Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas has many active programs that support our organizations mission of improving the quality of life in Nicaragua. Perhaps what we are best known for is our network of 45 Learning Centers throughout the country.
For many people in Nicaragua, going to university or trade schools is an unobtainable goal due to financial burdens, geographical considerations, or their family situation. Left without access to education after grade school, many Nicaraguans have a hard time finding jobs that pay a livable wage for the limited skills they possess. W/NP’s 45 Learning Centers are all established in underserved communities and provide locals with an opportunity to continue learning. Our Learning Centers serve as a space for community members to gather and learn new skills that they can market when applying for a job. Whether it be a course in sewing, woodworking, crafting, wine making, or beekeeping, the goal is for students to take the skills they learn and use them to generate an income.
Another essential component of the Learning Centers is that they serve as a vital form of social infrastructure within their communities. Forms of social infrastructure are the physical elements of a community that provide spaces to bring people together and build social capital. Most Centers welcome students to come and spend time outside of the regularly scheduled classes and provide a space for community members to gather, spend time, talk about their lives, and share ideas.
Learning Centers are formed in a variety of ways, by a variety of people, with a variety of resources available to them. Many Centers operate out of a community members home who has dedicated a spare bedroom or outdoor patio to becoming a classroom. Others operate out of schools, local businesses, or churches. Only about 10% of W/NP’s Learning Centers are located on land dedicated specifically to being a Learning Center. Because of this, each Learning Center is different in the way they interact with their community, but they all have one thing in common: they are there to help.
Many of W/NP’s Learning Centers are in a position to grow and engage with more community members but lack the physical space to do so. In order to teach more classes, they need to have more classroom space. Some Learning Centers simply need help to afford the cost of repairs to their current classrooms to improve safety while others are in need of a completely new learning space. Being aware of this need, W/NP is dedicating efforts to fundraising for classroom construction projects. Recent Learning Center recipients of W/NP small grants had great success in repairing existing classrooms or constructing new ones with limited funds.
With a small grant of $265, the El Garabato Learning Center built a new classroom for their very active sewing and craft classes. Their community raised an additional $285 for the material costs and several people volunteered to help with the construction! Students now have a dedicated learning space where they can practice their sewing skills and make items to sell at their local market.
With a small grant of $147 the Gracias a Dios Learning Center was able to enclose more of their classroom so the sewing machines and materials would remain dry when raining. The other opening is being protected by a tent which serves as an additional classroom space for their very active baking and cooking classes!
In the coming years, W/NP plans to raise more funds to support Learning Centers in improving their classrooms. It is our hope that by enabling their growth, they will be able to engage with more communtiy members, offer new classes, and make an even bigger impact at improving the quality of life in their areas.
Margarita is a humble, persevering, strong, hard-working, fighter woman with a great spirit of overcoming. She has two daughters and one son who love and support her dreams and ideas. Currently, Margarita is an active student at the Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners Gracias a Dios Learning Center.
Long ago when Margarita was 18 years old, she attended her first sewing course but did not finish as she lost interest out of frustration. It was a hard experience; she was making jogging pants and did not know how to put the pattern pieces together. She asked her boss for help to teach her how to sew, to which the boss replied that no one taught her and that she learned by observing others. Margarita replied that we are all different, not all of us have the ability to learn by observation so quickly. She commented that she cried frustrated for not being able to assemble a simple jogging pant. It took her 30 days to assemble the piece, she remembered how difficult it was to unstitch and sew it back. She smiled when she said, but I put it together! She was proud of herself that she did not allow herself to be defeated until she achieved it.
Over time, that early interest in sewing began to awaken, she continued working on assembling jogging pants and even shirts, but she never risked creating a piece from scratch, out of fear and lack of knowledge.
Margarita decided to go to the sewing course at the Gracias a Dios Learning Center, thanks to her daughter who suggested and encouraged her to go since she knew the coordinator’s granddaughter who informed her about the course. Doña Margarita managed to participate in the courses and stood out for her perseverance, her responsibility and her hard work.
Margarita commented that her children are proud of her and motivate her to make clothing. Today, her models are her daughters, and she wants to build a sewing room at home in the future. She feels motivated and dreams of having a place in the future and being an entrepreneurial woman.
Margarita emphasized that thanks to connection between Terre de Hommes and Wisconsin/ Nicaragua Partners she graduated the sewing course. The learning experience has been a great blessing, she is happy with the opportunity that was given by both organizations donating materials to start her dream of entrepreneurship. She is very satisfied with the teaching and is still visiting the Learning Center to continue refining the sewing techniques. Now she is very proud of herself since she can create her own clothes and has received praise for her work.
Comments from the Learning Center coordinators, “We are proud of Margarita, because we have managed to see her grow up together with her family. Some of her children commented that they never thought that their mother could do so much, seeing the satisfaction and her gratitude towards the center makes us happy. Margarita still cannot believe how far she has come from her learning and everything she has achieved with the help of the center and the support of many people and her family. She is an excellent role model!”
Thank you for your support that changes lives!
One of beautiful characteristics about the Learning Centers in Nicaragua is the self-governing philosophy. Each center has the responsibility to carry out their classes in the best way possible that works for their community. In this report we share some of the responses to changing locations and embracing change with the pandemic as necessary.
Thank you for your interest and support as we continue to provide educational opportunities for people in Nicaragua.
Happy 2021
"I am Mileydi, I am 39 years old and a single mother. In Nov 2019 I participated in the haircut course at Gracias a Dios L.C. I learned a lot of new hair cutting techniques for men and women. With the new knowledge acquired, they motivated me to be an entrepreneur. For now, I offer my services at home and I have been buying things with lot of sacrifice. Thanks to the support provided through the donation of beauty materials and furniture, I am getting more professional in this field. I have the vision of having my own salon to improve the living conditions of my family. I want to thank you very much for your donation, items will be very useful to me."
Mileydi is just one student of many in Nicaragua who is experiencing an improved quality of life due to her participation in the Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners Learning Center classes. Volunteers have sought out and collected in-kind donations or have made financial donations to purchase items in response to a list of priority items needed by the teachers and students.
Click here to read a follow up report from Nicaragua how the the items have changed their lives and are being used.
Click here to see a list of items that are needed, please feel free to designate your donation towards a specific item.
On behalf of all the students of the Learning Center classes in Nicaragua, thank you for your support and interest to help.
The following information was reported to Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners from the Learning Centers in Nicaragua on their current status in April 2020 during COVID-19. The women who are coordinating these projects are a true example of persevering in a positive manner amidst very difficult circumstances. We are all adjusting to some unexpected changes in our life, and the Learning Centers are no exception.
The Zulema Duarte Learning Center in Acoyapa, Chontales is teaching a craft course with a group of 4 students, twice a week for two hours. During the week, a group of 20 students attended, 17 women and 3 men. We’ll be waiting for recommendations from the local MINSA, since many Nicaraguans from Costa Rica are entering, and they asked us to cancel classes for a week until after April 20. A stark contrast from April 2019: During this second semester the Training Center “Zulema Duarte” Acoyapa, trained 344 women and men in ages from 6 to 80 years old in the urban and rural areas, offering the following courses: cloth art, decoration of cakes, wrapping or Gift wrapping, wool work, beauty and training in schools and neighborhoods with teenagers.
Gracias a Dios Learning Center in Cedro Galan has closed the center temporarily due to the virus situation until further notice. It was working with basic sewing courses with the participation of 12 women on schedule; Wednesdays from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm and the baking class; Saturday 8:00 am 12:00 with the participation of 10 students. Chepita is restarting her garden project with medicinal plants, working on nurseries and preparing to plant some vegetables. Hope to God to be able to resume classes once the situation improves.
SMILE Learning Center (Managua) works with children and retired adults. Classes are not in session since March 16 and Yuri reports, "...my sister and I are making facemasks to donate to universities, neighbors and random people who needs them. We give short talks on virus prevention to people (children, poor families and older adults) who are given the masks with soap bars donated from Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners. Due to Covid-19 the center will remain closed to avoid possible spread of the virus. I’ve been working on some nurseries with cactus as well but ants ate them. I will try again using a repellent this time."
Dulce Porvenir Learning Center, Tipitapa, due to a transition process and coronavirus is functioning from home one day a week. The Rainbow team continues to work on bio intensive program harvesting some vegetables, checking out the bee hives and also they’re making aprons and other activities.
Nueva Santa Celia Learning Center in Matagalpa, students are meeting on Fridays making clothes and aprons.
Sagrado Corazón de Jesús,Tipitapa Learning Center. The center is making blouses and working an order of 100 masks. We gave temporary work to 4 people. Classes are suspended since April 3. We will try to resume classes on the 20th of this month.
At APAN Learning Center we have slowed down our attention, we are putting sanitary measures into practice. Under normal circumstances the center is serving 23 people in the sewing workshop, (5 boys and 17 women), 45 adolescent children and youth in volleyball. The office is open serving the population with an average of 30 visits a day. We are taking advantage of the sewing classes to make masks and train everyone who comes to the center.
Renacer Learning Center, San Juan de Oriente. We are open with 12 women in sewing, 6 in embroidery 7 in crafts, 4 in pastries and music classes to 12 youth. The learning center counts with 4 volunteers all week for the different activities.
Centro Milagro de Dios Learning Center of Puerto Sandino craft classes are suspended for the time being. Sewing class is being taught for 2 hours three days a week Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We only have 5 female students.
Sewing for Progress Learning Center of Nueva Guinea started sewing and technology classes mid-February and we stopped classes on March 20 due to the pandemic. We had 10 students. Then we continue for two weeks via online sharing patterns until we finish our first piece. This learning center is trying to resume classes this coming Monday but now we only have 4 participants making it difficult to give financial aid to the sewing teacher. The center has started the construction of a classroom, so space does not become an issue. Any help fundraising would be greatly appreciated.
This is only a sampling of updates, although the activities are certainly altered they are continuing despite the challenging circumstances. The Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners Learning Centers are very effective and reflect the beauty of Nicaragua, the people have a real strength about them and the Learning Center leaders are a prime example. Hardships will come and go; and we deal with them will determine the ultimate outcome.
Thank you for your gracious financial support that is helping the Learning Centers to continue.
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