Empowering Communities: Los Medranos and Area

Some facts and highlights:

• Los Medranos is a small village of an area of 3 square kilometres, located in the southern fringe of the San Marcos municipality in an area adjacent to the town of Jinotepe. San Marcos covers an area of 118 square kilometres.  The primary economic activity in the region is agriculture.  Los Medranos and other neighbouring communities form District II of San Marcos.  
• Districit II has a population of approximately 1300, of which 30% are unemployed and subsist in poverty
• Children account for approximately one-third of the population
• Elementary school education is available in the local area for children up to the sixth grade; school uniforms are still the norm but many families cannot afford these and school supplies, limiting their children's attendance.  Many children are not completing school at even this elementary level.
• Those going on to post-elementary education face further limitations by way of transportation and lack of internet access to the district, the latter being a requirement in completion of school assignments, etc.
• There is no national health care facility in the district, necessitating travel to the Health Centre in San Marcos or the Hospital in Jinotepe.  Transportation options are limited and the cost is often out-of-reach.
• Electricity is generally available to most homes
• There is a water system installed in the community, but water is only supplied for a maximum of 2 - 3 hours per day
• There are six churches in the area - one Catholic and five evangelical
• Domestic violence is on the rise, as is alcohol and drug use by youth

What is being done:

• The Skylark Retreat Centre is now the second-largest employer in the community
• The majority of our short-term mission teams operate in support of the local community
• The Best Start in Christ and Building a Better Future programs operate with the community at the core
• A formal needs assessment is currently underway with completion slated by fall, 2017; information gleaned will form the basis of determining enhancements to current programs, and direction for new/next ones, as well as allowing for formal objective and goal-setting with regards to current and future short-term mission teams
• Regular prayers and petitions for and on behalf of these lovely people