2008.01.02: January 2, 2008: Headlines: COS - Nicaragua: Agriculture: Mt. Vernon-Lisbon Sun: Kasey Dix served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Nicaragua: Peace Corps Nicaragua: Peace Corps Nicaragua: Newest Stories: 2008.01.02: January 2, 2008: Headlines: COS - Nicaragua: Agriculture: Mt. Vernon-Lisbon Sun: Kasey Dix served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua

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Kasey Dix served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua

Kasey Dix served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua

Kasey arrived in Hondura Azul with one goal – work with the farmers and women to improve their growing practices. When she left a month ago, she’d helped start a bank, assisted the community in getting a small mill and the income that comes with such a machine. In addition to overcoming the language barrier to help community members, she said she had to gain the trust of those involved in farming. After all, their production of crops, similar to Iowa’s, had been tried and true for over a hundred years. “I wasn’t there to tell them how to grow corn and beans,” Kasey said. The tight-knit community helped her gain trust. Kasey arrived there thinking she’d be in a place of 247 people. She soon learned it was closer to 150, as many are gone to seek work in places such as Costa Rica for much of the year. Kasey said Nicaraguans use heavy fertilizing for their crops, and she worked to get them to consider more organic practices. She also taught about other techniques – like using natural barriers for erosion control, and planting high protein corn seed. Although the focus for this woman who grew up on a farm was ag, she helped them begin projects that are helping community members financially.

Kasey Dix served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua

A new year…a new way of life
by Jake Krob · January 02, 2008

When Kasey Dix arrived in Nicaragua nearly 3 1/2 years ago, Javier’s family and friends helped the Iowa “farm girl” adjust to life in South America. Today, he’s Kasey’s husband and she’s helping him with a new life in Iowa.

Kasey, a 2000 Mount Vernon High School graduate, returned for good earlier this month after a three-plus year commitment as a Peace Corps volunteer. The new year brings a new way of life – looking for a job and re-acquainting herself with the Midwest after spending her time helping villagers improve their farming techniques. And by her side is Javier Penate Talavera, a man she met in her Nicaraguan community, fell in love with and married. The two exchanged vows here three days before the new year.



Ag beginning

This story began as a different kind of love story – Kasey’s passion for farming.

Her parents, Kathy and Minor Dix, had a dairy farm here. A self-professed “farm girl at heart,” Kasey went on to study animal and dairy science at Iowa State University. Post-degree, she landed a job at a bank in North Liberty, and after a year missed the direct contact with the land, with the animals.

“I had to find something to work with in agriculture,” she said.

A couple of friends mentioned the Peace Corps, and Kasey started investigating what it had to offer. She knew little about the Corps, but soon learned it had programs in agriculture.

Kasey didn’t hesitate to apply in July 2004.

Her mom opened the Peace Corps invitation letter, calling Kasey at her work.

“Where am I going?” Kasey asked.

“Nicaragua,” her mother replied.

Kasey’s first thought: “Where is Nicaragua?”

In August 2005, she left for an assignment in Hondura Azul, becoming the first Peace Corps volunteer the community had seen.

Her work began in Esteli, where she and 15 other volunteers spent three months studying Spanish and culture four days a week. On the fifth day, they focused on their specialties – specific ag issues for Kasey.

“When I left,” she said of her exit from Esteli and arrival in Hondura Azul, “I knew just enough Spanish to survive – like ‘I don’t feel well’ or ‘I don’t want to eat that.’ ”

After six weeks of living with a family in the community, before moving to her own home, a former school building, Kasey had nearly mastered the language.



More than farming

Kasey arrived in Hondura Azul with one goal – work with the farmers and women to improve their growing practices. When she left a month ago, she’d helped start a bank, assisted the community in getting a small mill and the income that comes with such a machine.

In addition to overcoming the language barrier to help community members, she said she had to gain the trust of those involved in farming. After all, their production of crops, similar to Iowa’s, had been tried and true for over a hundred years.

“I wasn’t there to tell them how to grow corn and beans,” Kasey said.

The tight-knit community helped her gain trust. Kasey arrived there thinking she’d be in a place of 247 people. She soon learned it was closer to 150, as many are gone to seek work in places such as Costa Rica for much of the year.

Kasey said Nicaraguans use heavy fertilizing for their crops, and she worked to get them to consider more organic practices. She also taught about other techniques – like using natural barriers for erosion control, and planting high protein corn seed.

Although the focus for this woman who grew up on a farm was ag, she helped them begin projects that are helping community members financially.

A mill tops the list.

Kasey had the opportunity to get a $2,500 grant for her town. She held a town meeting, letting citizens decide the project. They wanted electricity (the town has none) or a better road leading in and out of the place.

“It has to be a little smaller,” she told them.

They opted for a molino, a machine to grind corn for the production of tortillas, cookies and other foods. Community members helped with the grant process and prepared a place for it in one of three community-owned buildings.

When it arrived, Kasey helped them set up a way to operate it – with three women rotating work. Soon, the number dwindled to two, then one and began to go up again.

“Finally, I said, ‘you have to figure it out on your own,’ ” Kasey said.

They did. The town today has a new income source, charging people to use the grinder, including those from other villages. The community is also re-investing its earnings, loaning out revenues with interest.

Kasey put her one-year banking experience to work with another financial project – a bank.

Aside from those who work outside of their community, Nicaraguans in Kasey’s town make the equivalent of about $3 a day. Those in her community didn’t save, especially because they didn’t have enough to open an account in a large city bank.

“Most of them are living month to month,” she said.

Kasey worked with 15, including herself, to start a bank. They met and each decided how much he or she would contribute each month (most contributed around $1). At a meeting each month, deposits were made. The money was used to give one- to two-month loans, with non-members of the bank paying a higher interest rate. Raffles were used to add to the revenue.

After a year, the bank closed, with all members nearly doubling their contributions. Immediately, a new bank opened, with 28 members.

Kasey said security wasn’t an issue. The physical bank consisted of a box with three different locks; and three members each having a key for one lock. A fourth bank member took care of the box.

“I was just amazed at how it worked,” Kasey said. “They do it all on their own now.”



Finding love

Kasey left Nicaragua feeling good about the mark she left.

And now she’s part of her town’s family.

When she arrived in Hondura Azul, Javier was working in Costa Rica. Kasey heard of him, and knew many of his family members.

Soon, a friendship formed.

Kasey’s mother was having a birthday back in Mount Vernon, so Kasey decided to call her. The only cell phone reception is atop a mountain. Javier said he’d walk with her.

“I said, ‘there’s a friend here with me,’ ” Kasey recalls telling her mom.

“Why kind of friend?” her mother replied.

“A guy friend,” she said, announcing their dating.

Kasey said the couple got engaged late this past July and were married Sept. 28.

In the Peace Corps, she said, “you’re technically not supposed to get married up until the last three months.” But precedence was set in Nicaragua, where six Peace Corps volunteers had married Nicaraguans; Kasey was the last.

Marriage followed with some angst in wading through the process of getting Javier to the States.

They filed appropriate paperwork Oct. 9, and just over a month later he was issued a visa.

“I don’t think it’s ever been done that fast – ever,” she said.

They arrived in Mount Vernon Dec. 5.

Javier’s family remains in Nicaragua, including his parents, five siblings, a niece and nephew, and numerous cousins.

He speaks no English, but is learning. Kasey is currently on the hunt for a job; Javier will find work when she lands one. Then, she said, he’ll enroll in ESL courses.

For now, they’re enjoying life in Mount Vernon.

“But he’s already sick of the snow,” Kasey said.




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: January, 2008; Peace Corps Nicaragua; Directory of Nicaragua RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Nicaragua RPCVs; Agriculture





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Story Source: Mt. Vernon-Lisbon Sun

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Nicaragua; Agriculture

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