About Nicaragua
Over the last 25 years, Nicaragua endured a revolution, civil war, environmental disasters, and a president that embezzled over $100 million from the people. This maelstrom of events left 50 percent of the country below the poverty line and without sufficient employment, infrastructure, health care, and education.
Although the nation is rich with biodiversity, much of the land is being decimated by unsustainable agriculture and landmines left over from the Contra War. Human rights violations, child labor, and intra-familial abuse are commonplace and emblematic of the nation's pain due to war and corruption.
Click here to read an overview about development issues in Nicaragua.
FSD has two programs in Nicaragua. With headquarters in Ciudad Sandino since 1995, the founding site of FSD has been working with community partners in Masaya, Ciudad Sandino, Jinotepe, and ChagĂĽitillo. Ciudad Sandino (pop. 75,000) lies 13 kilometers from Managua and is the poorest district in Nicaragua, with refugees settling from various natural disasters. It is characterized by poor infrastructure, high unemployment, and extreme poverty. Offering better infrastructure, Jinotepe and Masaya are cities of about 100,000 people. ChagĂĽitillo is a rural town in northern Nicaragua that is known for coffee growing.
FSD’s newest program site is in Tola in Rivas State in the southwestern part of Nicaragua along the Pacific coast. The program will open in Spring 2009 in this small city (pop. 19,894) which is the municipal seat of a primarily rural area extending over 477 sq kms. The area incorporates more than 60 communities of subsistence farmers, salt miners, and fisherpersons. Tola contains much natural beauty but very poor infrastructure, low socioeconomic indicators and few sustainable development opportunities. FSD aims to catalyze the sustainable development opportunities that abound in the region. It is an exciting location for more advanced potential participants seeking to contribute to baseline community and organizational development by implementing innovative approaches, key practices, and pilot programs.
FSD works with nearly 50 NGOs throughout Nicaragua to address a spectrum of development issues at the grassroots level. Interns, volunteers, and donors combine efforts with FSD to engage community-driven development in a sustainable manner. Read about our Community Partners to learn more about their work in Nicaragua and how you can get involved.
For a description of the opportunities available in each development subject addressed by FSD in Nicaragua, click on the links below:
Microfinance • Environment • Health • Youth and Education
Women's Empowerment • Community Development • Human Rights