swept away their crops, livestock and homes, farmers in the area around Malpaisillo have not been able to purchase seed, fertilizers and other basics for earning a meager living from their land.

St. Bridget's responded with $15,000 in loans to 24 farmers, who planted approximately 175 acres of grain last August. In December, they harvested 400,000 pounds of corn, sorghum and sesame. With the exception of two sesame farmers, who are awaiting more favorable prices, all of the farmers have repaid their loans.

Subsequently, St. Bridget's funded a women's pig-raising project, through which 20 women received loans of $200 each for the purchase of a pregnant sow, feed concentrate and veterinary support. Sales of piglets from their first litters, expected this month, will allow them to repay their loans and free up the initial $4,000 in the fund for use by 20 more women.

The underlying purpose of the Ryall Grants is to provide direct service to the poor. In St. Bridget's case, the award will allow another 15 families to take out revolving loans. That will permit each of them to plant approximately six to eight acres of grain.

The Ryall Grant was created in honor of Christian Brother Eugene Finbarr Ryall, CFC, an Irishman who came to New York City in 1907, shortly after the Christian Brothers had established their first school in this country.

After 23 years as teacher and principal, he established Power Memorial Academy in New York City. When it moved to larger facilities in 1938, Brother Ryall remained and set up Rice High School. Throughout his life, he maintained the overriding objective of encouraging the down-and-out to bring forth their unrealized moral, spiritual and intellectual potential.

The Ryall Grant is a significant step in reaching the goal of St. Bridget's Human Development Committee to raise $28,000 this year. Those funds will allow 50 farm families to receive loans, another 10 to purchase livestock, and the endowment of an arts program with the eventual goal of creating exportable art-and-craft items.

(More information about the St. Bridget's Campesinos of Malpaisillo Sustainable Agriculture Project, is available at www.stbridgets.net. Call 329-4711 or e-mail [email protected] to receive a copy of the project newsletter.)

(08-22-02) [[In-content Ad]]