Climbing the Economic Ladder?

So I wrote this really great and well researched post yesterday evening about economic development and Nicaragua, and put it aside to proofread today. Then somehow today is was gone, without a trace. You know, it's never as good the second time, but these are important thoughts to me, so I'm trying again.

I'm living within a middle class Nicaraguan life.  The houses are solid, there is running water and electricity, plenty of delicious food, and even motorized vehicles.  Most of the families have two parents, each of which work, study or both, on top of taking care of their family and home. They have worked hard to create a middle class life, often from humble backgrounds.

But this lifestyle is a thin veneer on life in Nicaragua. Sandwiched in between these houses are others made of corrugated metal, rough hewn wood, and earth. People cook over smoky open fires.  In the countryside, the middle class is virtually nonexistent.

Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the hemisphere.  Nearly 45% of people live below the poverty line, meaning they earn less than $1.25 a day in 2005 dollars. The GDP per capita is $3,300, and 15% of that comes from earnings sent from family overseas. Socialism has brought them free education, but nearly 50% of Nicaraguans are un- or under-employed. Malnutrition and diarrheal disease make the top twenty causes of death, both of which hardly register in the US.

Yet people do what they can. Some work long days hauling sacks of grain. It seems that most homes have some form of business, selling food or offering services. They post signs or paint directly on the building what they have to offer (usually preceded by the word "hay," meaning "there is"). Or in some cases, everyone just knows to pass through the alley to enter the kitchen of the woman who makes and sells beans and tortillas.

There are many economic theories about international development. Some say people are trapped in a cycle of poverty, and just need a boost to reach the bottom rung of the ladder of progress.  Then they can pull themselves up the rest of the way.  I'm not an economist and am new to the field, so I can't claim to know what is true.

But I do know that when some women learn about our ovens, they figure out a way to pull together the money to pay for their share of the cost. They quickly build up successful businesses that employ other family members. They have dreams and seem well on their way to attaining them.

Tomorrow I will go out and see some biodigestors and drip irrigation systems.  I'm curious to see what impact the drip irrigation systems in particular have on people's lives.  Are they spending less on food?  Are they making a small business of selling food they can grow during the dry season?

I'm excited to be part of an organization that helps people improve their own lives, while keeping the environmental impact in mind.