Visits to San Francisco Libre

We always encourage people to visit San Francisco Libre, to experience life in Reading's twin town at first hand.

If you are interested in visiting San Francisco Libre, either individually, or as part of a community group, then the Association will do all it can to facilitate arrangements including organising being met at Managua airport and accommodation in the village. If you would like to investigate this further then contact us either by telephone or via email. Contact details are on our Contacts page.

Here you will find details of a selection of the most recent visits to SFL.

12 Feb 2004
Paul Starkey visits San Francisco Libre during a trip to Nicaragua.

Paul Starkey, chair of the RSFLA, has travelled to San Francisco Libre, to see how projects funded by Reading are progressing.
He visited Jeyserd's Carpentry Workshop, met the three apprentices now studying under Jeyserd, and was given a tour of the Workshop which Jeyserd has equipped since he returned to SFL.
Paul also met Alina, one of our contacts in SFL - and talked with the mayor, José Ángel, about a project to buy bicycles for the use of students in outlying villages of the municipality.

10 Feb 2004
Julian Stutley arrives in San Francisco Libre for a three month stay.

Julian Stutley, a student from Reading, has arrived in San Francisco Libre - where he intends to stay for the next three months. He is helping out at a school in SFL, and lodging with one of its teachers. Julian will join the two young German volunteers of the Oldenburg-San Francisco Libre link group in teaching English at the school, and it is hoped, will be able to assist students learning to use the school's computers.

We will post more information on Julian's stay, as we receive it, on this page.

May 2002
Hannah Starkey visits San Francisco Libre.

Hannah visited San Francisco Libre in May 2002 as part of a four month trip to Central and South America.

She enjoyed working with children in SFL. She also appreciated the warm hospitality of many people, some of whom had previously visited Reading.

Nov 2001
RSFLA members oversee presidential elections.

In November 2001, four members of the Association visited Nicaragua as International Observers for the presidential elections (See Nicaragua Election Briefing). They called on San Francisco Libre after their official duties were over, meeting many old friends including Cruz, Glenarban and Doña Carmen.

A report covering the presidential elections can be found on our Reports page.

August 2001
Bente Madera visits San Francisco Libre.

In August 2001, Bente Madera from RISC (Reading International Solidarity Centre) visited Nicaragua as part of a fair trade delegation organised by the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign. She then spent a few days in San Francisco Libre, carrying messages and money for continued support of the many projects both large and small, supported by the RSFLA.

Links to the web sites of RISC, and the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign can be found on our Web Links page.