Nicaragua: The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes

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1 Nicaragua at a Glance Meet your Country Team! Country Director: Camilo Power Camilo currently oversees all of our Nicaragua operations for both FTC and MTW to ensure that we are delivering high quality community projects and transformative international volunteer trips. Camilo@freethechildren.com Please note: - Camilo is our point of contact for all trip specific information. This includes all itinerary requests and any medical flags. Nicaragua: The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes On a volunteer trip to Nicaragua, journey into the mountains in the country s southwest region, where you ll live and work among some of the most spiritually rich people in the world. Take part in grassroots projects in rural communities with your own two hands, helping to empower local families to improve the lives of their children through education. From your home-away-from home on the Central Pacific Coast of Nicaragua, you ll also experience beaches, volcanoes, sweeping rainforests of lush flora and fauna, and the rich colonial history of Granada. Immerse yourself in the language and traditions of Central America s largest country all while learning about conservation and the challenges of poverty and rural development. Did you Know? The name of the country comes from two words: Nicarao and Agua. Nicarao is the name of the tribe that settled the country long before the Spanish conquest of the Americas. Agua means water and is representative of the country s many stunning lakes, rivers and lagoons. The country s official language is Spanish.

2 History of Adopt A Village and Free The Children in Nicaragua: : Free The Children (FTC) started working in Nicaragua alongside 3 rd party organizations during which numerous schools and school rooms were constructed and repaired onwards: Free the Children branched off in response to the country s continued need and maintained working relationships with several communities in the Central Pacific Region of the country. Not long after AAV was introduced and implemented in a few of the communities. Free The Children works in partnership with these communities to eliminate the obstacles that prevent children from accessing education. Why do we work in Nicaragua? The Need: Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America but is also the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, facing many challenges like limited access to education, employment and resources such as sanitation facilities and medication. Although the potential for natural and human resource development in the country is high, significant economic growth and improvement has yet to happen, and approximately threequarters of the population live on less than $2 a day. Inequality in health care access and employment opportunities is widespread, and on average, Nicaraguans complete less than five years of school. Even though improvements in health and education have been made in the last 10 years, challenges remain. Did you know? 15% of children in Nicaragua aged 5-14 are involved in child labour. 53% of secondary schoolaged girls in Nicaragua do not attend secondary school 63% of the population in rural communities does not have access to improved sanitation 78% of the country s population is literate 75% (approx) of the population live on less than $2 a day.

3 Adopt a Village at a Glance in Nicaragua Education - School building & rehabilitation - Libraries - Outfitting classrooms with furnishing Agriculture and Food Security - School gardens - Kitchen and dining hall construction Clean Water and Sanitation - Hand-washing stations - Clean water systems - Latrines - Water & sanitation education Health Care - Health workshops - Outfitting of health clinics Alternative Income and Livelihood - Financial literacy training - Empowerment &leadership skills development Please note: The education pillar of Adopt a Village is Free The Children s primary focus in Nicaragua Weather in Nicaragua Average Temperature in Nicaragua Temperatures in the Nicaragua range between 23 C - 33 C and humidity can be as high as 90% Expect periods of heavy rain. Dry Season: November April More yellow, dry landscape Sun and sun Less insects and bugs VERY hot No turtle season Rainy Season: May-November Green everywhere, very lush Heavy downpours (sporadic) Lots of insects and bugs Hot and humid Turtle Season

4 Community Information: El Trapiche: El Trapiche is a small rural community located in the Department of Carazo, near the municipality of San Marcos. The community is located a little over an hour outside of Managua and twenty minutes from San Marcos. The community which numbers just over 140 inhabitants makes its living off of work in the agricultural sector, growing corn and beans for sustenance. Several families also have cows and horses. While educations is free children in el Trapiche never had their own school, and had to walk great distances, often times in harm s way to reach the closest school. Today they have their own school thanks to the work of Me to We groups. Groups will continue to build in the community and in the future we will be working on water projects. Itinerary Highlights: San Diego: is located in the Municipality of Villa El Carmen in the Department of Managua. The populations of San Diego are about 400 people where the majority of people work in the agricultural sector. They work growing their own crops (beans or corn) or working on the sugar cane plantations. Most men work in agriculture and woman stay home and work the field. School is free in Nicaragua. Most rural schools are multi grade, where one teacher teaches several grades in one classroom. Although education is free, students are not receiving quality education because the teachers are not properly trained, are low paid and have to teach several grades. In San Diego we are building a library to improve the quality of education, encourage reading and in the future have teacher trainings and community meetings in the library space. Los Campos: In summer 2013 ground was broken in Los Campos. This region has a high incidence of child labour, with most children compelled to work in surrounding sugar cane farms or coffee plantations in order to support their families. Currently there is only one classroom in the entire community, a preschool, which is inadequate to meet the needs of all the local schoolage children. As a result, students have had to walk to schools in neighbouring communities, often facing difficult or dangerous situations on their journey, such as crossing major highways and travelling long distances through the rain. As a first step in addressing the issue, Free The Children has been working closely with the Ministry of Education to plan for a new school and to ensure that it will be adequately equipped with furniture and basic school supplies.

5 Itinerary Highlights Café Las Flores Coffee Plantation: We are going to visit a coffee plantation to learn about how one of Nicaragua s major exports is processed. Café Las Flores is an Arabica specialty coffee produced from plantations located on the Mombacho Volcano in Granada, Nicaragua. Café Las Flores is named after the majestic bloom of the coffee tree, which undergoes a natural self-pollination process. During this precious blossom, the coffee bean is at its most vulnerable and its beauty is most exposed. Café Las Flores is carefully cultivated under the protective forest canopy in the rich volcanic soils of the Mombacho Volcano. This shade grown, bird friendly coffee is selectively hand picked and processed on sun dried patios. Masaya Artisan Market: Before leaving the country, we take our groups to see an artisan market. This is where they get to purchase all the goodies and memories they take home. It is a great place for them to use their bargaining skills and see the local culture one last time before they head back home. It is located in the city of Masaya. Masaya Volcano: Visit the the crater of an active Volcano. Participants can peak over the impressive crater that is always emitting smoke and gases. Pottery Workshop: Visit the indigenous and artisan town of San Juan de Oriente and visit workshop on a local potter. Here you can learn this artisan has learned his craft over the passing on of tradition from his ancestors. Participants will also have the opportunity to jump on the pottery wheel. Café de Las Sonrisas: This unique coffee shop and workshop is the only one of its kind into the Americas. It employs only staff members with disabilities. This activity provides a unique experience reflecting the lives of an underserved part of the population. Meals: Meals will vary each day, but will likely include the following: Breakfast: Eggs, pancakes, tortilla with filling (a variation of one of these) Gallopinto (Traditional Nicaraguan dish of rice and beans) Fruit Lunch and Dinner: Rice Beans Salad Pasta (spaghetti, lasagna) Café con leche (traditional drink of coffee with hot milk) Coffee Bread/toast Milk Fruit juice Meat (chicken, beef or pork) Vegetables A vegetarían option Juice Coordination Specific Information: - Each group will likely have two drivers. One of them will drive the bus and the other will drive an emergency vehicle. The emergency vehicle driver will also be with the group at all times but will only be needed in case of an emergency, so that the whole group does not need to go. - We will not be driving long distances; for the most part it will be within a 2 hour framework. - Packing items to stress: Sunscreen, bug spray, hat with brim, reusable water bottle (at least 1) - Malaria pills are not mandatory, participants should consult with a travel doctor - NO sleeping bags needed - Participants need to bring towels for showering and for the beach

6 Accommodations: Casa San Juan Casa San Juan is our main accommodation in Managua. Most of the rooms at Casa San Juan are either double or triples, though there are some quads. Hotel La Pergola Hotel La Pergola is our main accommodation in Granada. Most of the rooms are either double or triples, though there are some quads. Did you know? Granada was founded in 1524 by the Spanish explorer Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba on the shores of Lake Nicaragua; Granada is the first European founded city in the Americas. Enjoy this picturesque town with colonial architecture! Montebelli Lodge: Located just thirty minutes outside of Managua, is the amazing Montibelli Eco Lodge reserve. This reserve is made of up 160 hectors of dry tropical forest, which is home to a wide variety of flaura and fauna. During our stay at the reserve the group will be housed between five wooden cabins. Students will stay in rooms of two, three, or four. Each room has its own washroom.

7 Hotel Casablanca: The Hotel Casablanca is a modern, cozy, family operated hotel located in the colonial coffee growing town of San Marcos, Carazo. It is about 28 miles south of the capital city of Managua. San Marcos is a quiet colonial town with very lush green surroundings typical of the high planes of Carazo at about 1800 feet of altitude. It enjoys a lovely climate with temperatures ranging between 60 and 85 degrees F. Recent Events in Nicaragua: