Nicaragua Emergency Relief Fund

In April 2018, a decision around taxes and social security benefits made by President Daniel Ortega sent shockwaves across the country as citizens by the hundreds of thousands took to the streets to express their displeasure. The protests sparked violence and more than 300 people have died with thousands more wounded or missing. Blockades appeared on virtually every road in the country, bringing traffic and the economy to an abrupt halt. The U.S. state department ordered the evacuation of embassy staff and warned Americans not to travel to Nicaragua.

We immediately closed the school to ensure the safety of the children and faculty. A barricade manned by protestors was set up near our processing plant, cutting off the flow of produce from farmers. Though no clear resolution is in sight, there is a remarkable amount of courage and commitment among our Nicaraguan staff and the families we serve.

• Our local staff rallied, establishing a cloud-based network of communication so that students could continue their studies from the safety of their homes. The new online learning platform holds potential to affordably extend our curriculum to a broader student population, including adults, beyond our campus.
• Processing plant employees found new routes around the barricades, so production could continue.
• Farmers planted crops despite the shortage of agriculture loans, helping to sustain an agricultural economy when many producers have shuttered their plants.
• Staff members tightened their belts, and became remarkably resourceful, practicing the entrepreneurial spirit they had been teaching.

Thank you for supporting our clients and staff as they navigate these challenging times.   

Links:

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