Help Nicaragua's Poor Climb out of Poverty

The Emprenedora Technical High School  began operations in the Spring of 2012 starting with two classes of seventh graders. The school is designed to not only meet the requirements of the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education, but also to give students a hands-on learning opportunity in skills key to the local economy including hospitality and agriculture. Typical classroom learning is augmented to include the opportunity for students to learn and practice entrepreneurial skills through multiple school businesses. When sustainable, these school businesses will help support the school. 

May kicked off Nicaragua’s first planting season of the year with full student participation planting the organic garden. Students were involved in the preparation and planting of a variety of organic vegetables that will be sold to local restaurants and provide income for the school. Working in the garden using a simple gravity drip-irrigation system (see green tank in photo) is a new experience for the students. 

Additional school highlights include:

• Two school businesses currently operating: the chicken hatchery and the organic garden. In August, the team installed the infrastructure for bee-keeping.

• The construction of two additional classrooms, a library and kitchen/bodega is moving forward to accommodate the growth to 120 students planned for the 2013 academic year. 

• The Emprenedora School is utilizing the curriculum of the EARTH Institute that focuses on sustainable education models in Latin America. The curriculum augments the required national curriculum and allows the school to introduce entrepreneurial skills into the classroom as well as offer practical application in the school’s businesses. 

• The School is able to offer several extra-curricular activities that are not commonly found in the Nicaraguan setting such as music and organized sports. The aim is to support children’s holistic development and education.

Links:

• Website