Alexander Santiago was a difficult child. An energetic kid, he found it tough to stay still. He wanted to do a lot but could not because there was hardly anything creative for him to do.

So he yelled.

At his friends, at his school and at his mom.

His relationship with everyone including his family members worsened with every tantrum of his. Only 11, he was already showing signs of strong rebellion.

And then he got a camera.

His life changed.

He took his camera and went out in the streets. He took pictures – scores of them - and marvelled at his shots. He loved the colors of the photos and the way everyday life got captured for posterity. He did not want to be disruptive anymore. He had a tool for creation and he was loving it.

His camera took him to places he always had hoped to go – Managua ( the capital city , 50 km from Granada), the mall, San Juna del Sur ( a beach town) and the Isletas ( little volcanic islands in the lake Nicaragua).  

His camera brought cheer in his harassed mom’s heart. He had stopped yelling. He listened more and tried to help her at home. He stopped fighting with his classmates and attended school regularly.

For Empowerment International, he is one of the most dramatic success stories.

Alexander became a part of EI’s photography program in 2007 and has never looked back since.While in the program, he joined the photography teacher and the other students to several photography trips where he learned the importance of patience and focus. He has become empathetic, understanding and calm now.

He has learned how to take a good photo,  what are the different positions for a photo, how to use the different camera functions like zoom, long sort and how to take a close up short. He even knows how to critique a photo.

In his words, ‘Now I am better  behaved with my brothers and my mother. I help my mom by going to the market for her!’

His family, friends and EI staff are proud of him. But even more importantly, he is proud of himself. 

- Neha Singh ( Contributions by Deepa Victor)

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In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never finish 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

When Timothy Ryan, an avid traveler and photographer, visited Nicaragua, he was captivated.  Not only did he lose his heart to the unique beauty of the land but also to the resilient courage of its people. The second poorest country in the Western hemisphere, Nicaragua, is full of amazing contrasts. It has the most heartbreakingly desperate circumstances and the most uncomplicatedly joyous people trying to make the best of the muck and mire of their lives.

Timothy, whose travel blog has been selected as one of the 10 best travel photo blogs recently, visited Nicaragua on behalf of Empowerment International last November as a photography trip.

He was enchanted by the stunning bio-diversity of the country and became acutely aware of the “inexorable link between poverty and the loss of biodiversity”. In the tour he explored some of the humanitarian organizations waging war against poverty in Latin America’s poorest country. In spite of having travelled 6 continents and 85 countries, his wizened soul was shocked at the depths of poverty that the slum dwellers in Nicaragua are mired in.

Empowerment International was the host for him in this tour. He says in his blog about EI, “Empowerment International helps to break the repeating cycle of poverty by working with parents to keep their children in school and by providing children in high risk areas with the physical and emotional support needed to stay in school. Empowerment International also understands the complex intersection of poverty and conservation and knows that protecting the biodiversity of Nicaragua is intrinsically linked to the human well-being of the community and to celebration of place.

To that end, (Kathy) Adams’ photography program, Mi Camera – Mi Mundo, which puts a camera in the hands of many of her impoverished students is nothing short of brilliant. It not only provides students with a creative and artistic outlet but, through the lens, also engenders an overwhelming connection to place and an awareness and appreciation for the natural beauty of Nicaragua.”

Timothy’s first photography exhibition is in the third largest art market in the United States from July 10 to 29 and he is presenting the photographs he took in the tour to Nicaragua. He mentions further in his blog, “I know most of you can’t make the gallery opening in Santa Fe this Friday. But I encourage you to follow the links to Empowerment International and see first-hand the amazing work of Kathy Adams and her team. And come meet these special people from the barrios whose enduring human spirit rises from this once voiceless, powerless place – carved out of obscene oppression and the abysmal failures of democracy and politics.

And while there, maybe drop a few coins in the bucket. The little funds Adams mines out of that bucket have already gone a long way to foster the continued self-empowerment of several rural and urban communities in Nicaragua.”
You can read more of Timothy’s travels and see his amazing photos on his blog – “From the Faraway, Nearby”

- Neha Singh

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In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never finish  5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

From November 8-15, 8 participants get a chance to go to Nicaragua on an exciting tour!

The tour is being organized by Susan Boe, Morgan and Julie Smith who are Santa Fe residents. Their goal is to take groups to Nicaragua to give them the opportunity to learn about the country and see programs like Empowerment International. Any “profits” that they make will go to Empowerment International and would be tax deductible to the participants.

Located between Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south, Nicaragua is about half the size of Colorado or New Mexico and has a population of roughly 5.5 million people. It is a country of striking beauty – coast lines along the Pacific that are becoming famous for surfing; a series of volcanoes, many of which can be easily hiked; beautiful colonial cities like León and Granada; natural areas full of more species of birds and trees than the entire European continent. Most important are its friendly and welcoming people.

Unfortunately, however, they are among the poorest in the southern hemisphere. Only Haiti is poorer. Nicaragua is a country with little economic activity or job growth and a weak educational system that fails to provide job training or opportunity. What is striking, however, is the level of private humanitarian assistance provided by citizens from all over the world butmostly the United States. Nicaragua benefits enormously from the work of water engineers, medical personnel, educators and just plain citizens, some of who live in Nicaragua, most of who make periodic visits.

The detailed tour is as follows:

Nicaragua Educational Tour, November 8-15, 2009

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Fly to Managua, arriving at approximately 9 PM.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Briefings in Managua with US Embassy and business leaders.

Drive to Granada with stops at the folk arts market in Masaya and the volcano of Masaya.

Evening visit to a program that feeds approximately 300 street children each evening.

Dinner with local Americans and others.

Stay in Granada.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tour of Granada and visit to Barrio Santa Ana, one of Empowerment International’s educational programs.

Lunch at the small town of Catarina overlooking Lago de Apoyo and tour of local folk market.

Dinner with local Americans and others.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Tour Barrio La Esperanza on the edge of Granada, Empowerment International’s other program.

Visit to lending library three blocks from hotel.

Boat tour and lunch at Las Isletas.

Dinner with local Americans and others.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Tour of veterinary program run by Dr. Tom Parker from Tesuque, New Mexico.

Drive to the Selva Negra Mountain Resort, a totally self sufficient coffee plantation and resort hotel approximately 3 hours from Granada.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Participants can either take a tour of Agros project near Matagalpa or visit Jinotega.

Spend night at Selva Negra.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Tour Selva Negra, then return to Managua.

Farewell dinner at La Casa de los Mejía Godoy, a restaurant owned by two of Nicaragua’s most famous folk singers.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Return to the United States

For more information check out our Events section.

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Although Nicaragua itself does not produce drugs, because of its location – sandwiched in the middle of the drug trade – the country still feels significant influence from drugs. Nicaragua is a major transit country for drugs coming from South America on their way to the U.S, including routes along both coasts and the Pan American highway.

Drugs are particularly an issue among young people in the country, with an estimated 5.1% of male high school students smoking crack, 10.5% smoking marijuana, and 5.7% sniffing glue [1].

Along with drugs, Nicaragua and its youth also face a culture of violence. Many weapons from the armed conflicts of the 1980s remain in circulation, while youth gangs have become increasingly violent and have started recruiting younger members. The average age for youth gangs in Nicaragua dropped from between 18 to 25 years old in 1999 to between 15 and 18 years old in 2006.  

For the youth that face these pressures in the communities where Empowerment International works, however, there is hope. One way to help keep kids in Nicaragua off of drugs, out of gangs, and in school includes engaging them in artistic expression. For example, EI’s photography program has helped children bring out their creativity and channel their energies into something useful. The program targets some of the most at-risk students, who are invited to take photography classes with advanced and professional photographers from around the world. A huge success, the photography program provides a critical incentive for many students who were on the verge of dropping out of school.

EI continues to develop new initiatives within the organization, along with partnering with other local community organizations with established programs to provide students growth and advancement opportunities. EI has created partnerships with a few different groups to help students gain job skills, including Pronat, which offers computer-training classes for underprivileged teenage girls. This training program inspires the girls to stay in school by giving them a step up in the technology market, and showing them they can be competitive in an increasingly technological world.

EI also works with the Café Chavalos program, which teaches boys how to run a restaurant. They learn how to cook, order, track stock, maintain a budget, advertise, and perform customer service. The goal is to provide the boys with training to be successful in the business, accounting, and community service sectors, and it also allows the boys to earn a small wage.  By providing this support and working with organizations within their communities, EI is making a difference in these children’s lives. EI kids face major challenges and destructive distractions, but EI helps them stay focused through creative outlets. These students are being given the opportunity to break the cycle of drugs, violence, and poverty and instead become productive members of society.

[1] According to “Nicaraguan Youth Gangs: From Throwing Stones to Smoking Rocks,” from Envio, a monthly magazine of analysis on Central America.

- Francesca Dalleo

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never finish  5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

EI has started a baseball program for the children in the barrio to create an environment where they can learn the fundamentals of leadership, teamwork, and accountability through the sports.

What we aim to achieve is to increase the attendance rates of the students at EI while helping them develop important values through extracurricular activities.

Unfortunately most of our kids have almost no exposure to extracurricular activities in their schools. These activities, however, are very important for kids as they teach them how to interact with one another positively, how to lead as well as follow and how to trust one another. All these attributes are required by children to succeed in today’s competitive and highly interactive workforce.

The baseball program aims to bridge the gap in the children’s educational process by introducing several positive guidelines. In order to ensure that the program also serves as a motivating factor for kids, we have certain criteria for the students.

Each student that participates must be an active member of his or her school with an attendance record above 80%. Also, students will be expected to have 90% attendance to the practice sessions.

Most importantly, they will be taught to respect every player in the game and avoid inappropriate language, fighting and harassment of other team members.

We are taking the baseball program seriously and will have contract regarding the guidelines signed by the students, parents, coach and the program coordinator.

In the Baseball Program, all kids of EI between ages 6 and 16 will be welcomed. A member of EI staff will serve as the program co-ordinator and will be responsible for the organization of the kid’s equipment, the tracking of attendance, the scheduling of games with other nonprofits, and any other aspects of the program.

The program will be coached by Hildebrando, a parent in the barrio.

Practices are to be held on Saturdays and split into two different groups; group one will practice from 1:00pm to 2:30pm, this group will consist of participants 13-16, group two will practice from 2:30pm to 4:00pm, this group will consist of participants ages 12-16. The first group will practice with their coach on fundamentals of baseball and leadership skills. After the first group is finished with practice, they will participate in the second groups’ practice by serving as coaches for the younger children. Group two will be spilt into three different teams of ten, each of which will have two members of group one serve as coaches.

The coaches of the teams will be responsible for their team’s attendance. On the first Saturday of every month, the teams will all meet at the field at the same time at 1:00pm. Group one will start the practice by putting on a hitting and fielding exhibition. This will be followed by a small tournament of the other teams, which will consist of three 4-inning games.  Additionally, all teams will play games against other area teams as scheduled by the program coordinator.

It is our hope that this program brings excitement and positivity in the lives of the kids. We are all much honored to already have had Cal Ripken Jr. coach our kids. Now that all the children have become extremely interested in the game, we plan to introduce new ideas and features regularly. Keep watching this space for updates!

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never finish  5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

Today is one of the most exciting days for EI staff and kids in Granada. Cal Ripken and Dennis Martinez are here in Nicaragua and Empowerment International has been selected as one of the participants in the game of Quickball!

Cal Ripken is one of the most respected names in baseball. He has had a successful 21 year Major League Baseball career and retired in 2001. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame last year and was appointed American Public Diplomacy Envoy by the US State Department in 2007. He is currently on a five-day trip (Nov 13-18) with Dennis Martinez, a native of Nicaragua who played with Ripken for the Baltimore Orioles.

Martinez won 245 games with five big league teams over 23 seasons and is often known as “El Presidente”. Both Ripken and Martinez plan to instruct youth coaches and kids on the game while connecting with them and spreading goodwill in Nicaragua.

The kids have been overjoyed to have these two baseball greats among them.

Since most of the kids chosen  for the event are too young and small to play baseball, they are learning to play Quickball – a game developed by Cal Ripken, it is  especially suited for all kids, especially little ones. The balls are bigger and lighter (made of sponge) and bats wider and easy to swing. The bases are closer together and rules are simpler as well.  If that was not enough fun and excitement for the youngsters, they  were interviewed by various TV stations!

It really is a dream come true for so many people here. Baseball is the Nicaragua’s national sport and  the kids have met not only the local but international hero of the game!

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never finish  5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

Kids need to look beyond their school work to learn more. This is even more true in the impoverished slums where EI works. 

Here, schools often do not provide any extra curricular activity for students who are thus forced to find other distractions. Unfortunately, these distractions may take the form of drugs, gangs and violence, all of which are common in the slums.

To keep themselves away from poor choices and to temporarily escape their harsh realities, these children need positive motivations.

EI focuses primarily on helping the children get educated an works on  keeping them  motivated with other  interesting pursuits. Photography classes, started a couple of years back, have been a huge success with EI kids.

However, a more active pursuit seems to suit more then a  few of the students here! So, volunteers Patrick and Melissa Chiappetta started a baseball program that will be run by a volunteer father in our community once they leave in November.

We are thrilled to introduce this exciting new program for the kids.

And as expected, the children are loving it! The main criteria for participating in the baseball program is that the kids must be in our program and have excellent school attendance.  While it is co-ed, most of the interested students are male.

We will soon be telling you a lot more about our new program. The whole EI team is incredibly excited about it!

- Neha Singh

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

The Fiesta held at Colorado and in Nicaragua (virtually) was a tremendously moving experience for all participants. Anielka, the Program Director of EI, who you have read about here, is normally quite strong and stoic, but even she was overwhelmed by the beauty of the moments on September 6th.

Here, she describes her feelings at length:

“At the beginning of the party, I, who have always been quite good in speaking in the presence of others, felt like my heart was pounding a thousand beats per second, because of my stress. We ate pizza and other goodies; some of us ate too much due to our excitement while others did not want to eat anything because they lost their appetite out of nervousness!

Melissa (EI volunteer) and her family were there offering their support, encouraging us and, above all, the children who were told “you can.” That affirmation made them feel good. Except Alexander(EI student) who was shy, all children wanted to be in front of the camera so the others could watch them in Skype. I think Alexander is reserved when there are too many people around. Those children who were taking a lot of photos were impressed with the technology. Darcy(EI volunteer) was also there to support us with the presentation and encourage the children.

It was wonderful to see Elvis’(EI student) eyes expressing so much happiness when he saw Kristi(EI event coordinator). I felt the same emotion when I saw Dara, Kathy, Jody, Kelly, Kevin, and Brett, and all the people over there (in US). Suddenly pleasant memories came up about the good times we had during Fiesta de Esperanza back in 2006 when I had the opportunity to participate personally and the satisfaction that one feels after a party is over and realize everything was an entire success.

I thought a lot about the entire EI team and in particular about Kristy since she was the coordinator of the event in Colorado and put so much effort for everything to be perfect. I imagined how proud she must have felt.

Here, in the office in Nicaragua, we all also celebrated at the same time. It felt like we were there at the Fiesta having food, drinking Coca-Colas. Seeing Marluz walking into the office was a very delightful moment because she knew she was going to meet her sponsor. She kept talking into the camera. She wanted to keep talking with Glennis; this was very emotional. I am sure our faces demonstrated the intense feelings of happiness.

Thanks to all for giving us the opportunity to be “present” in Colorado and be part of the party. Thanks for allowing the children enjoy emotions that perhaps they have never experienced in their lives. Thanks for making them feel special. Thanks for giving them the opportunity of becoming more aware about who we are and how hard we work for them. Such opportunity allows them to know about our labor and efforts in this Foundation just to give them the prospect to have a better quality of life, and a better future that can remove them from the extreme poverty in which they live.

Also, thank you EI for giving me, personally, the opportunity to learn new things every day, of giving me the encouragement I need in order to put forward my best efforts on every occasion I can. Of giving me the chance of becoming aware on a more personal basis of the needs and great difficulties that some people in my country go through; to learn  on how I can give much of myself to this cause in favor of those families  to bring about positive, lasting changes to as many of them as possible. “

- Translated by Leonardo Vila

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

Here are two of our young participants – Margarita and Yosara – telling you how much they loved the Fiesta held on 6th September and the wonder that is Skype!

Margarita Arroliga – one of our first two Nicaraguan High School graduates – says :
“Well, after having a very beautiful experience on Saturday, September 6th….it is going to be unforgettable.  I never imagined I would live through something like that.  When we arrived to the office everything was so moving; I was very nervous because I knew I was going to meet my sponsor and I was even more excited when I saw Kelly, Cristy.

Everything was so real through Skype – “that is why I love technology.”  We shared a special day with Melissa (one of our volunteers) since it was her birthday and also this was the party that gives hope to seeing our dreams realized.

Thanks to all those who help EI, and to the entire team in Nicaragua, to my sponsor for giving me the opportunity to get a better education, and to the Foundation for giving me the know-how to become self-sufficient, for showing me what real life is all about.  When I saw all the people that were there at the party, I felt an immense emotion. 

In the office, everything was about cheerfulness and we all shared a very pleasant moment. Thank you for inviting me to experience something so beautiful, for giving me the opportunity to be somebody through my life, for the support I have received.  Thanks to all from the bottom of my heart.”

Yosara, another EI kid says:

“I was happy and excited on Saturday. I ate pizza, enchilada and soft drinks. I like the party because we were together all day long and we had a good time. We ate; there were times when I felt very nervous, but overall I felt very happy and excited when I sat in front of the microphone and everyone was watching me through the computer. Thanks for inviting me.”

- Translated by Leonardo Vila

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

Here are a few more kids who enjoyed the party “Fiesta de Esperanza” and spoke with their sponsors via Skype.

(Joseline – 14 years old and one of the first kids from Nicaragua to join EI in 2003) says -

“My name is Joseline  and I want to tell you how I felt on September 06, 2008.

Well, that day was the Day of Hope in the United States. We were at the office in Nicaragua and I was feeling really happy and glad to communicate using this new technology. That day I felt really nervous because it was the first time I spoke in English in front of so many people, even though they were not physically in front of me. I felt so nervous that I couldn’t say all the things I wanted to say!

I want to thank you all for your help, for the opportunity to continue studying and, also, for my computing classes (I was the best student and I got a certificate). I want to thank you for my photography classes, too; I am currently the teacher of a group of children.
First of all, I want to thank Kathy, who I love very much, my sponsor, Miss Anielka and everyone who makes this program, Empowerment International, possible. I want to tell that I love playing football with Patrick, Melissa, Karla, Margarita, Elvis and everyone here.

I also want to tell all of those who work in Empowerment International´s Program that you are people with a great heart. God bless you.

THANK YOU!”

12 year old Alexander’s impressions -

“On Saturday, I felt very happy and grateful because I was invited to your party and I felt shy when it was my turn to speak. I ate enchilada and pizza, drank soft drinks and I was really happy to speak to Kathy and be with all my friends. It was a very cheerful party, very important and I loved when Patrick made me laugh when he was with Elvis. THANKS FOR INVITING ME.”

-Translated by Romina Arvelo

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

For the next few days, we bring you the impressions of our wonderful kids on the Fiesta De Esperanza we celebrated on September 6th in Colorado. There was music, dancing, food, drinks and discussion on the lives of EI kids. It was a huge success and kids in Nicaragua talked to their sponsors via skype! The children were nervous of taking center stage initially but did a great job of talking about their lives ultimately.

Here is what Carla, our young program coordinator,  thought of the event.

“I want to thank Kathy for giving me the opportunity of participating in the “FIESTA DE ESPERANZA.”  I was very nervous when I saw the people that were at the party through Skype, and at the same time I was very anxious when it was my turn to speak.

I did not want to come in to the room; my hands were cold, but Darcy and Patrick(two of EI volunteers), encouraged me to do it by telling me that everything was going to be just fine.

When I walked in my stomach ached, I felt I had a rock in my mouth! I spoke briefly about what I felt for the Foundation and the many months I had been working for EI. Towards the end of my speech I got mixed up and did not know what I was talking about.

It was a good experience since it was the first time that all of us in the office prepared this type of event.  Marluz’s turn to meet her sponsor through Skype was emotive. Her sponsor became emotional on learning that Marluz won the second place in the Mathematics Olympics, held at the municipal level, and for all the effort she was making in order to move ahead and become somebody in her life.
We enjoyed pizza, enchilada, potatoes, tacos, and soda. Some did not want to eat anything because they were quite nervous, while others reacted to their nervousness by eating everything!  We really had a very happy time.

I also thank Melkicedeth‘s family for being present during the party.
Thanks to Margarita, Alexander, Yaoska, Elvis, and Marluz for coming over to the party, too.
Thanks to Melissa, Patrick and Anielka for their support and encouragement they gave us in meeting the people who at the same time were getting acquainted with us through Skype.
I want to thank very, very much to those who were at the “Fiesta de Esperanza” for their contributions, support, and sponsorship of the children so that our Foundation can continue its growth and be a great success.

Thanks so much to all.”

- Translated by Leonardo Vila

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

Yesenia is a lovely kid from one of the first families we started helping in 2003. The family has been through many trials and tribulations. Her mother left the family a year back, leaving the kids (there are 6 in all) under the care of their father. So now Yesenia and her siblings live with their single father who is very poor and over worked.

On most days there is complete chaos at her home. Her home is a tiny shack made of plastic and cardboard, ready to fall apart any time. In spite of all the confusion she has to see at such a young age, Yesenia is ever smiling. She loves getting photographed and our camera loves her ready smile too!

Moreover, even though the family is going through obviously tough times, the kids try to go to school regularly. Yesenia had to lose a year due to her mother’s absence, but is back to school now. EI team worked with her family to get her back in school and she is loving it a lot now!

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

So, a question asked routinely in Nicaragua is what we can do for the security here. For me it seems it would take a paradigm shift.

Processing the disparities of the ‘us’ and ‘them’ in my own mind feels so unjust.

Imagine… some families we work with earn $40 a month. What must it feel like to the locals on seeing an invasion of foreigners on their land flashing around $40 or more just for a dinner for two in an upscale restaurant?

What must they feel as they see us with all kinds fancy gear that we wave around, obliviously shooting pictures and videos, listening to ipods, playing on our laptops, driving around in new rental cars (locals always walk or bike)?

Then we marry their lovely young women and sometimes men. We buy their property and turn it over to millions of US dollars by selling it to our peers.

This has bothered me long before the crime wave started.

While compassion or empathy won’t cure, it can help to look at the root causes of the situation. I think we need to look at the whole picture and work with the local Nicaraguans to make their lives better especially if the motive to move to their country is to live better and often more luxurious lives.

Connect with them…. We need to think before inviting them to our homes which even if simple to you will be luxurious to them. And if the home is luxurious to you as well, you can imagine what they must think if they are from a hut with dirt floors. Create a friendship on common ground which may mean a walk near the lake, a coke in the park. Don’t invite them to places they can’t afford then treat them because they can’t pay. It creates more division and depowers them.

We could say we worked hard for our money and can now enjoy the fruits, but they work harder than most people I have ever met and they barely survive. As a matter of fact, many need their children to work to just to survive.

If we do good things for them (not just giving them things since this just feeds the cycle, but by actually helping to empower them) this will be recognized and create more natural protection and less division.

Our neighbors have the power to naturally protect us or not. If they see us in trouble, they can help or not. If they see our home being robbed they can call the police or not.

One night as I reached my door, a man on glue jumped out of nowhere and blocked my door. My heart jumped. My hands trembled as I asked him to move. Luckily a gentlemen who had been walking next to me for some time with his young daughter came to my rescue and literally forced the man to move so I could enter. He waited until I was safely inside. I wonder if this type kindness will continue if we ‘gringos’ continue in the manner we are.

I think bridging the gap as a community of expats is the most effective way.

I recommend that when moving to this country one should try to learn the language, grasp the subtleties of unspoken language, stay humble, be thoughtful, walk in others shoes mentally everyday and not give money since that only will make one an ATM not a friend.

We should make our presence a worthwhile one and not one to be resented. Know the locals as people who have much to offer if we can only take the time to take in their richness.

- Kathy Adams

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

A sad day

The children run around from house to house and play together in the streets with whatever they can find. We saw a couple of boys having a great time trying to keep the outer part of a bike tire rolling down the road in a straight line.

Most of the kids run around without shoes on, and some of them pass their time in even fewer clothes – often times missing pants, a shirt, or both. If the children do have clothes, they are usually full of holes and covered in dirt and mud, as are most of the kids.

Amidst all this poverty, the kids all seem happy even if they are busy doing chores (washing clothes, cooking lunch, or sweeping the courtyard). They smile and often wave as we pass by them. Some hide behind their mother’s legs. A few of the older kids pass by on their way to work – pushing carts of fruits and vegetables to sell at the market or driving horse-drawn trailers with their fathers. But, all seem to have smiles on their faces.

Empowerment International began working with the families in the barrio because many of the parents did not understand the value of an education. Most of them dropped out of school at a very young age; so, very few of them can read, and most work manual labor jobs or sell things they grow or make. They figure that they have done okay without school; so, they see no reason to send their children. Yet, they struggle through life in the barrio, scraping by on next to nothing.

Life their seems to age people much more quickly than anywhere else I have been. Anielka, Empowerment International’s Program Director, introduced us to one woman who can’t be more than 35 but is missing all but two teeth. We met another woman in her 20s who more like she is in her 40s. It is very evident that these women have worked hard every day of their lives caring for their families. We can’t imagine the type of trials and tribulations they have experienced.

Yet, the barrio seems in some ways doomed to repeat this cycle. Anielka tells us that the program has a difficult time keeping the older girls in school. Many of them drop out at age 14, 15, or 16 because they fall in love or become pregnant. These young couples end up setting up a house of their own in the barrio or moving in with their parents to get by. The girls rely on their boyfriends to provide for them.

Empowerment International definitely has its hands full.

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

Another EI presentation gets featured on SlideShare home page. Check it out!

- Neha Singh

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$100 is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school for a year. Imagine, for the price of a pair of Nikes you can help a child attend school for one year! If the idea interests you, please click on the link below or contact us -

Last year Margarita lost her father and consequently her motivation to continue her studies. If it were not for the home visits by the team at Empowerment International, she would have dropped out of school all together.

However, thanks to the frequent counseling by the team, a new bond of trust was formed and not only did she resume her studies but also started interning for EI. In fact, she has become the first person in her family to go to college, inspiring her younger brother to follow in her able footsteps.

There are many such stories hiding within the crowded barrios of Granada.

Stories of parents who considered education a waste of time until personal interaction with the EI volunteers changed their perspectives.Stories of teenagers tired of juggling physically demanding jobs and mentally challenging studies, but, nevertheless, hanging on after getting inspired by EI workers to finish studies.

A lot of this change in attitude can be credited to the consistent and encouraging home visits carried out by the EI team. Thanks to these visits, children have improved their school attendance, school grades, and neatness on their workbooks. Today, children as well as parents who failed to understand the need of education, are the most eager participants in EI’s program.

The objective of the home visits is to make sure that the children are attending school and are improving their educational process. Their backpacks and workbooks are reviewed in order to check that they are using the materials provided by EI. The staff also observes their personal hygiene and use of backpacks and uniforms (both provided by EI). Also, the team tries to teach the parents how to best provide positive feedback to their children regardless of their own education level. Sometimes this takes a bit of creativity.<

A home visit becomes a significant tool to monitor and follow up on children’s school activities. The visits take place throughout the year and the strengths and weaknesses of the kids are analyzed. The basic aim is to learn about the problems faced by the students. Many tend to lose interest in studies due to the difficulties encountered in balancing school and work (which they need to do to sustain themselves and their families).

The staff of EI gathers information regarding attendance and grades through meetings with the school personnel every two months. With that information in hand, the staff then determines the causes behind poor grades or low attendance. Sometimes students themselves are unwilling to continue studies but often, parents are at fault too. Therefore, the staff meets with the parents on a monthly basis and discusses the difficulties while asking for their support during the following month.

The main idea of the home visits is to establish a strong rapport between parents, children, Nicaraguan Staff, and EI interns. Personal visits help establish trust between the volunteers and the families and allows direct communication with them. Importantly, these home visits prevent school drop outs through constant monitoring, support and counseling.

In a nutshell, home visits aim to groom kids into confident, educated and healthy individuals ready for a bright future.

- Neha Singh

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

A photograph can speak a thousand words.

It can show that you do not require the most sophisticated cameras to capture the true essence of a scene. It can also show that you do not need to be a professional to make poetry out of an everyday activity.

And, most importantly, it can show that children with no means or exposure can wield their cameras like paint brushes and create masterpieces out of the drudgeries of life.

The idea of using photography as a means of honing children’s creativity hit Kathy in 2003 when she started with Joseline who was 8 years old then. Kathy knew the idea would be a hit but had never imagined how well it would actually work out.

After all, these kids were not your average carefree symbols of happiness, plied with the latest gadgets and toys.

The kids that EI works with live an extremely harsh life in the most shockingly poor conditions. They do not have the simplest necessities of life like safe homes or running water, leave alone electronic gadgets like digital cameras. Besides, this photography program was to be started for the most at-risk kids, the ones who had the highest chances of defaulting.

Still, the experiment began in an organized way in July, 2007 in the filthy slums of Granada with 15 nervous students. The beginning was jittery with most students finding it hard to hold the camera steady. But, amazing though it may sound, few of these kids who had never before held a camera managed to create unbelievably artistic shots within half an hour of the first class! This goes on to show that talent and hard work always persist over the worst conditions and the least resources.

As can be imagined, the photography workshop leader was thrilled with the results. The pictures were not jut simple snapshots of any still life but carefully framed posters of the most ordinary objects made extraordinary by their unique points of capture. After about a week of classes, 8 dedicated students were short-listed for the program. They were taught in two batches and timing was adjusted to suit their school schedules. The progress of these 8 kids has been very inspiring. Their photographs posted on Flickr have generated some of the most appreciative comments and numerous “awards”.

The only male in the photography classes is Colochon. This 15 year old boy is not only one of the most creative in the class but also the most at risk of moving on to the other side of law. With a recent loss of his father and a very real possibility of getting hooked to gangs and illegal activities, photography seems to be one of the only positive aspects of his life.

Extremely passionate and creative, this lad could easily go places if shown the right direction. He surprised everyone with his sensitivity when he suggested the idea of shooting elderly homeless people and child workers to raise awareness about them. This idea is to be one of the next EI projects in June. Advanced classes will be offered to him and other interested kids in summer.

It has been statistically determined that most female participants in the EI program (and in Nicaragua in general) often drop out by the time they are around thirteen years old, putting this category of participants at high risk. Photography, thus, became an engaging attraction for these kids who stayed on due to the innovative classes offered.

Joseline was the first unofficial participant. She started out by taking photos of kids entering the program as founder Kathy Adams interviewed them. She has matured into a phenomenal photographer and an excellent student who is still very much with EI. Just like her, several other kids, who might have cut short their education, have been tempted into sticking with the program. Photography has become the most loved extra-curricular activity that helps the kids channel their creative energies into timeless creations.

What is absolutely delightful is that these kids try to go beyond the usual technicalities and look deep into the soul of the scenery. A leaf becomes a canvas for shadow play. Fruits change into colorful paintings. A sunrise becomes a light from heaven. Tractors convert into dusty compositions of harvest. A pup becomes the symbol of these kids’ sad lives.

The heart wrenching conditions of these children are completely contrasted by the sheer magnificence of their lovely photographs. Every photo shows a mind crying out to have better opportunities and a heart determined to change the misery of life. Just look at the world through the eyes of the photographers and you see stories of hope amidst misery and courage in the face of devastation.

- Neha Singh

About Empowerment International

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

This is the final part of the interview with Anielka who has been with EI every step of the way.

How is a typical day, or week?

A typical Monday:

I arrive at the office at 8 a.m. I start the computers, read the mails, and answer when needed. Later on, I review the report from the prior week in order to learn what we need to do during the current week.

I write up on the wall board what we need to finish, whether it is the completion of the database about the program’s sponsors, translation of the letters written by the children to their sponsors, filing of the records of the children’s activities, mailing the materials of the Program Sponsor, visiting homes, visiting a school and chatting with the teacher, gathering the reports on the assistance we have facilitated, updation of the medical reports, etc.

We prioritize each of those issues based on their importance. Once we know what we need to do, we decide on how and when to do it, (time table), in such a way that the volunteers and I know what each will be doing.

To wrap this up, if we need to work at the office, then we put on some music and we go to work! At l2 or l2:30 we have an hour for lunch. The volunteers leave since they only work part-time. I return to the office and work until 5 p.m.

If we need to go to visit the barrio we grab our bottles of water and go visit the children. Usually, after we visit the barrios we talk over the accomplishments we observed and difficulties we found in some cases and how we can help if it is within our mission scope.

How did you like your visit to United States?

It was one of the best experiences I have lived all my life. Thanks EI!!!

How does the health program work?

Tickets from partner organization Clinica Alabama are purchased when we need them. Then, we distribute the tickets to the children in our program who are ill. They are then able to use the ticket to go to the clinic and receive care and medicine.

These tickets are managed by a mother who belongs to the Board. If a child is ill, the parents or guardians need to go to this mother’s house, fill a form with the child’s information, and the symptoms the child has. Once the form has been filled the ticket is handed over to the person and then they can go to the Clinic to receive both medical attention and medication. At the end of the month we compile the filled forms and then we prepare a monthly report.

How does EI work in unison with Pronat on their English and computer classes?

The Pronat’s director advises us when a new term starts, usually by calling me to a meeting. They inform us that there is space for 10 to 15 girls according to availability they may have. We then review our list of participants, look girls who meet the requisites set by Pronat and who are good candidates to be in those classes.

How does the program “Sponsor a Child” work? How are the children selected? How do you decide the conditions for them to remain within the program?

The program “Sponsor a Child” uses a database that has information about the children and their sponsors. Here we have registered those children who have a sponsor and how many are without one; when a child has a new sponsor; when a sponsor decides to renew the sponsorship. Kathy sends me a mail, then I update that information on the database, I write up the date the scholarship begins or is renewed, and then I prepare the time table of when the sponsor will receive the “Welcome” packet and the children’s activities for a period of one year. In this way, on a monthly basis, I know what activity needs to be reported to the sponsor.

The sponsors are assigned to the children still waiting for one, according to the database, but if there is a child who may be ready to be sponsored but is missing school too frequently or has poor grades, I rather have him/her on standby since he/she may not be a good candidate to have a sponsor, after all. This type of child could leave the program and the scholarship right in the middle of the year, and that is not good for us.

There are conditions to keep a child in the program: if the child is not meeting the requirements, shows little interest, he/she cannot stay with us. At the end of the year the staff makes an evaluation which contains several factors such as school attendance, behavior, grades, interest from the child and his/her parents.

If we think the child had a difficulty which can be overcome next year, then we prepare a special contract on which both the child and his/her parents write down their own goals. We keep a follow-up of this child. If after given this opportunity, the child still does not show improvement then he/she will be terminated from the program without any further options to come back as participant in EI.

Which are your favorite job’s responsibilities?

My favorite responsibilities are:

The “Sponsor a Child” program.

The Home visits.

The visits to Costa Rica.

About Empowerment International

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

Following is the continuation of the interview with Anielka, our Program Director.

Do you think EI is successful? Tell us the reason why, if so.

Yes, it is absolutely successful. Each year it is growing and improving the participant selection process. We have been fortunate to have excellent volunteers and staff who have added a lot of value. And now the community volunteers have become an integral part of our program model.

We partner with other organizations instead of creating new programs. For example we have a partnership with Pronat, an organization that offers computer classes to underprivileged girls and women.

Each year 12 positions are open for our teen girls. This offers them opportunity to receive computer classes, thus allowing the girls to participate in the technology field.

We have children who, thanks to our help, have finished primary school, moving forward to the next phase which is high school. We have had two girls graduate from High School who are now in the University while also interning in our program.

On a personal note, I have witnessed positive changes in the parents and the children; the parents have assumed more responsibility and interest in their children’s education. If it had not been for EI many children could have not continued with their education, especially when difficulties arise, since we are always facilitating solutions for these so the children can go on with their educational process. (Our program’s aim is for the children to stay in school).

What kind of impact has the program had with the children in the community since you have been working with the organization?

The fact that most of the school-age children are studying with our support has had an impact on the community. The parents are aware that we are an organization with integrity and well established principles. The children and their parents are more responsible with their education. Now, we have developed strong relationships with the schools who understand what we are working for. In Granada, more people know about us and we have been asked to serve other communities.

Are you in charge of the program in Costa Rica, too? How does the program and the situation in Costa Rica compare to Nicaragua’s?

Yes, actually I am in charge of the program in Costa Rica. My point of view is that there is no comparison between the two countries. Costa Rica is a country much more developed in the educational and economic areas than Nicaragua.

The educational system in Costa Rica is more advanced. Schools offer better working conditions for the children on the academics as well as in the infrastructure. The Costa Rican government offers more opportunities to the people, from a scholarship through a scholarship fund, a daily full lunch for the children, up to the building of houses for the families. On the other hand, the Nicaraguan government does not offer any opportunity to the children. It is said that the education is free here but no one offers the necessary conditions so the children can receive a good quality of education, let alone the government itself.

As far as the program is concerned, I travel 4 times a year trying to do the same work as in Nicaragua: visiting the children, the schools to talk with the teachers and the parents. But we do not have the human resources in Costa Rica to offer an ongoing follow-up at the schools and homes as we do in Nicaragua; that is the reason why the program in Costa Rica has not grown. The education quality in Costa Rica is superior than in our country, and the children and the parents are more motivated than those in my country.

About Empowerment International

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

Here is the first part of an interview with Anielka, the Program Director of EI and a tireless worker loved by everyone here in EI.

How did EI find you?

Earlier I was an elementary school teacher at a school where EI had participants in the afternoon., and in the morning I was working in the school’s administrative office.

One day Kathy came in to learn more about the school and I happened to be there to greet her. I mentioned at one point to Kathy and Leen Jille (an EI volunteer) that I was interested in looking for a new job someday in the future.

Upon finishing our conversation, Leen, asked me if I would like to work for the organization in the future, to which I responded right away “yes.” Later on I was called to have an interview; we had lunch with 5 people who interviewed me for a long while. After that, they offered me a part-time position which later turned into a full time one.

Do you like to work for EI?

I like my job very much; I have a passion for it. I had been a teacher for 10 years. The opportunity to keep working in the education field with children and young people of my country, and to establish a direct contact with them and their families make me feel that I am an asset to the Nicaraguan society. Above all, it fulfills me with a great personal and professional satisfaction.

What makes EI a great organization / or maybe a not so great one?

EI is a great organization in this country and what makes it different from other organizations is the direct contact we have with its staff, the volunteers, and the children and their families. Not only are we giving away material things, but we are trying to improve the participants’ quality of life by making positive and significant changes and by encouraging and motivating them to move forward on their own. We are only the facilitators.

What kind of experience have you acquired, or have learned during the time working for EI?

The time spent working for EI has had the same effects on me as it has on the participants of the program; working for EI has taught me to be a more sensitive person. Living so close to the children’s limitations, has taught me to appreciate what I have – my family, friends, and home – even more. I have learned to be more patient and tolerant towards others. I have been learning English and leadership skills. I have learned to identify problems in their early stages and facilitate solutions. My computer knowledge has augmented greatly, I have been learning the culture and I have been learning how to analyze social problems and to become a facilitator.

What do you like about the program?

I like all of it as a whole. For me, EI is a very holistic program: it includes the educational, social, and health areas, three very basic aspects in the personal and professional development of every single human being. EI truly empowers its participants and their families. It gives them the sense that they are part of the solution and not just being handed a solution.

About Empowerment International

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

What do you do when asked to help in an area that is frustratingly remote and painfully difficult to work in? If you are a member of EI, you collect all the essentials, rent a pickup truck, and hop in its back to deal with the challenge head on!

In fact, this is exactly what happened when EI was approached by community leaders at Santa Ana de Malacos, a rural location, often accessible just by horses and mules. It didn’t matter that no one wanted to work in this remote location; the team at EI took up the challenge.

Their first task was to distribute school supplies like backpacks and uniforms to the children of Santa Ana de Malacos. On February 3rd, the distribution was successfully completed with the help of the Rotary Club. Students as well as parents showed their interest by being present in large numbers.

Anielka, the EI Nicaraguan program director, says about the distribution program, “When we started the program, the children and their parents listened intently to the instructions and were very friendly with the staff. Once the work was completed the parents helped in the cleaning of the classroom and asked questions about the program”.

This overall participation from the community is what EI aims to achieve because only when every child as well as parent participates actively, will there be sustainable progress. It is, therefore, always heartening to see the enthusiasm and interest of the children and parents.

What is even more heartening is that those students, who once were being helped by EI, now help EI with the tasks! Margarita is one of the young girls who graduated from high school against many odds and is about to attend university via EI. This talented student is now an intern at EI and assists new children in receiving education and support. When the distribution of supplies to school started, she was one of the main team players. It is touching to note what she had to say on the day after the distribution.

“When I saw the children wearing the new uniforms and carrying their new backpacks, I was overwhelmed with happiness. I am sure I will never forget this experience and pray to God that someday I start a program like this and help many children.”

On the distribution day, not only did EI distribute backpacks and uniforms to children at Santa Ana de Malacos but also distributed supplies to 200 children in Granada, the main location where EI works.
No challenge was big enough for the brave volunteers.

If there was a lack of funds – “we found everything at the lowest cost after scouring all the markets”

If there was too much work – “all parents came over to the office to help in the packing of the supplies which were going to be awarded”.

When hungry and tired – “we looked at the beaming faces of the kids and knew that this was the best compensation we could receive”.

EI not only provides all the school supplies to the children but far more importantly, provides the much needed support and guidance.

Each family needs to be convinced about the importance of education so that all guardians help their kids with their education. EI uses a special “contract” to ensure that each child completes his education. According to these contracts (which every parent must agree to before receiving all the supplies), the parents need to agree to complete the year, support the child in the best way they can, work with EI and learn, and make an effort to keep the child’s attendance high. The parents are also required to attend a monthly community meeting where everyone shares their stories and problems.

Inscription day is always an important function for EI. Teen volunteers, parents, and EI staff work tirelessly, often more than 10 hours per day, to give the new supplies, and cherish, what Carla terms as, “the beautiful smiles of happiness” of kids. Carla is another young worker in EI who started out as a volunteer, hoping to build up her computer skills and her passion and enthusiasm earned her first right to a position when EI needed a new employee.

A week after the inscription in Granada and Santa Ana de Malacos, Anielka went to distribute supplies to 46 children in Costa Rica, a country much more successful than Nicaragua in development and literacy. This is where EI first started. Today, after 9 years, the families there understand the importance of education and are confident and capable of handling the education of their children on their own. The fact that they “get” the need of education is definitely a high point and EI aims to achieve that and more in the impoverished and neglected communities of Nicaragua.

This year EI has more than 230 kids in Nicaragua. They need to be provided with the school supplies like uniforms and backpacks as they are too poor to purchase them. They must learn to be resourceful, using community and more educated family (often older siblings) as support when school presents challenges, as many parents are uneducated and often illiterate. They have to be encouraged and supported throughout the year to attend classes as the temptation to drop out when situations get tight is strong. Their parents have to be counseled on the need for continuous encouragement and ways to check their child’s progress.

This process, which needs to be carried out for each child, may become frustratingly slow and painfully laborious at times. However, for the team at EI, it is work as usual as they prepare for the new set of (more than) 230 challenges.

- Neha Singh

About Empowerment International

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

We have all worked hard as a team of donors, volunteers, and local staff over the last 9 years with the goal of making a true and lasting difference in impoverished lives by investing in children’s education.

Today I can say we are definitely seeing the fruits of our labor emerge. The Nicaragua Press is recognizing this as well.

In December of 2007, for the first time, we had two of our students graduate from High School within our Nicaragua program. This is no small feat from the very impoverished country of Nicaragua, where only 50% of all children that enroll in first grade actually complete 6th grade.* Now these young ladies have found sponsors who will assist them to embark on the next level of success. They will be attending the University, one studying Computer Science, the other Tourism.

In return for the support, the two young ladies have started interning with EI part-time and are both loving it. Since this has been one of my personal long-term visions, to see our successful participants become active models and mentors to other program participants, I get chills as I write this.

Enjoy the article and thank you all for making this dream a reality. Little by little we all can be a part of the change in making our world a more educated, thus less impoverished place to live.

————————————

Hope for Students in Granada

Noel Gallegos END – 19:44 – 07/01/2008

Lizbeth Hernandez and Margarita Arroliga are two young women who live in Villa Esperanza, a community situated to the north of of Granada. These Teenagers, like the rest of the people in this community, find themselves in a dire financial situation.

While they have lived on the impoverished streets of this heavily populated area, they never imagined in 2008 they would be able to sit at the desks of a university in their country.

The parents of these young ladies, with limited financial resources, until not long ago could hardly pay for the high school education, and only with a huge amount of sacrifice. However, thanks to the help offered to them by the organization Empowerment International, these two young women will be able to see their dreams become a reality.

This program’s endeavor is oriented toward the social aspect of the community and is led by North American woman, Kathy Adams. The organization is a non governmental, non-profit, organization. for several years, it has been dedicated to making schooling accessible to children of low income families who lack financial means in Villa Esperanza.

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

There have been a constant stream of visitors to the office today. It’s the deadline to submit an application for EI’s 2008 program, and mothers and fathers are sitting patiently, waiting to speak with Anielka or Milagros. By the end of the day, over 135 applications have been submitted.

“I’m estimating that probably, we have around 50 spots for new students,” Anielka says. The math is not difficult.

Some families, perhaps like Reina del Carmen Morales, the mother of three, will be left out. Reina del Carmen has three children. A single mother, she earns less than a dollar a day working in the free trade zone that abuts the barrio. “What I manage to earn goes towards food,” she says. “There isn’t enough money left for uniforms, shoes, or school supplies.”

Her 15-year old daughter, Gema, is hopes to start high school this year, and she hopes that her 8-year old son, Luis Francisco, will manage to begin the third grade if he will be healthy enough. “He was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago,” Reina says. “He missed the entire school year last year.”

Medical expenses are also a concern for the small family. Luis regularly visits a hospital in Managua to receive expensive treatments – blood transfusions. They receive some help from other organizations, but hardly enough to make ends meet.

“With luck, with help, we do it,” says Reina. “I hope that the Empowerment International scholarship will make it that much easier.”

Still, it’s not yet certain whether Luis will manage to get a scholarship. Whether there is a chance for for Luis to attend school depends not only if he is well, but i there is room in the program and in how many other deserving candidates there are.

“We’re going to evaluate the applications,” says Anielka. “We’ll be looking at attendance, grades, teacher evaluations. Still though, there are so many students.” Anielka added that recently another community has sought out EI’s support. “In Santa Ana, here are another 50 students who in need as well. I don’t know if we’ll be able to help them all.

Santa Ana los Malacos is a community about 5 miles north of Granada. Anielka visited the pueblo at the behest of Sergio Cabrella, one of the two teachers who instruct the 60 or so students there.

“There are always problems,” Cabrella says. “The situation is difficult. Sometimes there’s no food at the school (students are traditionally given lunch in Nicaraguan public schools – rice and beans), and then the kids don’t attend.”

Cabrella says that around 50% of the adults in the community are unable to read, and teenage mothers – 14, 15, or 16 years old – are not uncommon. “I’ve worked there for 11 years,” he says. “In that time, we’ve been teaching class in a community center. There’s no proper school.”

That is not all that the rural agricultural community lacks. “There isn’t any potable water,” Anielka says. “Some people have wells, though most don’t even have electricity. It’s clear that there is a lot of need there.”

Whether EI will be able to step in to help is uncertain. There is need everywhere in Nicaragua, and with limited resources, it’s impossible to address it all. Still, that doesn’t mean that one should not try.

“We’ll see,” says Anielka. “We’re looking outside of Villa Esperanza for students now. Perhaps in the future, we’ll able to work in other cities as well.”

It’s clear that there is a long road to travel, not only for EI, but for the struggling families which its scholarships help support. I’m glad that despite the challenges, both EI and the hard-working families that it supports, are trying.

– by Sam Jacoby (on location)

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$30/month is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school. If you would like to help a child stay in school and get better life, please click on the link below or contact us -

For Josephina, a 14-year-old girl in Granada, Nicaragua, education is something to be cherished. Every morning she wakes up in the poorest of area of Granada Emerging from her family’s home, made from plastic bags supported by sticks, she takes a shower using a bucket. She treks two miles to attend school, and then after classes she travels another two to the market. Once there she buys the makings for various snack foods that she, her sister, and her mother sell on the streets every afternoon. Like many others in Nicaragua, her family’s income is about $40 per month.

Despite this life, Josephina has remained positive and excited about (click here to read more on Collecive Lens).

Josephina’s Mathematic Olympics award(by Leslie Alsheimer)

In Nicaragua 50% of the kids that start 1st grade never make it to 5th grade. It is our goal to make this percentage drop significantly.

$100 is what it takes us at Empowerment International to put a child in school for a year. Imagine, for the price of a pair of Nikes you can help a child attend school for one year! If the idea interests you, please click on the link below or contact us -