Helping Nicaragua
Here we will try to list as many of the NGOs, non-profits, cooperatives, foundations and other worthy organizations helping Nicaragua and its people. If possible, we will indicate if they will take volunteers and the qualifications. Your organization not listed? Send us a writeup!
There are a lot of good organizations down here so the list is long. Be sure to scroll down and see them all.
There are a lot of good organizations down here so the list is long. Be sure to scroll down and see them all.
Viviendas Leon
ViviendasLeón is an international development and education travel organization. We are a non-profit 501 © 3 organization; 70% of our resources go to travel and development programs, and the people of León. We have a long track record of safety and measurable impact in the communities we serve. We have eighteen years of experience in travel, community service learning and rural development. We operate and are responsible for both the travel and development programs. We create and implement authentic, community driven projects. The success of our work depends on the engagement of community members, travel program participants, staff and volunteers who are an integral part of the development process.
Our Mission
To support human and economic development in the rural communities of León, Nicaragua and engage US students in global citizenship.
Our Goals
To provide permanent, measurable gains in the standard of living of rural poor populations and to promote understanding between people.
Our Strategy
We work with a rural community for the course of a generation. In a series of inter-related programs, we improve the attendance, length of time in school and quality of education for children. We create local employment for mothers through micro-enterprise development. We develop the community’s capacity to perform economically viable work and to work together as community members to achieve shared goals. We identify the complex array of community needs that must be addressed and coordinate comprehensive efforts through partnerships with other organizations. We foster understanding between people by bringing diverse groups together to share in the effort to improve the conditions in rural communities.
For more information on how to contribute and volunteer please visit: http://viviendasleon.org
Our Mission
To support human and economic development in the rural communities of León, Nicaragua and engage US students in global citizenship.
Our Goals
To provide permanent, measurable gains in the standard of living of rural poor populations and to promote understanding between people.
Our Strategy
We work with a rural community for the course of a generation. In a series of inter-related programs, we improve the attendance, length of time in school and quality of education for children. We create local employment for mothers through micro-enterprise development. We develop the community’s capacity to perform economically viable work and to work together as community members to achieve shared goals. We identify the complex array of community needs that must be addressed and coordinate comprehensive efforts through partnerships with other organizations. We foster understanding between people by bringing diverse groups together to share in the effort to improve the conditions in rural communities.
For more information on how to contribute and volunteer please visit: http://viviendasleon.org
Puedo Leer Library Program
PUEDO LEER is a lending library in Granada, Nicaragua open to the public, with a main focus on promoting reading and a love of reading among children, so that they can become lifelong learners, succeed academically and economically, and ultimately be instrumental in raising standards of education and literacy in Nicaragua. We endeavor to investigate and develop any and all activities that will bring the discovery of reading to the people of Nicaragua.
While the main library is the focus, the program now embraces many related and expanded activities that include:
Why It All Started
When Nicaragua children begin their schooling, many have never experienced the delight of having a story read to them by their parents or other adults. Reading for pleasure in Nicaragua is almost nonexistent. Schools lack story books and even reading for learning is severely limited since most schools rarely have textbooks for their students.
Nicaraguan children don't read books for many reasons. Books are expensive, a high illiteracy rate prevents many parents from reading to their children, many children don’t or can’t attend school. It is a rare school that has a library or a reading program. As a result, children attend school without books and start a life believing there is no need for books.
Puedo Leer (I Can Read) is the name of the first lending library in Granada. Concerned community members met to discuss the possibility of opening the first lending library in Granada. The prime objective would be to bring the pleasure of reading to the people of Granada.
A partnering of Nicaraguan and international volunteers prompted donors to search for Spanish children's books in their countries, and finally Puedo Leer took to the road, delivering books bi-weekly to elementary classrooms. As books made their debut in the public schools, enthusiasm passed from teacher to teacher and from teacher to student. For many of the teachers, holding a children’s book was a new experience. Children began to look forward to stories being read to them then asked to hold the books themselves. As splashes of color and bold graphics jumped from each page and the ability to read became a reality, a new world began to unfold.
From this successful program grew Granada’s first and only lending library, Puedo Leer, its shelves filled with children’s books, magazines, research and reference books for students and professionals, and a growing collection of foreign language books for all. The main library, Puedo Leer, opened to great success.
Puedo Leer has mushroomed into a major project with a profound impact on the children of Granada. We are now looking into the possibility of adding more libraries and reading centers in other locations in Granada since it is a neighborhood activity center. We are also adding other activities such as art classes and crafts which provides great experiences for the children here since they do not have much opportunity for hands-on activities. The schools do not have the time or resources and there are few community centers offering activities. Primary support area is Granada.
We gladly accept Spanish books for children and welcome volunteers.
For contact information click here.
or visit www.puedoleerlibrary.com
While the main library is the focus, the program now embraces many related and expanded activities that include:
- Rincones de Lectura (reading rooms), two locations in Granada.
- Puedo Leer delivers books every two weeks to 20 local elementary schools. The school teacher reads one book a day to the children.
- We provide “bibliotecaulas” (small libraries on wheels) to rural schools that have no libraries.
- We conduct training for teachers and other people working in libraries, schools and community centers.
- For small communities we are setting up libraries in homes to serve that community.
- Provide and support a “reading in the park” program
- And much, much more.............
Why It All Started
When Nicaragua children begin their schooling, many have never experienced the delight of having a story read to them by their parents or other adults. Reading for pleasure in Nicaragua is almost nonexistent. Schools lack story books and even reading for learning is severely limited since most schools rarely have textbooks for their students.
Nicaraguan children don't read books for many reasons. Books are expensive, a high illiteracy rate prevents many parents from reading to their children, many children don’t or can’t attend school. It is a rare school that has a library or a reading program. As a result, children attend school without books and start a life believing there is no need for books.
Puedo Leer (I Can Read) is the name of the first lending library in Granada. Concerned community members met to discuss the possibility of opening the first lending library in Granada. The prime objective would be to bring the pleasure of reading to the people of Granada.
A partnering of Nicaraguan and international volunteers prompted donors to search for Spanish children's books in their countries, and finally Puedo Leer took to the road, delivering books bi-weekly to elementary classrooms. As books made their debut in the public schools, enthusiasm passed from teacher to teacher and from teacher to student. For many of the teachers, holding a children’s book was a new experience. Children began to look forward to stories being read to them then asked to hold the books themselves. As splashes of color and bold graphics jumped from each page and the ability to read became a reality, a new world began to unfold.
From this successful program grew Granada’s first and only lending library, Puedo Leer, its shelves filled with children’s books, magazines, research and reference books for students and professionals, and a growing collection of foreign language books for all. The main library, Puedo Leer, opened to great success.
Puedo Leer has mushroomed into a major project with a profound impact on the children of Granada. We are now looking into the possibility of adding more libraries and reading centers in other locations in Granada since it is a neighborhood activity center. We are also adding other activities such as art classes and crafts which provides great experiences for the children here since they do not have much opportunity for hands-on activities. The schools do not have the time or resources and there are few community centers offering activities. Primary support area is Granada.
We gladly accept Spanish books for children and welcome volunteers.
For contact information click here.
or visit www.puedoleerlibrary.com
Building New Hope
Building New Hope is a volunteer driven 501(c)(3) organization based in Pittsburgh, PA, and Granada, Nicaragua, that supports grassroots development projects in Central America. They assist communities by selling fairly traded organic coffee; operating career training centers; alternative schools and literacy programs for underserved and at-risk youth; and funding income-generating projects for women and community organizing initiatives. In Granada, Nicaragua the two major projects are Escuelita Yo Puedo and Casa Lupita.
Escuelita Yo Puedo welcomes children of one of Granada's poorest barrios to enter its colorful classroom. It is here that children, preschoolers to adolescents, are welcomed by enthusiastic Nicaraguan teachers along with international volunteers. These eager youngsters enter an oasis where for the first time they have a chance to learn to read, to do math, to play games, to sing a song, to be a child.
Casa Lupita is a health clinic for street animals in Granada to alleviate their suffering and to curb their population. The facility provides a much needed community health service by reducing dog bites, rabies, parasites and flea, tic infestation. Work horses that dominate Granada's streets also receive our attention for nutritional and parasite problems. We invite volunteer veterinary professionals to work with us in their animal care area of expertise.
Primary support area is Granada.
Contact Donna Tabor 505-8852-0210 donna@buildingnewhope.org
www.buildingnewhope.org
Escuelita Yo Puedo welcomes children of one of Granada's poorest barrios to enter its colorful classroom. It is here that children, preschoolers to adolescents, are welcomed by enthusiastic Nicaraguan teachers along with international volunteers. These eager youngsters enter an oasis where for the first time they have a chance to learn to read, to do math, to play games, to sing a song, to be a child.
Casa Lupita is a health clinic for street animals in Granada to alleviate their suffering and to curb their population. The facility provides a much needed community health service by reducing dog bites, rabies, parasites and flea, tic infestation. Work horses that dominate Granada's streets also receive our attention for nutritional and parasite problems. We invite volunteer veterinary professionals to work with us in their animal care area of expertise.
Primary support area is Granada.
Contact Donna Tabor 505-8852-0210 donna@buildingnewhope.org
www.buildingnewhope.org
La Esperanza Granada
Our goal is to help give a better future to children through helping with their education. Our volunteers work to animate and motivate students in their early years, to improve reading/writing and math skills, to stimulate young imaginations, and elevate the self esteem of these children raised in extreme poverty. Through school improvement and construction projects, health initiatives such as dental care and health promotion, along with the hand’s on work of our volunteers we are helping to create an environment where kids are able to develop to their full potential.
We work in rural, semi rural and urban areas on the outskirts of Granada .
We are happy to accept volunteers year round for periods of four to eight weeks and longer (we charge no fees to volunteers, and have some low cost housing available). For most positions we require intermediate or better level of Spanish.
Website: www.la-esperanza-granada.org
Pauline Jackson, Operations Director,
Telephone: 505 8432-5420
Email: la_esperanza_granada@yahoo.com
We work in rural, semi rural and urban areas on the outskirts of Granada .
We are happy to accept volunteers year round for periods of four to eight weeks and longer (we charge no fees to volunteers, and have some low cost housing available). For most positions we require intermediate or better level of Spanish.
Website: www.la-esperanza-granada.org
Pauline Jackson, Operations Director,
Telephone: 505 8432-5420
Email: la_esperanza_granada@yahoo.com
La Isla Foundation
La Isla Foundation is dedicated to fighting an epidemic of kidney disease in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. We work with health officials and researchers to provide better medical treatment for the sick and to study the causes of the epidemic. We support and organize workers and their families through education programs, health initiatives, and economic development projects. And we are committed to breaking the silence that shrouds this epidemic. We expose the industrial agricultural system that has helped to create this crisis. We want the world to know what is happening to the people of Chichigalpa.
La Isla Foundation organized a school supply award program for students in the local elementary school in La Isla. The school is woefully under-supplied with school books and other materials. To address this problem, the Foundation organized an effort to supply the students with school books, paper, pens, and backpacks. The project was hugely popular with parents in La Isla. They desperately want their children to escape the poverty into which they are born -- and that condemns their sons to work on the sugar-cane plantation, where premature death from kidney failure more than likely awaits them. The school supply program has further cemented the communities’ alliance with La Isla Foundation. We are renewing the program in the new school year.
La Isla Foundation is seeking volunteers and interns to support on the ground operations and programs.
Website: www.laislafoundation.org
La Isla Foundation organized a school supply award program for students in the local elementary school in La Isla. The school is woefully under-supplied with school books and other materials. To address this problem, the Foundation organized an effort to supply the students with school books, paper, pens, and backpacks. The project was hugely popular with parents in La Isla. They desperately want their children to escape the poverty into which they are born -- and that condemns their sons to work on the sugar-cane plantation, where premature death from kidney failure more than likely awaits them. The school supply program has further cemented the communities’ alliance with La Isla Foundation. We are renewing the program in the new school year.
La Isla Foundation is seeking volunteers and interns to support on the ground operations and programs.
Website: www.laislafoundation.org
UCA Tierra y Agua
Unión de cooperativas Agropecuarias; UCA Tierra y Agua
This is a great program created by a cooperative of farmers and other people to show how farmers work, fisherman fish and other Nicaraguan ways of life. Located near Mombacho just outside of Granada you can experience the typical Nicaraguan life.
We accept volunteers without any special qualifications.
Website: www.ucatierrayagua.org
Contact: Meylin Yagela Nicaragua Flores
(+505)-8896-9361, Oficina (+505)-2552-0238 turismo@ucatierrayagua.org
This is a great program created by a cooperative of farmers and other people to show how farmers work, fisherman fish and other Nicaraguan ways of life. Located near Mombacho just outside of Granada you can experience the typical Nicaraguan life.
We accept volunteers without any special qualifications.
Website: www.ucatierrayagua.org
Contact: Meylin Yagela Nicaragua Flores
(+505)-8896-9361, Oficina (+505)-2552-0238 turismo@ucatierrayagua.org
Fabretto Children's Foundation
Our mission is to enable impoverished Nicaraguan children and their families in underserved communities to break the cycle of poverty and reach their full potential with programs that promote nutrition, health, education, community and character development. For over 50 years we have partnered with urban and rural communities to provide hope and a better future to the children we serve.
Fabretto operates from six centers owned by the organization and also runs programs at 33 public elementary schools where we share space with the public school system. The six centers are at La Chureca, Esteli, Quebrada, Honda and Cusmapa. Also after school curriculum at many primary schools in surrounding rural communities.
325 Commerce Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone 703-525-8716 • Fax 703-525-8720 info@fabretto.org www.fabretto.org
Fabretto operates from six centers owned by the organization and also runs programs at 33 public elementary schools where we share space with the public school system. The six centers are at La Chureca, Esteli, Quebrada, Honda and Cusmapa. Also after school curriculum at many primary schools in surrounding rural communities.
325 Commerce Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone 703-525-8716 • Fax 703-525-8720 info@fabretto.org www.fabretto.org
Lone Tree Institute
Biblioteca Comunitaria Richard B. Gladstone, Comunidad Palo Solo
Our goal is to prepare rural families to progress steadily in their material and cultural standard of living. The geographic scope of our work is rural Nicaragua . We have worked predominantly in several communities located in the southern Nicaraguan Department of Masaya.
The Lone Tree Institute subscribes to the belief that people learn best through investigation and guided discovery and all of our programs use participatory methodologies for learning. We focus on developing:
La Concepcion, Depto de Masaya
www.lonetreeinstitute.net
8465-9819 (8am-4pm, lunes-sabado)
smgladstone@hotmail.com (Sally Gladstone)
kareliog@hotmail.com (Karla Ortiz)
Our goal is to prepare rural families to progress steadily in their material and cultural standard of living. The geographic scope of our work is rural Nicaragua . We have worked predominantly in several communities located in the southern Nicaraguan Department of Masaya.
The Lone Tree Institute subscribes to the belief that people learn best through investigation and guided discovery and all of our programs use participatory methodologies for learning. We focus on developing:
- reading as a basic investigative life-long skill
- appreciation, understanding and respect for the natural environment and its inhabitants
- a sustainable farming and resource use perspective
- organized sports as a unifying and character building activity for children and adolescents
- consolidation of cultural identity and community ties among rural people
La Concepcion, Depto de Masaya
www.lonetreeinstitute.net
8465-9819 (8am-4pm, lunes-sabado)
smgladstone@hotmail.com (Sally Gladstone)
kareliog@hotmail.com (Karla Ortiz)
Empowerment International
Our mission is to break the cycle of poverty before it is transferred to yet another generation, by building more educated and productive communities.Our vision is to enable every child to go to school and achieve the level of education they desire.
Beliefs and Approach
There is a correlation between a community’s quality of life, ability to address basic human needs and achieve transformation. We believe education is the key link. We see our role as “bridge builders” between the kids, communities and donors. We encourage the communities to make our program their own and we empower them to raise their voices and tell their own stories.
We work with children and families in two impoverished communities in Nicaragua to instill the value of education. This is done through daily home visits carried out by EI staff. During home visits we encourage parents to send their kids to school, train them on how to enhance their children’s education and provide counseling and emotional support to help them find solutions to barriers, physical or otherwise, that prevent children from attending school.
Most of the families live on less that $2/day which necessitates the entire family to do extreme hard work just to survive. As a result of this, education is not a priority. Though most children enter the school system, many drop out due to financial constraints or at the first sign of difficulty in their studies. For the families, the long-term benefits of education are weighted lower than the short-term financial benefits of children working to add to the family income. EI’s approach is to reverse this trend by working with the children, their families and the community as a whole to making a positive shift in attitude towards the long term benefits of education.
The team at Empowerment International is a diverse cross-section of professionals and volunteers who work virtually from the far corners of the earth. If you would like to get involved, either by working virtually from your hometown or joining us in Nicaragua, we would love for you to be involved. If you have a skill and desire to work with us, we most likely have some way you can help!
In USA:
Phone No: (303) 823-6495
Address: PO Box 1215 Lyons CO, USA 80540
In Nicaragua:
Phone No: (505)-2552-1653 Mobile No: 678-3341
Address: PO Box 225 Granada, Nicaragua
Email address: info@empowermentintl.org www.empowermentinternational.org
Beliefs and Approach
There is a correlation between a community’s quality of life, ability to address basic human needs and achieve transformation. We believe education is the key link. We see our role as “bridge builders” between the kids, communities and donors. We encourage the communities to make our program their own and we empower them to raise their voices and tell their own stories.
We work with children and families in two impoverished communities in Nicaragua to instill the value of education. This is done through daily home visits carried out by EI staff. During home visits we encourage parents to send their kids to school, train them on how to enhance their children’s education and provide counseling and emotional support to help them find solutions to barriers, physical or otherwise, that prevent children from attending school.
Most of the families live on less that $2/day which necessitates the entire family to do extreme hard work just to survive. As a result of this, education is not a priority. Though most children enter the school system, many drop out due to financial constraints or at the first sign of difficulty in their studies. For the families, the long-term benefits of education are weighted lower than the short-term financial benefits of children working to add to the family income. EI’s approach is to reverse this trend by working with the children, their families and the community as a whole to making a positive shift in attitude towards the long term benefits of education.
The team at Empowerment International is a diverse cross-section of professionals and volunteers who work virtually from the far corners of the earth. If you would like to get involved, either by working virtually from your hometown or joining us in Nicaragua, we would love for you to be involved. If you have a skill and desire to work with us, we most likely have some way you can help!
In USA:
Phone No: (303) 823-6495
Address: PO Box 1215 Lyons CO, USA 80540
In Nicaragua:
Phone No: (505)-2552-1653 Mobile No: 678-3341
Address: PO Box 225 Granada, Nicaragua
Email address: info@empowermentintl.org www.empowermentinternational.org
Proyecto Mosaico
Project Mosaic is a German nonprofit association that provides a bridge by helping people from around the world to find volunteer work placements in one of our Partner Organizations in Central America.
Our goals
Volunteer Work - We create mutually beneficial links between international volunteers and organizations in Central America.
Help Partner Organizations - We collect much needed material and financial resources and allocate them to our Partner Organizations and individuals in need.
Our philosophy
We believe that volunteerism, the ideal of giving without asking for something in return, is inherently positive and beneficial. Volunteer work is one of the most effective means of fostering intercultural communication and understanding between people of divergent backgrounds. Through first hand participation we believe that together we can build a future that is more tolerant, and compassionate.
Project Mosaic is a non-profit, non-governmental, non-discriminatory organization without any religious or political affiliation. Accordingly, we do not demonstrate any manner of preference or discrimination based on race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or age.
Volunteer Work is a perfect way to learn about a culture while making a worthwhile social contribution. The nonprofit organization Project Mosaic links volunteers to partner organizations in Central America (Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador) so that the local population and the volunteer benefit from the experience. Whether you are interested in education, childcare, community development, the environment, or any other area of development, we can find a volunteer work placement for you in one of our partner organizations.
We are ideally structured to find the optimal volunteer work placements for our clients. Through our own research we have created a detailed database that currently includes hundreds of volunteer work opportunities in many different organizations in Central America. We provide assistance throughout the entire volunteering process, beginning with consultation before arrival in Guatemala/Nicaragua to support during and after volunteer work placement.
Anyone between the ages of 18 and 99 can work as a volunteer through Project Mosaic and most volunteer work placements do not demand prior work experience. The most important factor for volunteer work is a strong desire to make a contribution. With the right attitude the volunteer will also gain valuable experience and knowledge.
Contact for volunteering in Nicaragua
Email: nicaragua@promosaico.org Contact person: Sabrina Heinrich
www.promosaico.org
Our goals
Volunteer Work - We create mutually beneficial links between international volunteers and organizations in Central America.
Help Partner Organizations - We collect much needed material and financial resources and allocate them to our Partner Organizations and individuals in need.
Our philosophy
We believe that volunteerism, the ideal of giving without asking for something in return, is inherently positive and beneficial. Volunteer work is one of the most effective means of fostering intercultural communication and understanding between people of divergent backgrounds. Through first hand participation we believe that together we can build a future that is more tolerant, and compassionate.
Project Mosaic is a non-profit, non-governmental, non-discriminatory organization without any religious or political affiliation. Accordingly, we do not demonstrate any manner of preference or discrimination based on race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or age.
Volunteer Work is a perfect way to learn about a culture while making a worthwhile social contribution. The nonprofit organization Project Mosaic links volunteers to partner organizations in Central America (Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador) so that the local population and the volunteer benefit from the experience. Whether you are interested in education, childcare, community development, the environment, or any other area of development, we can find a volunteer work placement for you in one of our partner organizations.
We are ideally structured to find the optimal volunteer work placements for our clients. Through our own research we have created a detailed database that currently includes hundreds of volunteer work opportunities in many different organizations in Central America. We provide assistance throughout the entire volunteering process, beginning with consultation before arrival in Guatemala/Nicaragua to support during and after volunteer work placement.
Anyone between the ages of 18 and 99 can work as a volunteer through Project Mosaic and most volunteer work placements do not demand prior work experience. The most important factor for volunteer work is a strong desire to make a contribution. With the right attitude the volunteer will also gain valuable experience and knowledge.
Contact for volunteering in Nicaragua
Email: nicaragua@promosaico.org Contact person: Sabrina Heinrich
www.promosaico.org
Hotel con Corazon
Hotel con Corazón is a special hotel in Granada in Nicaragua. Housed in a colonial building in the heart of the city, the hotel offers all the comfort and coziness that you want. The ideal place to comfortably come home in a foreign country.
But Hotel con Corazón is not just a hotel, it has a heart. Because it contributes to the sustainable development of Nicaragua, by investing in education and employment. With the hotel as a vibrant center. 100% of the hotel profits go to projects that encourage children to go to school and actually conclude this school successfully. And the hotel generates employment, directly and indirectly, in a country that is busy developing itself.
Since autumn 2009, we work at 2 schools in Las Lagunas, a suburb of Granada. There we hold reading and writing tutoring, sports activities and games. In the future, the education manager will further develop these activities, and initiate where possible new initiatives. The objective is to grow the program with quality, which is why we are seeking someone with experience and affinity with children and education and seeks measurable results.
The Corazón-education project consists of a tutoring program that is given by 10 Nicaraguan teachers. They give 1 hour a day reading- and writing lessons, 1 hour creative courses, and twice a week soccer is played. In addition, they visit the parents of the enrolled children and develop education and teaching methodologies. Together with other NGOs, support activities such as a Library bus and a theater project are given shape. All activities are aimed at increasing the autonomy of the children and help them conclude their school successfully.
We gladly accept volunteers.
Hotel Con Corazón
Calle Santa Lucia 141
Granada, Nicaragua
+505 2552-8852 www.hotelconcorazon.com correo@hotelconcorazon.com
But Hotel con Corazón is not just a hotel, it has a heart. Because it contributes to the sustainable development of Nicaragua, by investing in education and employment. With the hotel as a vibrant center. 100% of the hotel profits go to projects that encourage children to go to school and actually conclude this school successfully. And the hotel generates employment, directly and indirectly, in a country that is busy developing itself.
Since autumn 2009, we work at 2 schools in Las Lagunas, a suburb of Granada. There we hold reading and writing tutoring, sports activities and games. In the future, the education manager will further develop these activities, and initiate where possible new initiatives. The objective is to grow the program with quality, which is why we are seeking someone with experience and affinity with children and education and seeks measurable results.
The Corazón-education project consists of a tutoring program that is given by 10 Nicaraguan teachers. They give 1 hour a day reading- and writing lessons, 1 hour creative courses, and twice a week soccer is played. In addition, they visit the parents of the enrolled children and develop education and teaching methodologies. Together with other NGOs, support activities such as a Library bus and a theater project are given shape. All activities are aimed at increasing the autonomy of the children and help them conclude their school successfully.
We gladly accept volunteers.
Hotel Con Corazón
Calle Santa Lucia 141
Granada, Nicaragua
+505 2552-8852 www.hotelconcorazon.com correo@hotelconcorazon.com
Compañeros Inc
Compañeros Inc is a Canadian company that organizes and facilitates volun-tourism and service learning experiences in Nicaragua. “Volun-tourism” and “service learning” are terms that express the hybrid interests of North Americans who voluntarily offer their money, time, knowledge, skills, and solidarity to advance grassroots community development projects with local leaders in high-needs areas of Nicaragua.
Since 2001 Gonzalo Duarte, the founder and president of Compañeros Inc, has involved over 1000 people from high schools, universities, churches, businesses, civic offices, non-governmental organizations, and barrios in mutually beneficial and multi-faceted programs. His local staff of program coordinators, guides, and translators facilitate enjoyable, meaningful, and fruitful encounters between North Americans and Nicaraguans.
By living and working closely alongside Nicaraguans from a variety of backgrounds, participants receive cross-cultural insight into the political, economic, and social reality of Nicaragua and return to North America with an authentic sense of solidarity with the joys and challenges of the people, landscape, and environment.
Compañeros Inc has worked collaboratively with Casa Canadiense, Hábitat for Humanity, Vida Joven, Christian Base Communities, Generando Vida, Prescolar Esmeralda Palacios, Prescolar Arcoiris, AndrésCastro Secondary School, Associacion Quincho Barrilete, Cooperativa Gloria Quintanilla, Esperanza en Accion, ASODENIC, and SchoolBOX in Niquinohomo, Matagalpa, Jinotega, Haulover, Santa Julia, Leon, and Managua.
Motivated by a desire to combine and demonstrate best practices of international education, community participation, and socially responsible entrepreneurship, Compañeros Inc is proud of its innovative cooperation with local and international partners.
Gonzalo Duarte
President, Compañeros Inc
www.companeros.ca
(505) 8913-3761
Since 2001 Gonzalo Duarte, the founder and president of Compañeros Inc, has involved over 1000 people from high schools, universities, churches, businesses, civic offices, non-governmental organizations, and barrios in mutually beneficial and multi-faceted programs. His local staff of program coordinators, guides, and translators facilitate enjoyable, meaningful, and fruitful encounters between North Americans and Nicaraguans.
By living and working closely alongside Nicaraguans from a variety of backgrounds, participants receive cross-cultural insight into the political, economic, and social reality of Nicaragua and return to North America with an authentic sense of solidarity with the joys and challenges of the people, landscape, and environment.
Compañeros Inc has worked collaboratively with Casa Canadiense, Hábitat for Humanity, Vida Joven, Christian Base Communities, Generando Vida, Prescolar Esmeralda Palacios, Prescolar Arcoiris, AndrésCastro Secondary School, Associacion Quincho Barrilete, Cooperativa Gloria Quintanilla, Esperanza en Accion, ASODENIC, and SchoolBOX in Niquinohomo, Matagalpa, Jinotega, Haulover, Santa Julia, Leon, and Managua.
Motivated by a desire to combine and demonstrate best practices of international education, community participation, and socially responsible entrepreneurship, Compañeros Inc is proud of its innovative cooperation with local and international partners.
Gonzalo Duarte
President, Compañeros Inc
www.companeros.ca
(505) 8913-3761
Education Plus
Education Plus Nicaragua is a grassroots organization that provides food, education, and love to the children of Pantanal, Nicaragua, who are among the poorest in the world. Today we serve over 200 children mentally, materially, and spiritually. We instill core values, teach life skills, and produce concrete results: higher school enrollment, improved grades, and elimination of malnutrition. In addition, we instill core values and teach the children life skills. Most importantly, we give the children the attention and love that they need to develop.
Education Plus Nicaragua believes that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty in Pantanal. As any tourist to the richer parts of Granada will see, the phenomenon of children as young as 5 working late at night in the streets as beggars, cigarette sellers, prostitutes, and even thieves is endemic to the area. The key to keeping these children off of the street is to provide them with other options – the most important one being school. Our classes are meant to supplement Nicaraguan public education, which operates on a half-day system. Classes are taught by a mixture of local staff and our extremely dedicated volunteers. Our students are hungry to learn – often begging for more homework.
We support our children materially with backpacks, school supplies, uniforms, and shoes whenever possible in order to facilitate their public school attendance. School supplies are earned by the student through good attendance and by completing homework assignments. In addition to academics, there is a concurrent emphasis on teaching practical life skills such as manners, interpersonal skills, environmental stewardship and a sense of discipline and responsibility. Students are taught to respect their teachers and peers, and punctuality and good behavior are requirements for the privilege of taking part in the program. Our students are amazingly well behaved and eager to learn! We also host activities such as baseball and soccer games, weekly trips to the local children’s library, art projects, Sunday Fundays (including anything from dancing to games of musical chairs and water balloons), fiestas on holidays, and field trips. We make sure that the kids have a fun time on a consistent basis, which is important for their general development and health, and is also a key element in our battle to keep the kids off of the streets.
Perhaps the project is summed up best in the words of a former volunteer, who stated that:
“In my eyes, one of the biggest things they do for the community is bring hope. On my first visit to the community [May 2012] , when Education Plus was just getting started, hopeful would not have been the word in my mind to describe El Pantanal. However, upon my return, just two months later, that is exactly what the organization had brought to El Pantanal.” – Leila Houshmand
Email address: info@eduplusnicaragua.org
Phone: (+505) 8599 7392
http://eduplusnicaragua.org/
Education Plus Nicaragua believes that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty in Pantanal. As any tourist to the richer parts of Granada will see, the phenomenon of children as young as 5 working late at night in the streets as beggars, cigarette sellers, prostitutes, and even thieves is endemic to the area. The key to keeping these children off of the street is to provide them with other options – the most important one being school. Our classes are meant to supplement Nicaraguan public education, which operates on a half-day system. Classes are taught by a mixture of local staff and our extremely dedicated volunteers. Our students are hungry to learn – often begging for more homework.
We support our children materially with backpacks, school supplies, uniforms, and shoes whenever possible in order to facilitate their public school attendance. School supplies are earned by the student through good attendance and by completing homework assignments. In addition to academics, there is a concurrent emphasis on teaching practical life skills such as manners, interpersonal skills, environmental stewardship and a sense of discipline and responsibility. Students are taught to respect their teachers and peers, and punctuality and good behavior are requirements for the privilege of taking part in the program. Our students are amazingly well behaved and eager to learn! We also host activities such as baseball and soccer games, weekly trips to the local children’s library, art projects, Sunday Fundays (including anything from dancing to games of musical chairs and water balloons), fiestas on holidays, and field trips. We make sure that the kids have a fun time on a consistent basis, which is important for their general development and health, and is also a key element in our battle to keep the kids off of the streets.
Perhaps the project is summed up best in the words of a former volunteer, who stated that:
“In my eyes, one of the biggest things they do for the community is bring hope. On my first visit to the community [May 2012] , when Education Plus was just getting started, hopeful would not have been the word in my mind to describe El Pantanal. However, upon my return, just two months later, that is exactly what the organization had brought to El Pantanal.” – Leila Houshmand
Email address: info@eduplusnicaragua.org
Phone: (+505) 8599 7392
http://eduplusnicaragua.org/
Ometepe Bilingual School
I work with the Ometepe Bilingual School on Ometepe Island and I wanted to write to let everyone know we need English language volunteers. Our school uses the English skills of international volunteers to provide the English language portion of the curriculum. Thank you.
Bex! Volunteer Co-ordinator (2014) Ometepe Bilingual School
Volunteer Opportunity Description
Want to work with kids in the shadow of a volcano on the largest island-in-a-lake in the world? Want to create opportunities for rural Nicaraguans in an increasingly global world? Come to Ometepe Bilingual School! Here the contributions of volunteers are vital in delivering a bilingual curriculum to our students.
Volunteers work approximately 30 hours per week. Responsibilities will include assisting the classroom teacher in implementing activities and supporting student learning; leading the class in English language activities; and planning activities (for execution in Spanish or English) at the direction of the classroom teacher.
Depending on the needs of the school, other opportunities may exist. These include coming as a guest to adult English classes being taught by long-term volunteers; working on school-related administrative projects; assisting with non-school related projects (related to recycling efforts, conservation education, fundraising, etc.).
Mission Statement
At Ometepe Bilingual School we believe that education is of utmost importance for a more prosperous and brighter future. Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders and our goal is to provide them with the education and language skills needed to expand their future opportunities.
At our school, bilingual education is provided by pairing Spanish-language instruction by local teachers with English-language instruction using the skills of international volunteers. We believe a foundation for long-term, sustainable eco-tourism development on Ometepe and in Nicaragua can be created by educating and empowering the local population.
Contact Information
For more information, visit our Omprakash profile:
https://www.omprakash.org/volunteer-abroad-latin-america/volunteer-in-nicaragua/Hacienda-Merida
Or visit the Hacienda Mérida website: http://www.hmerida.com Or contact us at: info@hmerida.com
Nicaragua Children's Foundation
The Nicaragua Children's Foundation began in 2006 following a family vacation to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Our family of five decided after our first visit that we would like to help develop the schools in the area. Currently, we provide support to two elementary schools. In 2008, we also established and continue to support Los Pipitos, a school for children with special needs.
Mission StatementThe purpose of the Nicaragua Children’s Foundation is to advance education in Nicaragua by establishing and operating schools and by providing materials, books, equipment, educational aids, resources and physical improvements to existing schools. Our organization operates both in the town of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua and in its surrounding areas.
www.nicaraguachildrensfoundation.com
Bex! Volunteer Co-ordinator (2014) Ometepe Bilingual School
Volunteer Opportunity Description
Want to work with kids in the shadow of a volcano on the largest island-in-a-lake in the world? Want to create opportunities for rural Nicaraguans in an increasingly global world? Come to Ometepe Bilingual School! Here the contributions of volunteers are vital in delivering a bilingual curriculum to our students.
Volunteers work approximately 30 hours per week. Responsibilities will include assisting the classroom teacher in implementing activities and supporting student learning; leading the class in English language activities; and planning activities (for execution in Spanish or English) at the direction of the classroom teacher.
Depending on the needs of the school, other opportunities may exist. These include coming as a guest to adult English classes being taught by long-term volunteers; working on school-related administrative projects; assisting with non-school related projects (related to recycling efforts, conservation education, fundraising, etc.).
Mission Statement
At Ometepe Bilingual School we believe that education is of utmost importance for a more prosperous and brighter future. Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders and our goal is to provide them with the education and language skills needed to expand their future opportunities.
At our school, bilingual education is provided by pairing Spanish-language instruction by local teachers with English-language instruction using the skills of international volunteers. We believe a foundation for long-term, sustainable eco-tourism development on Ometepe and in Nicaragua can be created by educating and empowering the local population.
Contact Information
For more information, visit our Omprakash profile:
https://www.omprakash.org/volunteer-abroad-latin-america/volunteer-in-nicaragua/Hacienda-Merida
Or visit the Hacienda Mérida website: http://www.hmerida.com Or contact us at: info@hmerida.com
Nicaragua Children's Foundation
The Nicaragua Children's Foundation began in 2006 following a family vacation to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Our family of five decided after our first visit that we would like to help develop the schools in the area. Currently, we provide support to two elementary schools. In 2008, we also established and continue to support Los Pipitos, a school for children with special needs.
Mission StatementThe purpose of the Nicaragua Children’s Foundation is to advance education in Nicaragua by establishing and operating schools and by providing materials, books, equipment, educational aids, resources and physical improvements to existing schools. Our organization operates both in the town of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua and in its surrounding areas.
www.nicaraguachildrensfoundation.com
Project Schoolhouse
Founded in 2004 by Thomas Barker, Project Schoolhouse is built upon the idea of only responding to voiced need.
Our Mission: Project Schoolhouse partners with communities in developing countries to improve access to education, clean water, and sanitation.
In partnership with individuals and small foundations, we are able to make measurable and sustainable progress each year. We completed our 8th school and 5th water system in the town of Bocana de Tawa. This community of rural farmers with 34 families and 55 school age children are thrilled with their new school and the fresh, clean water. These children were previously traveling miles on foot many times per day to gather water for their families. Having clean water in the community changes their lives.
•We have provided water to over 100 families, 800-1000 people, in five different communities
•We have built eight schools with over 450 students attending daily. Over 1000 children have studied in our schools
•We have helped 50 families build latrines
•We have helped 12 students attend high school and currently have 8 students on scholarship
For more information or to find out how you can help please visit:
www.projectschoolhouse.org
info@projectschoolhouse.org
Comunidad Connect
The mission of Comunidad Connect is to connect social, economic, and environmental development opportunities in Nicaragua with local and global resources. Our programs across Nicaragua inspire communities to become actively involved in sustainable development. Their engagement is vital to our collective success. We focus our efforts in four main areas.
Health Connections - We believe that healthy communities are more engaged communities. Many of the chronic health issues that affect rural Nicaraguans are preventable with timely investments in education and appropriate technology. The goal of the Health Connection program is to improve health by encouraging a range of preventative and educational health initiatives. Our team supports local health volunteers who in turn, provide ongoing health and hygiene outreach and training in the community. International volunteers complement ongoing healthcare efforts by providing funding and labor to build smoke-venting wood-burning stoves and ovens, construct cement floors, whitewash with natural insecticide, and provide a number of additional appropriate technology efforts.
Nica Agua - a dynamic project complementing the Health Connection program. It provides families without access to clean drinking water with low-tech, user-friendly water filters, called Filtrons, to combat the most prevalent illnesses in rural Nicaragua: diarrhea, parasites, and kidney infection. In order to receive a Filtron, participating families must invest 16 hours of community service in projects like road repair, bridge construction, school maintenance, and health seminars. Each Filtron has a life of approximately 3-4 years. The economic benefit of reduced illness is a major incentive for families to replace expiring filters at the end of the project period. Nica Agua has attained adoption rates exceeding 80% in all of the communities we have worked in.
Cultural Connections - Meaningful cultural exchange inspires positive change for hosts and visitors alike. We connect groups of students and volunteers from abroad with Nicaraguan communities that have proven their commitment to far-reaching development goals. Group trips generally last one week or 10 days, and often include technical and non-technical volunteer work, service learning, cultural immersion, and exploration. On average, for every 1 visiting volunteer, 3 volunteers from the community are engaged in action. Every new group builds on the efforts of previous visit, and the ongoing work of Comunidad Connect in these community insures a lasting impact.
Youth Connections - Children around the world require healthy outlets in order to express their energy and embrace their potential. Our Youth Connection program provides a safe and structured environment for Nicaraguan youth to share in sports, such as soccer, basketball, and baseball, as well as engage in cultural events and afterschool programs. It is a community resource that has a positive impact on youth development, public safety, the local economy, and community camaraderie and pride. This program covers a portion of its costs through participant fees.
Visit our website, send us an email, or give us a call to learn more!
www.comunidadconnect.org
info@comunidadconnect.org
011-(505) 2568-2731
Asla Foundation
The Asla Foundation was created in order to help children who would otherwise not attend school past the 6th grade, continue onto high school and college. We find donors in the United States to sponsor a student from start to finish of high school. The total cost varies from $175-$350 a year to send a youth to school. The money covers matriculation, uniforms, transportation, books, and food. The donors have an option to exchange letters throughout the experience with their student, creating a vivid cultural link as well as a once-impossible opportunity to deserving children who want to be able to find a job once they’ve graduated, read and write well, and make enough money to help their families.
The Santa Teresa scholarship program has grown immensely from our first year, when we received 20 applications from local children. We receive around 75 new applications each year, and continue to sponsor each child for all five years of their high school studies and on to college. As a condition of the scholarship, the awardees are obligated to do 10 hours of community service each semester, in order to improve the lives of others through everything from reforestation to tutoring. I’m so proud of the positive effects I’ve seen firsthand that our project has had in Nicaragua.
My organization provides scholarships for children in the Condega area (north of Esteli) to attend high school or college.
Asla Foundation is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Jessica Neff
jneff@aslafoundation.org
https://www.aslafoundation.org/