We want to celebrate the successes that were made possible thanks to YOU in 2016! There are many families that are healthier, happier and living better lives thanks to your generosity. Here are a few of the important highlights that were made possible by you.
Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Minimum wage is barely $170 per month—with 48-hour workweeks. Thanks to your help, youth in Matagalpa have hope for their future. Your funding has supported computer training which has allowed youth to access college majors and job prospects they may not have otherwise. Thank you!
Forty-nine students graduated on Thursday, October 6, from the Computer Training Program run by CEPAD in Matagalpa. The training program consisted of over 120 hours of hands-on coursework. The courses were taught by professors from local universities, and were made available to everyone with an interest in learning more about computers. The program has graduated over 270 students over the past five years.
Thank you for your prayers, donations and accompaniment of rural villages in 2015. You have truly made a difference for so many. Our staff have a special message to thank YOU for your support.
As the end of the year approaches and we patiently await the joyous celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we in Nicaragua are giving thanks for your continued friendship, love and prayer.
2015 has been an exciting year as we have begun our first year of work in 42 new villages. Through my visits I have felt the hope and excitement of people who are being empowered to see pathways out of poverty that they had never thought were possible.It has also been a year of challenges. El Niño has greatly affected the villages we work with, making hunger an even bigger problem as farmers are no longer able to feed their families. Children are especially vulnerable as the most basic diseases combined with malnutrition can be life-threatening.
I would like to personally invite you to make a contribution today. It will help us begin 2016 with a solid financial base and allow us to carry out our work with great energy, expertise and love.
Please make your gift a generous one. Thank you again. For you! Without your support, our work is not possible. Feliz Navidad to you and your family.
In Christ’s love,
Damaris Albuquerque
Executive Director, CEPAD
We recently updated you on a great story from the community of Buena Vista, where leaders were trained and were able to get a well dug in their community! Previous to this families had been carrying water from up to one-quarter of a mile to their homes. (To read this story, click here.)
Today, Buena Vista the leadership of Buena Vista is facing a new challenge, how to combat a severe drought affecting their community.
The average, the rainfall in August is usually over 40 inches, however in August they only received 1.5 inches of rain. The rain in September was also close to a record low. This means that farmers lost their first cycle of crops and there are increasing concerns that the second (and last) crop cycle of the year will be lost as well.
Most farmers rely on their crops to feed their families. Without a harvest, their families have nothing to eat.
Families in the area have been selling their cattle and other farm animals for money to buy food.The spike in farm animal sales has caused their price to drop, while at the same time, the price of basic grains has increased.
As news of the Nicaraguan Interoceanic Canal begins to get more international attention, we know it can be difficult to keep up with every update. Between conflicting environmental reports, news of protests, and potentially positive indicators about the economy, there is much news to follow. And, soon we’ll have more information for you on how the canal is impacting CEPAD’s work in southern Nicaragua. We’ve already had to cease work in one village in Nueva Guinea because the people there were unwilling to work with outsiders after negative interactions with government employees related to the canal. As a non-political organization, CEPAD’s work does not directly address the canal, but we are aware of its impact on the people we work with.
Here, we’ve compiled 10 English-language articles that examine different political, environmental and cultural questions about the canal. We hope this will be a resource you can look to and share! As always, we’ll post major news about the canal and other events in Nicaragua on our Facebook page, and we look forward to having more information from the Nicaraguan government and HKND about the feasibility and environmental studies they have conducted, as well as official plans.
After two years, our communications whiz Audrey White will be leaving the position. We’re seeking someone with strong writing skills and a passion for sustainable development in Central America for a one year commitment to CEPAD. The intern will be based in Nicaragua and receive a stipend of $5,000 per year (plus support to fundraise additional money).
CEPAD is a Nicaraguan NGO dedicated to providing sustainable solutions to farmers, families, women, youth and pastors in rural communities around the country. In 43 years, our work has adapted to the changing needs of Nicaraguan people and currently uses a 5-year accompaniment model. Read more about our programs here.
The position offers a truly transformative experience with opportunities to contribute to many areas of CEPAD’s work and build deep relationships with people all over Nicaragua. It’s a one of a kind opportunity for a young Read more
Farmers, leaders and young people in 42 communities around Nicaragua are brimming with excitement about the possibilities the see for their upcoming five years of work with CEPAD.
“It’s such an amazing opportunity, we are ready to work hard and get organized as a community,” said Rokue Castillo, a leader in Bijague, a community in San Francisco Libre. “Our biggest priority is to develop skills for drought management, because this year has been really hard.”
This week, CEPAD staff are traveling to every one of the new communities where we will begin work in 2015 to talk with members and get an idea of what they know already and what they hope to achieve. Pedro Joaquin, the technician from the Jinotepe region, helped out with collecting baseline data in San Francisco Libre. Rokue was worried that he didn’t have any of the skills Pedro asked him about, like how to lead community meetings or make a petition to the local government.