Mexico Community Library

The community of Mexico, Nicaragua was originally settled by Mexicans many years ago…hence the name. It’s a small village of about 900 people located in the middle of the hills of southern Nicaragua. You’d think it would be like all the other small communities in Nicaragua, but this one is different in a very special way.

5 years ago the townspeople had to walk about 20 minutes uphill to carry buckets of water on their heads back down to their homes. Now, with the assistance of an Austrian Organization and other Nicaraguan experts, they sustain a gravitational water system that carries water directly to a central location in the village. It is a huge advancement for the community and one that proved to the townspeople that they can do things themselves to help better their community.

This community has great plans for the future: a community center with space for a library, a computer center, and recreational space where the community can gather for leisure time. It’s rare to see a Nicaraguan community with such vision and hope for future advancement. When asked why their attitude is so different than other Nicaraguan communities they respond by telling you of their community leader. He is a man that encourages the townspeople and enables them to see how they can help themselves achieve their plans and better their community. This is a community of hope, excitement, and achievement.

The current library, which is brand new as of October 2010, is located in the local school. Not only members of Mexico take advantage of this great resource, but also many of the surrounding communities travel kilometers to use its facilities. Children that have never seen books before rush to the library daily to take in the stories and information the library now offers them. The library has 3 computers, however, there is no Internet available yet and no one in the community really knows how to use them…something they are planning to learn very soon.

This small community raised $2,000 on their own; a huge feat for a poor community of their size. Mexico is a community united in the same goal of providing a better education for the youth and developing their community through this education. To be a partner with this great community you can help by donating funds to provide the following needs:

Construction materials for new community center

More books for all ages

Making Internet available

Children’s educational games and resources

Finding a community like Mexico to invest in is a rarity. Finding a people excited to learn to be able to provide for themselves is hard to find. Finding a community in Nicaragua that recognizes the value of education and a library like Mexico does so fully is very unusual. This community will not disappoint!