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    Local Nicaraguan school receives facelift from Marines and Sailors

    Local Nicaraguan school receives facelift from Marines and Sailors

    Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero | Lance Cpl.'s Brandon Ganser and Stephen McDonaldhale from 8th Engineer Support...... read more read more

    CORINTO, Nicaragua -- U.S. Marines and Sailors aboard High Speed Vessel 2 Swift in support of U.S. Southern Command’s Southern Partnership Station 2011, provided humanitarian support to the community of Corinto, Nicaragua, by building two Southeast Asia huts at a local school from, March 21 – 31.

    The SEA huts will be used as a library and classroom to support the students of the Instituto Parroquial (Parochial Institute) Presbitero (Priest) Emilio S. Chavarria. According to Jose Antonio Ruiz Cabrera who has worked at the school for the last 13 years, the school is limited in space and can only educate approximately 300 children in the Corinto’s area.

    “Currently there are many kids in the area who have to walk a great distance to other institutions in the area because we do not have a large enough infrastructure to support them,” added the Corinto native. “This project is a great help. It will assist us to open up our doors to more children in the community.”

    “This project will provide the school with additional space needed to educate more children in the community and that contributes to the overall cultural and educational development of the country, said Jorge Manuel Blandan Reyes, an infantryman with the Ejercito de Nicaragua (National Army of Nicaragua), who worked with the Marines and sailor throughout the project.

    In addition to building two SEA huts at this school, the Marines and Sailors also assisted a local elderly home by building a roof for its outdoor showers facility, and installing a water tank and pump.

    “This unique combination of Seabees and Marines working on humanitarian construction projects has been very successful for SPS 11,” said Navy Lt. Rama Mutyala, officer-in-charge, detail Bravo, NMCB 28. “The projects have been low cost but with a high impact to the local communities.”

    This is one of more than 24 humanitarian and civic assistance projects that the Marines from 8th Marine Engineer Support Battalion in Camp Lejeune, N.C. and Sailors from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 28, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., have worked on while deployed in support of U.S. Southern Command’s Southern Partnership Station 2011, which is an annual deployment designed to strengthen cooperative partnerships across the Caribbean and Central and South America.

    “The Navy and Marine Corps team has greatly impacted the lives of many children at schools throughout South and Central America,” said Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Sammy M. Hu, LPO, detail Bravo, NMCB 28. “We could not have accomplished this goal without our Marine brothers and help from the host nation. The bond and our partnership we have gained will go a long way in the future of our countries. The smiling faces and friendships are well worth the effort the Navy and Marine Corps have put in to enhance their lives. We are honored and proud to be ambassadors for the United States of America.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.01.2011
    Date Posted: 04.06.2011 10:07
    Story ID: 68348
    Location: CORINTO, NI

    Web Views: 65
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN