A letter from WCCN’s Executive Director

We are in a time of change. As the US enters an era of hope with the election of Barack Obama as our next President, WCCN is also in the middle of a transformation that will prepare our organization to face new opportunities and challenges as we expand to other Latin American countries. I am happy to announce that the proposed changes to our articles of incorporation and bylaws were approved by a significant majority of our members at the special membership meeting on November 1st. As a result, WCCN is no longer the Wisconsin Coordinating Council on Nicaragua, but Working Capital for Community Needs (WCCN).

This will be the last issue of Nicaraguan Developments, and the last time that we use our former name. Starting with our next issue, WCCN’s newsletter will have a new name and a different design. This is not the first time this has happened. Our original newsletter, first published in 1984, was Sister State Update, to reflect our original mission of creating people-to-people connections between Wisconsin and Nicaragua, sister states since 1964. In 1992, when WCCN started working in microfinance, WCCN created Nicaraguan Developments, and for seven years, WCCN published both newsletters until they merged in 1999, when we launched the NICA Fund. Since then, Nicaraguan Developments has been WCCN’s only newsletter.

Starting in 2009, when we commemorate our 25th anniversary, WCCN will have a fresh look — a new logo and printed materials. Having a new image makes total sense as we start to expand beyond Nicaragua. Our expansion has moved ahead as planned thanks to the hard work of our staff and board. In December 2008, WCCN will disburse loans to a new partner agency in El Salvador. In January, we plan to add a new partner in Guatemala. Then, we will establish partnerships in Honduras and other Latin American countries as opportunities arise.

This last edition of Nicaraguan Developments is a good reflection of our current work and of our particular approach to issues related to Nicaragua, where we have been working exclusively for the past 24 years. WCCN’s newsletter will continue with our independent but committed point of view, but it will have a broader scope as it will be covering the countries we will be working with.

We have arrived at this very exciting point of expanding our work as a result of your support and commitment. I want to invite you to continue supporting us in this new era. Join us to learn from and about the other countries to which we will expand. Help us fight poverty in every corner of Latin America through the powerful tool of microfinance. As an organization, we have enough experience, knowledge, passion, and optimism to succeed in this new endeavor. I am sure you will be even more proud of being a member of Working Capital for Community Needs as you were of the Wisconsin Coordinating Council on Nicaragua.

Sincerely,

Carlos Arenas
WCCN Executive Director