By Enrique Pineda

On February 24 to 27, CoCoDA held a new edition of its highly anticipated annual fundraising event: Febrero Fiesta. The 4 nights of virtual Fiesta featured a series of videos and interviews that took the audience on a journey through the projects, leaders, team members and legacy of the more than 30 years of CoCoDA’s work in Central America.

The theme of this edition of Febrero Fiesta was: The Times They Are A Changing — Looking back at the beginnings of CoCoDA, the great impact of its leaders, and the beginning of a new era.

The four nights that integrated the Febrero Fiesta consisted of interviews and three to four videos per night, each night with a different focus:

  • A New Era for CoCoDA: introducing Deborah Payne as the Executive Director Elect

  • Out with the Old; In With the New: A walk down memory lane with CoCoDA celebrating 30 years of amazing projects

  • The Young Leaders of CoCoDA: introducing CoCoDA’s representatives in El Salvador and Nicaragua

  • Leaving a Legacy: revisiting Jim Mulholland’s great legacy and looking to CoCoDA’s future

Thanks to the generosity of you and many others CoCoDA raised over:

$32,000

for important projects in Central America!

Each night of the Fiesta reflected the commitment that many people have had for years to CoCoDA’s work, but it also meant the first approach for many new people this year.

These are more of the highlights of this year’s Febrero Fiesta:

✅ We had over 139 people attend at least one night

✅ We had 41 people engage with CoCoDA for the very first time

✅ On Thursday night we announced the launching of the Mulholland Legacy Fund, which will fund the rebuilding of the community center at El Cacao, Nicaragua

The amazing nights of Febrero Fiesta were possible thanks to the support of our sponsors:

The videos, beautifully presented by the CoCoDA team, were the narrative thread of the stories, projects, leaders and emotions of the attendees of the Febrero Fiesta.

These also included members of CoCoDA’s partners in El Salvador and Nicaragua.

“I was very happy to see the videos about people and stories I know and I’m familiar with. Personally it was a great joy to see Tim Crouse (Past CoCoDA Executive Director), whom I knew and worked with many years ago”.

Otilia Gonzales, Member of the Central American Advisory Council of CoCoDA

Watch again the incredible stories that moved the audience at the 2025 Febrero Fiesta:

▶️ Click here!

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