Buenaventura Project, Nicaragua

See the progress you helped make happen in your sponsored community

When the project started, schools lacked classrooms, supplies and well-trained teachers. Many families didn't have access to clean water or hygienic toilets and malnutrition and illnesses like diarrhoea were common.

Thanks to your support, your sponsored child and other children in the Buenaventura community have improved access to clean water, education, healthcare and nutritious food.

Together we've achieved so much

10 schools were renovated

This, along with the provision of furniture and teaching materials at 23 schools has helped to improve the learning environment for children.

  • 52 teachers completed skills straining to improve the quality of education at local primary and high schools. This has helped to lift students’ academic performance.
  • The primary school drop-out rate almost halved, falling from 15 percent in 2007 to eight percent in 2016. The provision of school supplies and bicycles has helped more children to stay in school.
  • 109 youths completed vocational training courses to help them develop their own small businesses.

205 health brigade members have been trained

They are now qualified to deliver health education to families in their neighbourhoods.

  • 30 maternal counsellors were trained in breastfeeding practices, enabling 293 mothers to learn about the importance of breastfeeding for babies.
  • 89 volunteer “guide mothers"" were trained how to implement a community-based child nutrition program called the “Common Pot”, which teaches mothers how to prepare healthy meals for their families.
  • 286 household and 31 school fruit and vegetable gardens were established to provide children with access to more nutritious food. This benefited 1,959 children.

Four boreholes have been rehabilitated

This, along with the distribution of 650 water filters, has helped to improve access to clean water.

  • The project collaborated with the local municipality to increase the number of homes with piped water supply from 17.2 percent in 2008 to 48.3 percent in 2016.
  • 97 household toilets and two school toilet blocks were built to improve hygiene in the local community and reduce the spread of diseases like diarrhoea.
  • Hygiene education has also been conducted to encourage children and families to practise healthy habits such as hand-washing.

"The contribution of the program has been very valuable for the development of the activities that contribute to the prevention of diseases and the improvement of the health in families."

- Matha Garcia, Ministry of Health