Project Description

Finca Sonador was founded in 1979 as an alternative for Nicaraguan families seeking refuge from the dictatorial regime of Anastasio Somoza.
Its primary objective was to give the "campesinos" (farmers) pieces of land for subsistence cultivation. In 1982 Salvadorian families fleeing the civil war replaced most of the Nicaraguans. Today the village of Longo Mai has about 400 inhabitants, of which more than 200 are Salvadorians. The others are mainly landless farmers from Costa Rica, some from Nicaragua and a few indigenous families.
There are two "pulperias" (basic corner stores), a primary school, two churches, one phone, far more horses than cars, and a community spirit that would be hard to find in any northern country.

The village fields produce beans, rice, yucca, bananas, plantains, meat, milk, eggs, fruits and more. The little extra money each family needs is earned either by farming coffee and sugarcane or by working as a field labourer. While ideally everyone would be working their own crops, because it takes five years for coffee to yield a harvest and one for sugarcane, this is often not the case. In the last few years some farmers have decided to switch to organic agriculture.

Many visitors come to Longo Mai to study or volunteer as well as to gain practical experience. There are many possibilities, such as researching the various ecological and biodiversity issues involved in rainforest agriculture, and participating in or creating sociological or archaeological studies - in only a few hectares 70 precolombian petroglyphs have been discovered, as well as an ancient burial ground. Many volunteers teach English, German, sewing, art and music. You can also try your hand at field labour; picking coffee, cutting sugarcane, harvesting corn and beans or gardening. With a little initiative and creativity you can even begin your own project. For example, the creation of a medicinal garden may one day provide the residents with another cash crop.

More than a dozen European families, most of whom have visited Longo Mai, support the youth of the Finca by donating money to a scholarship fund. The children of Longo Mai benefit greatly from this project; the extra costs involved in sending one's child to school, such as uniforms, transportation, lunches and books, are difficult for some families to afford. Without the scholarship program most children would miss the opportunity to attend high school or university.

In Finca Sonador an important cultural exchange between South and North takes place. The tone of the cultural exchange is set by both villagers and volunteers. All benefit from an increased awareness and understanding, while at the same time a sense of culture and identity is preserved.

Finca Sonador illustrates the combined effort of its inhabitants over two decades of Central American history and has become recognized as an important and irreplaceable experiment.

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