Nicaragua Initiative for Community Advancement

Crea is our education program, which offers opportunities to primary students in reading and math using ipads, android tablets, and chrome computers, audiovisual equipment and educational materials. We also teach high school students and teachers computer skills and how to use google products to facilitate more writing and critical thinking opportunities. for the high school students, we offer them opportunities to apply for economic or academic scholarships after high school to further their education. This program directly benefits 450 students each year. We provide many other benefits to the school like transportation for students and teachers, to and from school to 35 students and teachers each day, infrastructure repair, and sponsor events like graduations. In 2019 we implemented the english language program in partnership with keiser university an american university base in Nicaragua, the courses take place in the Community center the net inaugurated in july 2019. The building construction and equipment was funded by nica funds and continued in sch. O

Caracola cafe is an internet cafe that sells tacos and smoothies. We provided the start up money, and the cafe has paid it all back. The profits will help pay for the app subscription costs for the crea program and food costs for the food program. The cafe has created 6 jobs in town. The cafe has been totally self sustainable after initial start up investment was made. In 2019 the cafe moved to the Community center facilities. The net includes a kitchen facility and restaurant area for caracole cafe operations. Due to impacts from the pandemic, the cafe has not operated normally. We have hopes that in 2024, operations will begin again as tourism increases and demand rises.

Somos el cambio program sec is a work program that offers Community service opportunities to teenagers and adults. This is the first program we established to address the overwhelming need of locals to meet their basic needs like food, water and shelter. This program directly benefits 750 residents each year, and indirectly benefits 2,000 residents each year and the tourists who visit the area each year paused during the pandemic. In 2023, there was an increase of 10 in the in-kind benefit, which is raised it to 85 per participant per 72 hours of volunteer time, due to the increase in prices for construction materials and food. In 2023, a clean-up day was held with a construction company called holcim. 100s of homes were improved and 750 families felt direct impact from this program. An average of 37 participants per period, for a total of 148 families received benefit. There was a huge litter problem, so instead of just giving out basic needs, we set up a program where locals could create conscience and care about their own Community for their continued in sch. O