Economic Growth Nicaragua Project #8344

Help Nicaragua's Poor Climb out of Poverty

by Opportunity International

Project Report | Dec 26, 2018
Growing Stronger Through Adversity

By Katie Morgan | Online Marketing Specialist

Update on the national crisis

In mid-April, President Daniel Ortega upset the nation with unexpected tax and social security reforms. Nicaraguans took to the streets in protest.
In early May, protests turned into violent encounters between protesters and military officials.
By June, the economy stalled. Businesses and banks closed. Many of Opportunity's services were temporarily restricted.
After more than 300 deaths, the conflict continues. Little headway has been made in peace talks mediated by the Catholic Church and the situation remains uncertain.

Despite these setbacks, Opportunity Nicaragua continues to operate its school, yucca processing plant, and training services for farmers and small businesses. Thanks to your support, our well-developed and resilient programs continue to empower families and communities, even in a time of instability.

Students are back in the classroom

After closing for several months due to safety concerns, the Emprendedora Technical School is now open again. Throughout the conflict, 94% of the student body has remained enrolled in school, largely due to the creative problem-solving and hard work of Emprendedora teachers and staff. Working closely with parents even when the school grounds were closed, staff moved lessons online and created internet hotspots so children could continue to learn from the safety of their homes. Teachers also regularly followed up by visiting families to check on student progress and household safety. Now that students are back in class, produce and egg sales from the school's agribusinesses are helping the school to reach 41% sustainability, despite lack of sales to Pacaya Lodge & Spa, which remains closed. Students continue to learn and remain on track to graduate as they attend Emprendedora with consistency once again.

A robust planting season for yucca farmers

This summer, 310 farmers still planted 727 manzanas (equivalent to more than 1,200 acres) of yucca throughout the Pacific South and Nueva Guinea. Despite the increased difficulty in accessing seeds and fertilizer and financing for their yucca, our clients committed and followed through, even utilizing new farming techniques and planting multiple seed varieties. Between these techniques and adequate rainfall, the yucca crop looks promising for a good harvest this year.

Processing plant is certified and ready to go

Opportunity Nicaragua staff expertly braved roadblocks and barriers to ensure the processing plant could undergo food-grade recertification. In Nicaragua, the Safe Quality Foods certification requirements were updated, prompting the plant to undergo certification again. The staff worked tirelessly to ensure the plant was prepared for the new requirements and that auditors could travel safely to the plan amid roadblocks and ongoing conflict. The plant scored 97% - an extremely high score that proves its quality to our buyers and will allow the yucca products to be sold in more markets for a higher value. We rejoice in this good news and in the hard work of our processing plant staff that made this a reality. The plant already has the inventory to fill orders for clients in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Thank you for your continued support of Opportunity's programs and clients in Nicaragua as they continue to navigate their uncertain circumstances. Your continued support is bringing positive transformation, hope, and assurance.

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Sep 24, 2018
Education in Nicaragua

By Katie Morgan | Online Marketing Specialist

The 2018 academic year at Emprendadora Technical School kicked off in January with full-capacity enrollment of just over 300 students. Additionally:

The new library and multi-media center were completed. The IT team is finalizing the project to provide internet connectivity across the entire campus.
The well continues to perform well, pumping water at desired levels. The well is expected to earn nearly $200,000 in revenue in 2018, pushing the school toward sustainability.
Staff remained heavily focused on post-graduation activities, including job placement and university application assistance.

Chicken and Organic Farming Businesses. With your support, we doubled yucca production compared to the previous year. The harvest will be sold to a processing plant, and proceeds will contribute toward school sustainability. This season, the school planted beans as well as yucca. We also:

Purchased 800 chicks, doubling the inventory of 630 in the prior year.
Increased inventory of fumigation pumps, grass reapers, tools, and protective equipment.
Delivered experiential learning to students who farmed the micro-tunnel, maintained temperature and humidity logs, and learned trellising and mulching techniques.

Goals for 2018 include the purchase of a pickup truck to deliver the school’s produce to buyers, and improvement to one of the macro tunnels to increase air circulation.

Teacher Capacity-building amps up education quality. Because of your investment, 18 teachers participated in training to build their capacity and competency to better serve their students. Teacher training curriculum included:

Active teaching techniques that support multiple student learning styles
Work-plan development for maximum classroom outcomes and results
Effective and open communication among teachers and students
Incorporating the environment and natural resources in learning objectives

The goal for 2018 is to continue to build up teachers’ capacities and enable them to achieve greater results in the classroom. We will define a more robust training plan to address specific areas identified by the teachers.

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Jun 26, 2018
Opportunity in Nicaragua

By Katie Morgan | Online Marketing Specialist

Thank you for partnering with us in Nicaragua where the halls of Emprendedora Technical School are filled with hope, families are putting nutritious food on the table, and community buildings are overflowing as neighbors come together to facilitate change that improves quality of life for all.

We are joining together to strengthen communities. Opportunity has established a presence in 60 rural farming communities. There, neighbors are joining hands to address shared challenges with greater belief in themselves and in each other. The Community Development program includes community leader workshops such as: Improving Leadership Skills, Increasing Capacity to Manage Community Initiatives, and Mobilizing Resources. In 2017:

300 women benefitted from health services, including trainings on reproductive health, medical check-ups, PAP tests, and access to vocational school.

Families from 13 communities received awareness training on family values and the prevention of domestic violence and sexual exploitation. Follow-up services include in-home conflict mediation and family counseling.

258 women participated in development workshops focused on increased self-confidence. Women reported an improved sense of well-being and quality of life.

Members from 10 farmer groups engaged in faith-building activities.

For 2018, two new neighborhood projects are being evaluated—a multipurpose community space and structural improvements to a church.

Currently, Nicaragua is undergoing its biggest uprising in nearly 30 years. In the wake of anti-government protests that began on April 18, 2018, the country has experienced protests, national strikes, and violence that have led to a major national crisis. As a result, Nicaraguans are now facing severe food and gas shortages, roadblocks, and more, with economic activity coming to a standstill. Please join our entire team as we pray for our colleagues, clients, students, and friends in Nicaragua. We are thankful for their safety and plan to support our staff and clients with financial resources as they navigate this challenging situation.

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