Troilo Background
The community of Troilo is located in the middle of sugarcane farms and is made up of around 50 families. The surrounding areas add about another 200 families. The community of Troilo and the surrounding areas are impacted by the lack of education, specifically secondary schools. The closest secondary school is in Leon, which is an hour bus ride for the residents on the Troilo community. The school sessions in Leon and the bus rides from Troilo do not match up for the students in the Troilo community and the students do not have personal transportation either. Therefore, after sixth grade the young men start working in the sugarcane fields and the woman assist in planting sugar cane or harvesting peanuts.
In 2010, a Presbyterian Church in North Carolina helped finance three classrooms in Troilo. Ninety percent of the materials were donated and the labor was done by the Troilo Church and community. The North Carolina church assists in paying the teaching salaries at $350 per month. Troilo families pay 150 cordobas a month per student, which is $4.44 in USD. The teachers are payed $100 USD per month or 3376 cordobas.
Pastor Porfirio Gonzalez Socorro Ruiz is acting as both the pastor and school principal in Troilo. He also works with government programs to assist with the health and nutrition of young mothers and children.
Our CEO, Chris Schrage took a trip to Troilo in July 2016 to work on the two new classrooms, which included a library and administrative office. Chris and Pastor Porfirio Gonzalez Socorro Ruiz laid out the design that met classroom size standards set by MINED (Ministry of Education). The materials were purchased and delivered by the ferreteria in Leon (fetteria means hardware store). The land then needed cleaning, students and parents joined Chris and Pastor Porfirio Gonzalez Socorro Ruiz. The trees cut down, were stored for firewood.
Chris then took another trip to Nicaragua in winter 2016 and 2017 with students from the University of Northern Iowa. Chris and the students painted a classroom and refurbished 90 plus desks, with the help of the Leon Boy Scout Troop, students, and their parents.
Another trip was then taken in winter 2017 and 2018 by Chris and students from the University of Northern Iowa. They held a dental clinic at the site for the Troilo community. At this time the second room, the library and administrative office was in process with the concrete poured shortly after.
Today, the final classroom is now in the process of getting a roof. Along with the other four classrooms and library, the floors are just rough cement. Windows in the school are just openings with no glass and have metal bars for security. The floors are in need of ceramic tile and the rooms need lighting and ceiling fans to make a more conducive atmosphere for learning. Please consider donating to support the education of young Nicaraguans.
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