Community Leaders Collaborate To Plan Cooperatives

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“It’s because of CEPAD that we have come as far as we have, and it’s because of CEPAD that we’ll be able to continue on our own,” said Yalena Hernandez Serrano after a meeting at the Nehemias Center last week.

Yalena, from the Los Angeles community in Nueva Guinea, was one of 36 representatives from CEPAD’s partner communities who came to a two day workshop last week to learn how to navigate the forms and rules for creating an official association or cooperative. When the official partnership between CEPAD and these communities ends this year, the associations and cooperatives allow communities to Read more

Psychological and Social Program Gives Youth Room to Grow

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Kimberley Flores

Kimberley Flores

Laughter and the thwack of wood against papier machete fill the air in Bálsamo, a community near Matagalpa.During the last year, 15 youth in the community met twice a week through CEPAD’s psychological and social program to learn about the environment, practice public speaking, and develop interpersonal skills like leadership, patience and respect. Today, they celebrate with an end of year presentation and piñata.Kimberley Flores, a student in the program, said she felt a change in her self and the other students after completing the program.“The other kids used to make fun of me because I’m fat, but now we respect each other and I have more confidence,” Kimberley said.

She plays more and is healthier too, added her mom Caridad. The program encourages kids to eat nutritious food and play sports, and the psychological and social program leaders in many communities also organize baseball and soccer teams.

With your support, CEPAD works with more than 600 youth every year through its psychological and social program. Your donations and partnership make a huge difference in the lives of kids in Nicaragua who otherwise don’t have access to sports or other after school programming.

CEPAD’s psychological and social program aims to work with young people in communities who are at risk of drugs and alcohol abuse, physical abuse at home, low school achievement and other challenges. Older teens in the community lead the groups of 7- to 12-year-olds in twice-monthly workshops.

The teachers receive training from CEPAD staff on how to identify abuse and depression in children, how to teach values, and how to creatively engage children in activities related to themes like the environment.

“A lot of the kids used to be really shy, but now they will sing in front of the group or lead a prayer,” said Diana Hernandez, 16, who leads the group in Bálsamo.

The skills and knowledge students gain include concrete behaviors, like how to protect the environment by not littering, and broader concepts like leadership and optimism.

“Before, if I had a test in school I would always be pessimistic and not do well,” said Katherine Tatiana Luquez Gutierrez, 12. “Now I know how to have a good mind set and I do a lot better in school.”

We are so thankful for all supporters like you who make it possible for students including Katherine and Kimberley to become better students and leaders. Your pledge today will ensure we can continue to empower youth around Nicaragua!

CEPAD Fights Violence Through Education

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Half of Nicaraguan women experience violence at the hands of a husband, partner or family member. In CEPAD’s psychosocial program, we work directly with women to help them learn what their rights are and how to report abuse.The primary legislation against gender and family violence in Nicaragua is the Integral Law Against Violence Against Women, or Ley 779, which passed last year. This law expands on previous anti-violence laws and includes protections for physical, psychological and sexual abuse. This article provides a great history and summary of the law. This article provides great background in English on the history and details of the law.But for the legislation to affect women, they have to know about it. That’s where CEPAD comes in. We train women in our 43 partner on how to identify domestic violence and abuse and how to respond to it. Last week, CEPAD staff went to the Pantasma region of Jinotega and conducted a workshop with 13 women from seven communities about the law. Read more