You are making a difference in Nicaragua!
A glimpse of what your sponsored child’s life is like in Nicaragua:
HOME LIFE
- Nicaraguan cuisine shares many flavors and ingredients with Mexican food. Corn and beans are staples, and garlic and onions season most dishes.
- Nicaraguans enjoy “tamales,” but their version is called a “nacatamal.” The dish is made of corn, rice, tomatoes, chili, potatoes, cassava root, and meat, and is wrapped in a leaf from a banana-like plant.
- Nicaraguans drink coffee with hot milk at breakfast and black coffee with sugar for the rest of the day.
SCHOOL AND EDUCATION
- School in Nicaragua is free and compulsory for children ages 7 to 12.
- The school year runs from February to November. All schooling is in Spanish.
- Children receive grades similar to children in America, on a scale from 1-100.
NICARAGUAN CULTURE
- Nicaraguan dance and music vary among regions. Best-known Nicaraguan music is the “mestizaje,” in which women wear cotton shirts and long skirts, while men wear a traditional shirt with white pants, hat, and sandals.
- Folkloric dance is an enduring art form predating Colonial times.
- Nicaragua is famous for its ceramics and earthenware, and other craftwork, including silverwork, woodcarving, embroidery, and sculpting.
COUNTRY INFO
Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America. Nicaragua’s capital, The multi-ethnic population of 6 million includes indigenous peoples, Europeans, Africans, and Asians. Nearly one-fifth of Nicaragua is designated as protected, including national parks, nature reserves, and biological reserves. The biological diversity, warm tropical climate, and active volcanoes make Nicaragua an increasingly popular tourist destination.
- Population: 6.2 million
- Language: Spanish
- Capital: Managua
FH IN NICARAGUA
In 1972, FH began working in Nicaragua in response to a devastating earthquake that killed 6,000, injured 20,000, and left over 250,000 homeless. Since then, FH has focused efforts on long-term development work in agriculture, education, income generation, and disaster risk reduction through community resilience.
BECAUSE YOU ARE A CHILD SPONSOR:
- You are increasing family income through entrepreneurship, micro-enterprises, technical assistance, savings groups, and finance education.
- You are teaching families about the importance of early childhood education, which helps children at school and enhances their emotional and cognitive intelligence.
- You are increasing educational opportunities through the construction of school infrastructure, such as latrines, school cafeterias, and classrooms.
