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The Somotillo-Bennington County Sister City project is a not-for-profit, grassroots partnership to promote social and economic justice through alternative models of sustainable community development and activism.
1988 First delegation from Bennington visits Somotillo in response to US sponsored Contra War
1990 PRC joins with 5 other sister city projects to form Sister City Consortium, which then hires a coordinator to work in Nicaragua
1991 Formation of PRC's partner in Somotillo, the Comision Social (Social Commission), which includes volunteers from various socio-political groups within the town with a view to strengthen reconciliation following the Contra War
1992 Recognition of Sister City by Town of Bennington
2001 PRC leaves the Consortium and establishes a direct link with Somotillo's Social Commission through e-mail. First Social Commission delegation visits Bennington
2004 First High School delegation from Bennington visits Somotillo
2007: The Second delegation from the high school Interact Club visits Somotillo.
http://www.benningtonbanner.com/search/ci_5440205
http://www.benningtonbanner.com/search/ci_5440221
http://www.benningtonbanner.com/search/ci_5449444
http://www.advocateweekly.com/portlet/article/html/fragments/print_article.jsp?articleId=5442622&siteId=506
http://www.benningtonbanner.com/Editorials?previousNews2809844=03%2F19%2F2007+02%3A00%3A00+EDT
- Delegations to strengthen solidarity, to learn, work, teach
- Scholarships enabling destitute students to attend public school
- Scholarships to study computer technology
- Material aid shipments to help the people of Somotillo by sharing needed school and office supplies, medical supplies and equipment, sports equipment, and clothing.
- Community development projects to construct water pipe systems, dig and repair wells, build a children's nutrition center, school classrooms and a high risk pregnancy center (Sala Materna), gardening, reforestation, fruit tree and chicken project
- Revolving Loan Funds for pharmacy project and teachers & healthworkers' bicycle project, tricycle taxi project
- Emergency aid following Hurricane Mitch
- Pen Pals correspondence between area schools & Somotillo
- The Rural Eyeglasses Project, an outgrowth of the Somotillo/Bennington Sister City Project
- 2006: Installation of wells and latrines
- 2007: Completion of neighborhood basketball court
Students at San Antonio school in Somotillo surrounding a well
Letter from a Somotillo Student
All projects are funded by tax-deductible donations from individuals, churches, school groups, businesses and Rotary Clubs. Please send donations directly to The Peace Resource Center.
Somotillo photographs courtesy of John Michael Coppinger, www.jmceyephoto.com
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P.O. Box 1437 Bennington, VT 05201
info@peaceresourcecenter.com
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