Being involved in projects of rural development and forestry in her professional life, led her to establish her own nursery and to create jobs for her community and contribute to the environment.

Today, with a sprinkler system in the areas of production of seedlings, she now takes advantage of the labor which was previously devoted to water with a hand container, and to move to other work, likewise she ensures the quality of the product that she sells since it ensures sufficient moisture.
 

Xiomara Baca is one of the women working in the nursery La Dalia, she has three children, two are in high school and one in the University, she is also a single mum and besides working in the nursery and planting vegetables she sells at the market of Leon. She considered that the production of seedlings is an opportunity to have an additional income for her family, "at this time I earn between 80 to 90 cordobas daily to help me support my children," she said.

This year she is producing 430 thousand seedlings for the IV Forest Millennium Challenge Account Campaign (MCA) it is the third time that she is selected by the Program, after the bidding process.

"The contract with the Millennium Challenge Account has doubled, I plan to invest the proceeds collected in the production of vegetable seedlings such as tomato and sweet pepper,” said Reyes Hernandez.

With the early profits she earned in the I Forestry Campaign MCA, she bought a pump and an irrigation system, the second year she invested in expanding the production area.

One of her satisfactions is to provide employment to people in the community, working for the MCA has also doubled the jobs in the nursery and it currently has 14 employees. Earlier this year, for the filling of bags she hired 46 people, mostly women.

Her projections are to continue training the staff in the nursery of plant production techniques, she is aware that her business is booming and must sell quality to her customers who are increasing year after year.

:: Processor is started in the business of cheese ::

 

Jaxuris Paiz, daughter of Dennis, is responsible for attention at the establishment "Quesillos de mi Tierra".

Entrepreneurship and the desire to further develop his dairy business has been for Denis Paiz the engine that drives him to continue to innovate in his business of dairy processes. He recently opened in Leon the establishment "Quesillos de mi Tierra".

Although Paiz has dedicated himself for 20 years to the processing of milk; he recently began to produce cheese, thanks to the training received by the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) through its livestock operator, TechnoServe.

During several sessions Paiz, along with 30 other processors of Leon and Chinandega participated in the training of dairy processing at the Faculty of Food Science at UNAN-Leon.

"It was through the courses that they gave us at the project that I learned to make cheeses, then I saw in this an opportunity for a new business," said the processor, who is bidding on braid and round cheeses. Also at this local which is located on the south side of La Salle School he supplies cream and smoked cheese.

Strengthens the process plant

Denis Paiz in the municipality of Larreynaga Leon has a dairy processing plant and a business plan sponsored by the MCA through which he has received: tubs, tables and stainless steel straps and lire for cheese cuts and a centrifugal for cream production with and a capacity of 250 liters per hour.

:: Fishing enterprises are strengthened  ::

The Rosita collective farm is dedicated to the shrimp activity, received from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) a 125 Hp engine valued at 17 thousand dollars which will improve quality and increase production yields.

Rosita Farm is located in the Santo Tomas community, El Viejo in Chinandega, and is integrated by seven partners.

They have also received from the MCA half a million laboratory larvae.

According to Engineer Aldo Toruño, Manager of MCA´s Livestock Cluster, among the supporting actions to the sector has been the facilitation of the rapprochement of the beneficiaries of the program to companies such as: Servicomsa and Langostinos which have provided working capital and funded works of reconstruction of walls among others. "We are working on a sustainability plan which will enable further work once the story ends," said Engineer Toruño.

The MCA is supporting the sector through 14 Business Plans for 100 people engaged in the shrimp and fishing industry with the delivery of equipment such as motors, boats, GPS and tools, also the shrimp fishers have been supported with the delivery of 15 million shrimp larvae and equipment to measure water quality. In total it has invested over U.S. $ 200 thousand.

:: University promotes forestal initiative ::

The seedlings that gave the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in 2008, to arborize the Medical Education Campus Complex of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua (UNAN-León), have an optimum growth due to the care and commitment that has taken the administration of this compound.

During the Forest Campaign in 2008, the MCA assigned six thousand 400 seedlings to the UNAN-Leon, of which at the Campus there are three thousand 180 establishments of the species: teak, cedar, moringa, sacuanjoche and pochote.

The campus administrator, Graduate Ernesto Lopez, explained that three years ago the Rector Dr. Rigoberto Sampson, who rests in peace, promoted the planting of trees in the University, so they began their own campaign with the participation of forestry students, administrative and faculty.

"Before in the campus there was vacant land which was not being use and some old trees, we designed a replanting plan according to the plans of expanding the infrastructure, and we now have several areas with plantations which in a few years will provide greater ornament to the grounds, shade for students and especially some contribution to the environment, "said Graduate Lopez.

In a visit to the Medical Campus Director and Deputy Director of MCA, Dr. Juan Sebastian Chamorro and Engineer Ignacio Velez, respectively, expressed their satisfaction with the dedication which the University has had regarding the initiative to reforest the place where are forming future professionals who can also learn about the different species that exist in our country.

They reiterated their willingness to continue supporting them with more seedlings for the Forest Campaign 2010, also accepted the request of the Administration Campus to ensure technical assistance to continue with the care of the plantations established.

With new ideas and a broader view on the markets returned home a group of artisans in La Paz Centro who participated in an exchange tour to El Salvador, organized by the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).

This activity intended that the mud entrepreneurs strengthen their technical capabilities in both production and marketing and packaging.

"The exchange with artisans from the neighbouring country motivated them to think to implement new working techniques, innovating new styles and defining the target market to which they want to access, besides seeking new business opportunities," said Engineer Anabel Garcia, Manager of the non-agricultural cluster of MCA.

During the tour they had the opportunity to appreciate the work of Salvadoran artisans, using tools and mechanisms to be implemented to reach a better development in the craft market they also learned about different packaging techniques which they can implement to improve the service to customers. Even the artisans of El Salvador learned from their Nicaraguan counterparts.

The itinerary included visits to: Ilobasco, Guatajiagua to prospective buyers and department stores located in strategic shopping centres as: Anajanche, Siman, Alternative and crafts from El Salvador.

The MCA has backed crafts and construction materials entrepreneurs through training that involves innovative processes in the production of parts, but has also promoted environmentally friendly practices regarding the environment by facilitating the construction of ovens which require less quantities of firewood.

Artisans have received theorical and practical knowledge in art, design, composition, colour techniques and machining in order to promote new product lines with characteristics that can compete for quality, colour, shape, finish, and by the rescue of traditions.

:: Fair in the United States Embassy with producers from the Western ::