“Farmers proudly brought some of the fruits and vegetables they had managed to produce this harvest, many of which they had not been able to farm before. One farmer from a community in the Boaco communities proudly showed off his crop of tomatoes, which was a first for him, in such a dry region where they are generally not easy to grow.” Katie Hagley writes about how communities in Teustepe, Nicaragua are beginning to thrive.

“Ahead of the conference, many environmental scholars and activists were sceptical about what the outcome would be — claiming that promises from the Paris Agreement were still yet to be met. This sentiment is mainly fuelled by the perpetrators of the climate crisis, such as the UK and the US, taking centre stage at the negotiating table.” Amos Research Intern Fleur Boya writes from Glasgow.

Nicaragua has recently been battered by two hurricanes in rapid succession. Hurricane Eta caused extensive damage along the Caribbean coast before inflicting far greater damage on Gautemala. Hurricane Iota hit the already-saturated land causing mudslides, flooding and extensive damage to central Nicaragua including the communities we support in Teustepe. We received this update from Olivia Lekel from our partner CEPAD.

“On 18th June we received the desperately sad news that our good friend, partner and inspiration Gilberto Aguirre (El Profe), had passed away. He had been rushed into hospital for emergency throat cancer surgery in the middle of May and unfortunately, complications arose after this.” Garth Hewitt writes of the life of Gilberto Aguirre from CEPAD in Nicaragua.

“In what seems like a whole lifetime away now, a group of nineteen of us travelled to Nicaragua to catch up with some of the communities that Amos has been supporting these past 5 years through the work of our partner CEPAD. Some of us had been before and had seen what life was like at the start of their 5-year programme and then 3 years in — and others were new to the country.” Caroline Bone writes.