Continuing their trip through Nicaragua, Planas’ film crew stops in San Nicolás and discusses the lack of potable water. A group of Spaniards have offered to remedy the situation. Why does the problem still exist? Could the elected officials actually be standing in the way of progress?

Trying to figure out why he wouldn’t approve the water project, the filmmakers try to track down the mayor, but they can’t find him at home. They do find children with containers making the trek to the water source from home and back.

The film crew met with a team from Ayuda en Acción, and it appears that its organizational heart is in the right place. Yet, despite the presence of over five hundred NGOs working to improve the lot of Nicaragua’s poor, their plight worsens every year. Many local activists and intellectuals do not trust the non-profits, and accuse them of having their own enrichment as concern numero uno.

That literacy will directly contribute to the health and well being of a people few can doubt. But are a literate people more likely to care for the environment? One man thinks so, and has started a grassroots neighbors teaching neighbors project for the good of both la gente y la tierra.

Does graphic and violence-ridden television news that presents the worst aspects of a society also bring out the worst in its audience? Our filmmaker seems to think so, and believes that it is young viewers who pay the price when spectacle trumps thoughtful analysis and measured presentation.

Does broadcast media really have a responsiblity to promote and defend human rights? Or is it to simply make shows that people like and that attract ratings? Several Nicaraguan journalists and media producers discuss these ideas in a round table discussion.

Most people agree that there’s nothing quite like a tasty wood-fired grill, but because the traditional stove of the Peruvian highlands lacks adequate ventilation of the home and kitchen, serious health problems can arise. A team of researchers have identified this unique regional problem and worked with a clever team of engineers to design an affordable and elegant safer alternative that will be accepted and used by the local people.

Daily exposure to wood smoke can really wreak havoc on the body. It affects the eyes, the skin, and, of course, the lungs. With small material investment, kitchen smoke is minimized through a cleverly designed, well-ventilated, stove.

The inhabitants of the first village where special stoves were installed experienced a marked improvement in their respiratory health. Word quickly spread to a nearby community which then made the change over to the new technology. As the materials are inexpensive, it should not be difficult to get all of Peru to switch to the new stoves.

Hugo Chávez is divisive figure in Venezuela, as he is the world over, but the enthusiasm he generates amongst a large and vocal segment of the population is undeniable. Omar Vizcaya is a Chávez supporter, and was kind enough to agree to share some of his thoughts and ideas about the current situation.