The municipality of Pearl Lagoon served as the backdrop for the signing of two sub-grants under USAID’s Conservation and Sustainable Tourism Program (CSTP), implemented by FHI 360.  The sub-grants will finance the implementation of projects related to water and sanitation and bio-diversity conservation activities in Bluefields and Pearl Lagoon.

 

CSTP signed one sub-grant with BlueEnergy for the “The Right to Clean Water and a Healthy Environment Project,” to be implemented in Bluefields.  The second sub-grant was signed with Wildlife Conservation Society, which will implement the project “Sustainable Use of Bio-diversity Resources in the Wildlife Refuge of Cayos Perla” in Pearl Lagoon.  At the event, CSTP also announced a new alliance with Noble Energy, a private sector organization that will contribute funds to support the project implemented by BlueEnergy. 

 

Mr. Arthur W. Brown, Mission Director for USAID/Nicaragua said, “for USAID, development goes hand in hand with the rational use of natural resources. With this support, we hope we can contribute to the improvement of the standard of living of the citizens of Bluefields and the community of Kahkabila, as well as with the conservation of bio-diversity in the Wildlife Refuge of Cayos Perla.  In line with our gender equality initiatives, both projects involve women in the implementation of their activities, providing them with access, not only to the decision-making processes, but also to self-development activities.”

 

David Nock, representative of Noble Energy in Nicaragua commented, “The collaboration between Noble Energy and USAID, FHI 360 and the Municipality of Bluefields in the project to purify water and solid waste management reflects our corporate message: ‘Energizing the World, Bettering People's Lives.’ In Noble Energy we believe that our business goes beyond just exploring and producing. Besides improved income and other benefits that our involvement in Nicaragua can produce, we are trying to improve people’s living conditions by supporting the development of those communities we work in, grown in and prosper. This project, as well as our other social investments in the Autonomous Regions, show our long-term commitment with these communities and with Nicaragua.”

 

The implementation of these two sub-grants will start in October 2012 and is expected to end by August 2013.