Its purpose is to encourage cultural and educational exchanges, to promote better understanding between our two countries and to give assistance to those in need to both communities. A Sister City Committee was appointed to further these purposes. The Committee receives no funding from the town, but raises money selling crafts, coffee and donuts and town meetings, holding bakes sales and tag sales and contributions from residents. La Paz Centro is an agricultural community of some 26,000 people occupying an area about ten times that of Amherst in the province of Leon, about sixty miles northwest of Managua. People raise cotton, corn, sorghum, sesame and also cattle.
Cottage industry produces earthenware utensils and construction materials.
Additional products are salt and palm for thatch. There is a counterpart Committee in La Paz Centro which includes representatives of various local interests-medical, educational, and commercial. They have helped to oversee our past projects and consider new undertakings that promise permanent benefit to the community. For the last few years, Amherst has shared a part time representative in Nicaragua who works for a consortium of North American sister cities. This coordinator serves as a conduit between the two communities, facilitates the development of projects and the distribution of material aid.