How it all began

One day in February 2013, a man named Alfonso introduced himself to a woman named Colleen. She was in El Sauce as a volunteer with the 4Walls Project. Alfonso, general manager of DIDES (Asociación Dimensiones del Desarrollo), an NGO in Nicaragua, had noticed how 4Walls beneficiaries lovingly cared for their new houses. He observed that, not only did these people have new houses, they also seemed to have new attitudes about themselves and their lives. Alfonso wondered how these new attitudes would contribute to a backyard agriculture project that would enable families to eat better and make a little money.

The “Pig Project” began as a tiny effort to improve the lives of five families in El Sauce. Each family got a pig, chickens, and some vegetable seedlings. They raised the animals and shared the profits when they were sold. Each of the families was required to enlist a young person to help with the crops and animals. The kids had to report to Alfonso each Saturday to discuss their progress and help each other. They became good friends. They learned a lot and wanted to learn more. Their enthusiasm was contagious; others approached them and asked to join the group.

The kids organized themselves and elected officers. They began establishing goals for their organization, which they named Los Pequeños Búfalos de El Sauce.