Pictured: Manna Project International staff members Christina, Kate, and Javier on the clinic building site
Fundraising to build a new facility for the former Clinica Base de Salud, which was located inside Managua’s city garbage dump, and served the residents in the dump, has been going very well. The clinic has been renamed Villa Guadalupe Clinic after the newly constructed community it serves just outside the dump turned landfill. Manna Project International, which supports the clinic, has purchased the land. Manna Project and Dr. John Doty took on the challenge to raise funding for the clinic’s construction.

The fundraising goal is close to being reached, and it appears that it will be possible for the groundbreaking to take place sometime this year. According to Lori Scharffenberg, Executive Director of Manna Project, “the momentum for the clinic has really taken off …, and we are all really excited to finally start seeing everything begin to take shape.”

Clinica Casa Base de Salud had to move suddenly in early 2013, when the dump was transformed into a landfill. All of the former residents of La Chureca, the community living inside the dump, were relocated to the new community of Villa Virgen de Guadalupe (Virgin of Guadalupe Village) just outside the old dump. The clinic has been operating out of tiny quarters in this new community. To make matters even more challenging, the clinic is serving a population three times as large, because other groups were also relocated here. It is apparent a new facility, adequate for the increased demand, is needed.

Many patients, little room.

We are happy to report that each day is bringing the clinic closer to its “Cinderella” transformation. The clinic hopes to break ground later this year. Read more about the clinic.