Helping Rural Communities in Nicaragua to Flourish

Elicenia’s Story 

Elicenia, 40, lives in San Diego community in the Teustepe region of Nicaragua with her 3 children. 

San Diego is one of the seven communities who are a part of CEPAD’s current 5-year programme, supported by Amos Trust. 

In 2020, Elicenia attended an event where she first heard about the work of CEPAD. Later that month, CEPAD staff visited her community, and she didn’t hesitate to get involved in their activities. “I had always liked the idea of being part of a group that supports the community, but because of our poverty I couldn’t get involved in anything before”, explains Elicenia. However when CEPAD’s team explained their programmes, Elicenia applied to be a part of it without hesitation. She was trained in small business skills and received a small seed fund. 

Elicenia formed a small grocery business using the skills she learnt from CEPAD’s small business training for women, selling tomatoes, squashes, sweet and hot peppers, and watermelon. 

However in 2022, Hurricane Julia devastated Elicenia’s family. “Hurricane Julia was a phenomenon that wanted to end my joys, my dreams as it passed through Nicaragua. My community was heavily affected, it destroyed my small business, my humble house. But thank God, and the support of the local CEPAD team and their demonstration of love for us, I have risen.”

Through the friendships Elicenia had made through CEPAD’s training, she asked for help from other participants and community members who supported her through her loss. Despite losing crops she began to plant again with the support of neighbours who helped her out with the use of their land, access to irrigation, as well as seeds given to her by CEPAD. “Hurricane Julia did destroy things for me, but it allowed me to put into practice my knowledge acquired from CEPAD,” says Elicenia. 

“I have learnt to grow and eat vegetables that I had never known or seen before. I have learned how to prepare watermelon jellies, and tomato salads, to better feed our children. I have learnt how to create organic fertilizers, build barriers to prevent water loss, and much more.” 

Elicenia’s family business sells her produce to her local San Diego community, and all of her produce is sold each day because she sells at an affordable price lower than those in the markets of Teustepe. Elicenia’s plot is now also providing 45 school children with fruits and vegetables, improving their nutrition. She has noticed a change in the culture of her community in a short time since CEPAD’s training, and has seen more members of the community innovating with alternative crops as they deal with a changing climate. Her plot enables her to feed herself and her children, pay for essential medicines for her family and save money for the future to develop her business.

“The greatest impact on my family has been an awakening; an understanding of managing community projects; being part of small businesses in my community; relating to people from other communities; opening doors of friendship with people from my community and the surrounding communities. CEPAD is a blessing because it supports families in different ways without expecting anything in return.”

Thank you for your continued support of women like Elicenia in Nicaragua.