CEPAD’s Leadership Development program implements Community Development Committees (CDC’s), which learn important skills in identifying needs, brainstorming solutions, and writing formal documents to advocate for themselves to local government and other entities. These committees are elected by their own community to serve as leaders.

The CDC of Motuce, a community in the area of Somoto, are becoming the authors of their own development. Since they started in CEPAD’s program in 2022, they have advocated for various projects, one of which involved the installation of a tube network for potable water to reach 139 families.

While the entire project cost much more than what they could afford, the CDC advocated to a local organization, which was able to donate funds and materials. The community committed to provide all the manual labor involved, including digging trenches, assembling the tubes, and connecting them to the water tanks.

The water project benefits some 600 people in total. Their community is located in the dry corridor of Nicaragua, so having potable water readily available is so important for community health.

This is just one example of what the committees can do now that they are capable of identifying their needs and working together to improve their quality of life. We are excited to see what else the CDC of Motuce, and the other 46 communities CEPAD works with, will continue to do in the future!