Our work in Nicaragua

 

The largest and poorest country in Central America, Nicaragua is a land of lakes and volcanoes, poets, artists and good baseball.

Wars and natural disasters have caused suffering and poverty and destroyed much of the infrastructure, but the strength and faith of Nicaragua's heroic people keep alive the hope of a better tomorrow.

Through the Managua project, CFCA's Hope for a Family program helps families create a path out of poverty. The program provides the most marginalized families with a support network. It teaches them to use their talents and resources, from coffee growing to craftsmanship, to meet basic needs and build strong communities.

Sponsored children and elderly receive nutritional assistance, dental care, health care and education among other benefits. Mothers of sponsored children help organize birthday celebrations, and family members participate in livelihood initiatives for economic and personal growth.

Hope for a Family supports mothers and their dreams

CFCA is developing mothers groups in communities in Nicaragua to help families build a better future. In these support groups, mothers of sponsored children organize CFCA activities, participate during meetings and build their capacity for greater personal and economic growth.

After a year of developing an atmosphere of solidarity, a growing sense of community and compassion encourages the families to help one another. CFCA hopes that the mothers' active participation in these groups will lead to a greater development of their talents and abilities.

Livelihood programs in Nicaragua help families of sponsored
children with economic and personal growth. Watch a video
of craftsmanship in Nicaragua.

Artisanship provides income

About 400 sponsored members and their families live in an area considered the cradle of Nicaraguan folklore and crafts.

Many families earn their living as artisans in carpentry, shoemaking, weaving, sewing, embroidery and making hammocks. The Hope for a Family program has provided seed money for startup projects to help the families get their small businesses off the ground.

Because of intense competition, large producers make it difficult for small, independent artisans to compete. To counter this trend, the program is working with families to start mothers groups. One of the objectives of the mothers groups in Masaya is to foster cooperation and help members pool their resources to expand, diversify and compete with larger producers.

Growing the seed of self-sufficiency

CFCA encourages sponsored members and their families to create a path to economic self-sufficiency. In central Nicaragua, the Hope for a Family program has supported many families in growing corn and beans.

Local CFCA staff members and parents of sponsored children created a farming group to teach parents new skills. The group plans to continue the harvest next year, and over time the families will be able to rely less on CFCA and more on their own abilities to generate income.

A father in the farming group, Adrian, dreams of a brighter future for his family. The Hope for a Family program has united families to help one another through difficult times.

"We now have more communication and unity … we are able to talk and share ideas," Adrian said. "CFCA is a good experience, and these new work alternatives are enriching our lives."

Read more about Nicaragua’s livelihood initiatives.