Gran Pacifica Beach and Golf Resort -- whose mission includes the "socially responsible development of real estate" -- has partnered with the Nicaraguan municipality of Villa el Carmen and Rotary Clubs of the Pittsburgh region on a humanitarian initiative to improve health, education and infrastructure in 44 scattered rural communities in Nicaragua. The goal is to make a significant impact on the lives of some 40,000 Nicaraguans and contribute to sustainable development, and to prepare them to enter the workforce with enhanced technical and literacy skills.

Many of Gran Pacifica’s board members boast roots and connections to the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh region, most notably Joel Nagel, who is past district governor of Rotary in the Pittsburgh region and past president of the Pittsburgh Rotary Club. Mike Cobb is president of Gran Pacifica and resides in Managua.

A Pittsburgh-based consulting firm led by Janet Foerster, innerCHANGE associates international, is serving as the project manager for the full panoply of health and education projects that we're trying to develop. Her “on-the-ground” associates include Ligia Diaz-Roman – who recently returned to her homeland after receiving a M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh – and Manuel Roman-Lacayo, who just received his doctorate in Anthropology from Pitt as well.

Initially, this effort has taken the form of donations for vital healthcare services and material, plus school supplies.  So far, in 2006, Gran Pacifica has procured, repaired, and outfitted two ambulances funded by the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh, which were presented to the Mayor of Villa el Carmen so residents of this far-flung municipality could have access to a new clinic built by the European Union.

Another example involves channeling surplus medical equipment from U.S. healthcare institutions to Villa el Carmen.  The Ohio Valley General Hospital in Pittsburgh, which has Rotary connections, is providing Villa el Carmen health clinics with first choice of any surplus.  Brothers Brother Foundation – an award winning humanitarian organization also based in Pittsburgh – ships the surplus to Villa El Carmen and/or other clinics/hospitals where needs are known. The American Nicaragua Foundation (ANF) receives the equipment from Brothers Brother Foundation, gets it into the country, and prepares it for pick up.

Moving forward, this effort represents a powerful and novel partnership between the for-profit business sector and humanitarian organizations in working closely with a community to address a wide range of needs.  In the case of Villa El Carmen, plans are already underway to (1) develop community-based health education workshops and programs to provide clean water; (2) improve English language training for teachers; (3) address health and safety needs in communities, centered around primary schools; (4) strengthen educational programs for pre-school and primary school; and (5) establish and expand library programs for primary schools.

Too often, humanitarian projects are isolated programs that cannot be sustained and do little to spur real community development.  This model focuses on the whole community and builds partnerships with organizations with the knowledge, access, experience, cultural sensitivity, and resources to coordinate, support, and implement a wide range of projects over time. Most importantly, this model is grounded in strong connections within the community to ensure their support and engagement in identifying needs and participating in the process of achieving desired outcomes.

Gran Pacifica and its partners view this as a long-term commitment and a key element of its business plan.