Students
At home
A hug
To love is to prevent
Family garden
Members of the Arco Iris softball team with a volunteer coach
Batting practice for an Arco Iris softball team member
Dos Pueblos volunteer demonstrates proper batting form
Visiting an unimproved well
Collecting water in Emmanuel
Collecting water in Emmanuel
Community meeting in Marvin Salazar
Donated school supplies
Community meeting in Emmanuel
Unprotected water springs
Community organizing is key
A volunteer coach going over the basics with the Arco Iris softball team
An Arco Iris softball team member waiting in the outfield
Meeting with community organizers in Via Japon
Discussing the details in Via Japon, sector 4
In 1987, an Upper West Side, New York City-based sub-committee of the Committee for Non-Intervention in Central America wrote to the Nicaraguan government requesting to be paired with a Nicaraguan city. A letter was received assigning this small group of New Yorkers to the city of Tipitapa with a population in excess of 100,000, and in May 1987 we partnered with a local non-profit, COMPALCIHT (Municipal Coordinating Council for Sister Cities Twinned with Tipitapa). In 2000, the Upper West Side-Tipitapa Sister City acquired 501(c)3 status and became Dos Pueblos.
Over time Dos Pueblos, which in Spanish means ‘two peoples’ or ‘two towns’ began working directly with the communities, its leaders and local government—a dynamic partnership ensued and many people-to-people exchanges later, we continue to contribute to better living standards that are based on social justice and mutual respect. As Tipitapa’s population continues to grow, our strong partnerships with the people of Nicaragua are successfully promoting sustainable development while maintaining awareness for the environment. Together, we work on projects of education, nutrition, health promotion, people-to-people cultural and educational exchanges, and environmental health. By strengthening relationships between our communities, we seek to move toward a partnership that is based on understanding, and diversity of perspectives and culture.
