Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MANAGUA648
2009-06-29 22:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Managua
Cable title:
AMBASSADOR INAUGURATES DOL PROGRAM AGAINST CHILD LABOR
how-toVZCZCXRO1844 PP RUEHLMC DE RUEHMU #0648 1802235 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 292235Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA TO RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4295 INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC PRIORITY RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RHBVJPX/COMPHIBRON SIX PRIORITY RHBPCOM/USNS COMFORT PRIORITY
UNCLAS MANAGUA 000648
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN KRAAIMORE
STATE PASS TO USAID
USAID FOR LAC
LABOR FOR KCHINNOCK, CHOLMES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB NU
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR INAUGURATES DOL PROGRAM AGAINST CHILD LABOR
REF: A. MANAGUA 599
B. MANAGUA 580
C. 2008 MANAGUA 1357
UNCLAS MANAGUA 000648
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN KRAAIMORE
STATE PASS TO USAID
USAID FOR LAC
LABOR FOR KCHINNOCK, CHOLMES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB NU
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR INAUGURATES DOL PROGRAM AGAINST CHILD LABOR
REF: A. MANAGUA 599
B. MANAGUA 580
C. 2008 MANAGUA 1357
1. (U) Summary: On Friday, June 12, Ambassador Callahan
traveled to the Department of Jinotega to inaugurate a $5
million Department of Labor (DOL) program which will combat
child labor at coffee plantations in Jinotega and Madriz. The
program, called ENTERATE (Combating the Worst Forms of Child
Labor through Education in Nicaragua - see reftel C),is a
joint effort between the USG and American Institute for
Research (AIR). End Summary
--------------
ENTERATE Launch Event
--------------
2. (U) As previously reported (see reftel C),ENTERATE is a
three-year DOL-funded project committed to "educating child
workers and eradicating exploitation" that targets
approximately 10,000 Nicaraguan children ages 5-14 who work
or at risk of working on coffee plantations in Jinotega and
Madriz. The ENTERATE inaugural event was on June 12, the
World Day Against Child Labor, and held at the Santa Maura
coffee plantation, a model coffee farm without any child
labor. The Santa Maura coffee plantation also hosts a USAID
Exellencia school. Present at the ceremony were the
Ambassador, a local Ministry of Labor representative, and
representatives from the supporting ENTERATE NGOs: La
Cuculmeca, El Club Infantil, both from Jinotega; and the
Institute for Human Advancement (INPRUH) from Somoto, Madriz.
4. (U) On June 12, the Ambassador gave the final remarks in
the hour-long ceremony that included cultural presentations
by youth from the Jinotega Club Infantil and the Somoto
INPRUH. Following the ceremony, the Ambassador held a brief
press conference immediately following the event with
ENTERATE director Melba Castillo and AIR country
representative Marcus Broer.
--------------
PRESS COVERAGE
--------------
5. (U) Several members from the national and local press
corps attended the event, including "La Prensa" (center-right
national daily),Channel 12 (national TV),Radio Corporation
and Radio Maranatha, and HOY ("La Prensa" weekly journal).
The next day the "La Prensa" departmental section included
photos from the event and quoted the Ambassador as saying,
"The importance of this program is that it provides an
excellent opportunity...for children and adolescents to
prepare and study as a way to help fight poverty in this
nation."
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (U) The June 12 ENTERATE launch was the second time that
the Ambassador and the Embassy organized a national press
conference to feature this significant $5 million dollar,
three-year program to combat child labor in Nicaragua's
coffee region (see reftel C). Unlike the first launch event
of November 2008, the message about the ENTERATE program was
not distorted by the government propaganda machine. The
event, which took place shortly after the Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) decided to partially terminate
its programs in Nicaragua in response to the GON,s failure
to address credible allegations of fraud in the November 2008
Municipal elections (see reftel A & B),gave the Ambassador a
chance to express and demonstrate in a tangible way that USG
aid will continue in other areas unaffected by the MCC's
decision.
CALLAHAN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN KRAAIMORE
STATE PASS TO USAID
USAID FOR LAC
LABOR FOR KCHINNOCK, CHOLMES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB NU
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR INAUGURATES DOL PROGRAM AGAINST CHILD LABOR
REF: A. MANAGUA 599
B. MANAGUA 580
C. 2008 MANAGUA 1357
1. (U) Summary: On Friday, June 12, Ambassador Callahan
traveled to the Department of Jinotega to inaugurate a $5
million Department of Labor (DOL) program which will combat
child labor at coffee plantations in Jinotega and Madriz. The
program, called ENTERATE (Combating the Worst Forms of Child
Labor through Education in Nicaragua - see reftel C),is a
joint effort between the USG and American Institute for
Research (AIR). End Summary
--------------
ENTERATE Launch Event
--------------
2. (U) As previously reported (see reftel C),ENTERATE is a
three-year DOL-funded project committed to "educating child
workers and eradicating exploitation" that targets
approximately 10,000 Nicaraguan children ages 5-14 who work
or at risk of working on coffee plantations in Jinotega and
Madriz. The ENTERATE inaugural event was on June 12, the
World Day Against Child Labor, and held at the Santa Maura
coffee plantation, a model coffee farm without any child
labor. The Santa Maura coffee plantation also hosts a USAID
Exellencia school. Present at the ceremony were the
Ambassador, a local Ministry of Labor representative, and
representatives from the supporting ENTERATE NGOs: La
Cuculmeca, El Club Infantil, both from Jinotega; and the
Institute for Human Advancement (INPRUH) from Somoto, Madriz.
4. (U) On June 12, the Ambassador gave the final remarks in
the hour-long ceremony that included cultural presentations
by youth from the Jinotega Club Infantil and the Somoto
INPRUH. Following the ceremony, the Ambassador held a brief
press conference immediately following the event with
ENTERATE director Melba Castillo and AIR country
representative Marcus Broer.
--------------
PRESS COVERAGE
--------------
5. (U) Several members from the national and local press
corps attended the event, including "La Prensa" (center-right
national daily),Channel 12 (national TV),Radio Corporation
and Radio Maranatha, and HOY ("La Prensa" weekly journal).
The next day the "La Prensa" departmental section included
photos from the event and quoted the Ambassador as saying,
"The importance of this program is that it provides an
excellent opportunity...for children and adolescents to
prepare and study as a way to help fight poverty in this
nation."
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (U) The June 12 ENTERATE launch was the second time that
the Ambassador and the Embassy organized a national press
conference to feature this significant $5 million dollar,
three-year program to combat child labor in Nicaragua's
coffee region (see reftel C). Unlike the first launch event
of November 2008, the message about the ENTERATE program was
not distorted by the government propaganda machine. The
event, which took place shortly after the Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) decided to partially terminate
its programs in Nicaragua in response to the GON,s failure
to address credible allegations of fraud in the November 2008
Municipal elections (see reftel A & B),gave the Ambassador a
chance to express and demonstrate in a tangible way that USG
aid will continue in other areas unaffected by the MCC's
decision.
CALLAHAN