An Aquaponics Farm for Nicaragua

Hello good hearted people of the world,

We are Kevin and Kyle, two high school seniors from California, and we have embarked on an endeavor that is near and dear to our heart: Food!

For most of us, food is a readily available commodity. Often times, we hear buzzwords like "poverty" and "world hunger", but it seems as if though those problems are far away from us.
Over the past four years, Kyle and I have been involved in the Global Perspective Studies program at our high school and, as a result, have gained a vast understanding of the problems that plague developing countries, mainly the availability of clean water, education, and food.Using our background in the sciences, engineering, and communications, we have partnered up with our local non-profit organization, the Worldwide Child Relief Foundation, to provide the residents of La Calle Real, a developing town in Nicaragua, with their very own Aquaponics farm. How cool is that!
Aquaponics is an innovative farming method that integrates fish farming and soil less gardening, to eliminate the waste of water and nutrients, while maximizing the output of produce, which includes fish and crops.
The money donated through this fundraiser will directly be used to prototype the system we want to build and to purchase supplies in Nicaragua to build our designed system in La Calle Real. This money will specifically go towards the purchase of batteries, pumps, tanks, fish, PVC, water-quality testing equipment, plants, insulation materials, and fish feed.

After constructing a prototype here in the United States, we will monitor the system for a couple weeks to see what further improvements can be made. Then, working with the WWCRF and their volunteers, we will send them our schematics, data, and observations, along with funds for the purchase of supplies. The construction of the system in La Callee Real will be managed by Hal Young, the Cofounder of the WWCRF. The final system should be built in 1-2 weeks, once all the necessary materials are there.

In this season of giving and gratefulness, we hope that you, our friends, family, and
good samaritans, will find in the goodness of your hearts to donate to our cause. Our fundraiser will run from December 19th-March 31st. This time frame would be ideal for us to keep up with the action plan we have designed, so that everything can be completed in a timely fashion :)

Providing La Calle Real with a secure source of food is not only a meaningful application of what we have learned as students throughout our education, but it is also core of our moral teaching: Do unto others as you would have done for you. Wouldn't we appreciate a helping hand through tough times?

We don't have any complimentary gifts to show our appreciation. No T-shirt. No mugs. Nada. But what will have to show for your generosity and effort are the smiles of mothers and fathers, who will not have to worry about not having sufficient food to feed their families ,and a community, educated in how to grow and sell produce.

So let's work together as a team to make this dream a reality!

Kevin and Kyle