Photo gallery from Sébaco & El Tuma

Looking forward to today’s meal. The roadside camp in Sébaco holds about 2000 people and food donations are prepared in huge, common pots.

Policemen are present in Sébaco where some 2000 workers have settled down. Every once in a while, the Inter American Highway is blocked for some time, then reopened. The police accept this peaceful mean of protest, but warn workers not to block the highway permanently. Drivers complain, even though they understand the problem.

The Sébaco camp holds some 2000 people divided into smaller groups by logic of origin. When the Highway is temporarily taken, the workers do so in groups, forming several human, minor roadblocks.

The Inter American Highway is highly transited and long lines of vehicles quickly build up when the Highway is taken by the workers, in an attempt to obtain the government’s attention.

Help arrived today in the roadside camp near El Tuma in Northern Nicaragua. Rice, beans and corn is divided in equal parts and each parent bring it home to the family members left behind on the hacienda.

Experienced in life along the highway and donations, the coffee workers easily line up for food distribution. The camps are very well organized and leaders keep a written account of the amount of people and aid received.

Do as the doctor says! Due to bad sanitary conditions and malnutrition, the roadside campers are easily subject to infections, parasites and diarrhea. As many as 15 children have already died.

Nobody escapes the roadblock in El Tuma, not even the local busdriver. Having slipped a coin through the window, the voyage can continue.