It is an often-repeated phrase of business that if you are not busy moving ahead, then you are destined to fall behind and die. In other words, change is not only good, but essential for the health and vitality of the organization in question. I think it’s true for all organizations- not just business enterprises- and Winds of Peace is no different. We have been adapting to changing needs “in the field” and now we hope to create a changing presence here at our website, as the number and makeup of our readers changes. Perhaps you won’t be surprised that we are tweaking our web content and its appearance once again; we think it’s a sign of maturity and outreach.
As for content, the website will feature more Spanish-friendly options for access. What started out as a site for a North American readership has gradually attracted Nicaraguan visitors, as well. I do not write in Spanish, but we have already begun the process of translating the WPF weekly blogs into Spanish for the benefit of our growing number of Spanish-speaking readers. By offering a Spanish version of these reflections, we hope to encourage feedback from our Nicaraguan readers to enrich our own perceptions and understandings of their views. The various web menu choices will also be available in Spanish, to facilitate easier navigation by Nica readers and to more openly invite their visits.
The expansion of Spanish language offerings will include the research studies and reports which WPF has commissioned as part of its work with cooperatives and other organizational units in Nicaragua. Over the years, WPF has collaborated with some of the foremost researchers and academicians in the country, and we have frequently observed that the work provided by these individuals could provide critical insights to a wide range of Nicaraguans if made available more broadly. Those studies will now be posted on this site- consistently in Spanish and often in both English and Spanish- so that the widest possible audience might have access.
Finally, in addition to changes in content and opportunities for site visitors’ dialogue, our look will be changing, too. That may not seem to have the same importance as the materials that are shared here, but the layout and look of our site has a direct correlation with how people feel when they visit. If the site can be made more user-friendly and attractive, the chances of repeat visits are enhanced, and that’s an objective of ours, as well. In business, that would be called being “customer-centric.”
As the changes unfold in the days ahead, please feel encouraged to provide your feedback! If there is something that you would like to see more of, let us know. If there are elements of the “old site” that you preferred to our new approach, we’d like to know that, too. Or, if you just happen to stop by this site on occasion out of curiosity and without great expectations, you’re welcome here.
Changing a website or even the kinds of initiatives that support an overall mission are necessary and the sign of a dynamic organization. The one element that we have not changed is the pursuit of economic, social and environmental justice for the people of Nicaragua and to raise awareness of those rights in those of us who ought to know….
