By Dr. Armando Incer

During a visit by the board of directors of Clinica Verde to the city of Boaco in November, we held a meeting with members of civil society from the area.

Present at this meeting were important local leaders – ranchers, businessmen, politicians, mayors from the municipalities, and representatives from universities and the Ministry of Health.

We explained to them the concept of Clinica Verde, its mission and vision and why we had chosen to do a project in the area of maternal and infant health. Those in attendance got to know the health statistics of the department of Boaco and understood the importance that the project will have in helping the less fortunate of the municipalities of Boaco, from Matagalpa to Muy Muy, Maniguas and Rio Blanca, as well as communities from the Atlantic Region of Nicaragua.

Following that meeting, we formed the Support Comittee of Clinica Verde, which will be presided over by the Municipal Mayor of Boaco, Dr. Hugo Barquero.

In December, we had our first meeting at the mayor's office during which we reached some agreements, the principles being:

• In the next meeting of Mayors in the department of Boaco, there will be a presentation of the project in order to coordinate effectively between the various municipalities and Clínica Verde.

• In January, Clinica Verde Medical Director Dr. Armando Incer will visit the municipalities of Boaco in order to give a presentation of Clinica Verde in each one and explain to the residents the importance of the clinic in improving their health, with the intent of getting local support and forming municipal committees to collaborate with the project.

• We will do a presentation on the local cable TV channel so that the citizens of Boaco will be more informed of the project.

We are certain that the project will be a success and that we'll improve the health indicators of Boaco. There is also much expectation around the medical mission group that Clinica Verde will bring to the city in the spring.

The citizens of Boaco affirmed that they are very grateful to the Board of Directors of Clinica Verde for bringing this project to the city because they know the benefits it will bring to the community. They look forward to the inauguration of Clínica Verde in this new year of 2010.

Read Dr. Incer's report in Spanish here.


NOTE: Clinica Verde needs to raise about $60,000 more to complete clinic construction. We are urgently working to meet this goal. Please contact us if you know any supporters who may assist us in our cause!
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Meredith Sasser is a freelance consultant in the area of Information Technology Leadership and Strategy. She is also a 2007 Graduate of the Harvard Business School's Program for Leadership Development (PLD) and a classmate of Clinica Verde's Board Member Dennis de Vreede. With this year's reunion in Napa Valley, Clinica Verde board member Don Farrar (Harvard '54) and his wife Joan Farrar hosted a gathering for Meredith and her classmates to learn more about Clinica Verde.

"After five minutes, my classmates and I knew that we were in the presence of true leadership. Susan's firsthand account of the current health care conditions and the need for a ‘new model' led to a great discussion on the importance of sustainability and partnership with the local community. Don and Dennis added insight to the financial plans required to launch the first clinic in Nicaragua and that funding was still needed to complete construction. It was clear to each of my classmates that a donation to Clinica Verde would not only help with near term needs, but helps to set the foundation for ‘Health + Hope.'

"Thanks again for sharing Clinica Verde; your passion and commitment were an inspiration to us all."

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