Support Education in Nicaragua
Education
is essential for sustainable community, family, and personal development. In Nicaragua, unfortunately, due to the
extreme poverty in which many families live and lack of government resources,
not all children are able to attend or finish school. Approximately one-third of all Nicaraguan
students either repeat or drop out of the first grade. On a test of basic
math skills in grade three, 60
percent of students scored in the lowest level or below. It is clear that something must be done to
change these statistics and improve the level of education in Nicaragua.
We believe
that, together, by providing families
and communities with the material, economic, and academic support they need we
can help contribute to growth, development, and positive social change in
Nicaragua.
Viva
Nicaragua! supports education through the work of all of our interns and
projects. However, due to the extreme poverty in many communities we cannot
meet all the needs and many children do not have the opportunity to study. For this reason, with the support of
community leaders, activists, and interns, we created the BECAS education
sponsorship program.
What is
BECAS?
BECAS is an
innovative sponsorship program that allows donors to sponsor Nicaraguan
children young people and families at various levels of education. The scholarships are for students with high
potential and limited resources and include assistance with tuition, supplies,
books, and food. Through the BECAS
program, sponsors select either the individual children, children and their
families, or other community efforts that contribute to learning, education,
and community developement.
A little
can go a long way in guaranteeing the educational development of a child. For as little as $40 a year, a sponsor can
provide all of the materials a child needs to complete one school year. Twenty-five dollars a month can support a family and
guarantee that their children complete
school. Community education
efforts such as tutoring or a library can be supported with as little as $30
per month.
BECAS is a
revolving program designed not only to support children and their education,
but also local small business ventures and the local economy.
The BECAS program also supports development projects in that all uniforms will be made by women at
the Casa de la Mujer Women’s Center and all shoes by the Solidaridad’s shoe
business. It is designed not only to
sponsor one child, but contribute to sustainable economic and social development.
Combining the efforts of Viva Nicaragua!,
local NGO’s, and sponsors, we can
increase education levels and contribute to community development in Nicaragua.
How are
children and families selected?
The BECAS
program works with families and children in the former squatter’s community of
Solidaridad located in Granada, Nicaragua.
In this community, most of the families are supported by single mothers,
and over 70% do not have a steady income and live in situations of extreme
poverty. Many times mothers and families
do not have the resources to send their children to school or the time to help
them with their homework. Sometimes they
must pull their children out of school in order to send them to work to help
support the family. Without the ability to study, the cycle of
poverty in Solidaridad will never end.
Our goals are to support children and their families, give them
opportunities to study, and allow families and the communities to rise above
their current social and economic situation.
The children and families of BECAS were
selected after carefully interviewing families in the community. Interview questions addressed academic
performance, income, family education levels, and other socio-economic
indicators. A committee of community leaders,
Viva Nicaragua! representatives, interns, and socio-political leaders selected
the children with the greatest need and/or potential for academic
advancement.
In the
future, once the needs of children in Solidaridad have been met, we hope to
expand the BECAS program to other marginalized communities where there is need
and potential.
The BECAS
Sponsorship Programs
For each tax deductible donation, sponsors receive regular updates via
blogs and newsletters in order to learn about the progress of each family and
child.
Basic – $25 per year
The basic
program provides all of the school materials that a child needs to study,
including uniforms, shoes, books, and general school supplies. Scholarships are allocated to the needs of
each child.
Basic plus - $25 per month
In addition
to school materials/supplies, the basic plus program includes any other need
the child might have in order to excel in school. This includes English or computer classes,
tutoring, or psychological counseling if needed.
Family - $30 per month
The family
program supports any needs that a family may have that prevent a child from
receiving an adequate education. This
includes lack of economic resources for food.
Donations will be used to provide families with a basic food basket
(rice, beans, sugar, oil, pasta, tomato paste, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap). In exchange, the families must keep their
children in school and assist them with their homework.
University - $25 per month
Support a
young person with great potential and limited resources or a child who has gone
through the basic program. With as
little as $25 per month you can allow young people to realize their dreams and
continue their university education. A
university degree opens up many doors to employment opportunities and can
contribute to overall social and economic development.
Community-$30 per month
Support the
Solidaridad Community Center that offers programs for children and the
community. With your support, we would
like to build a library, hire English teachers and tutors, and eventually put
in a computer lab. We ask for a minimum
of $30 per month, however any donation is appreciated.
What do donars receive?
As a
sponsor, you will receive pictures and letters via blog updates and newsletters and yearly
program progress reports . All donations
are tax deductible.
How can I
donate?
Please contact Viva Nicaragua!
for more information on how to make your tax deductible donation to the BECAS
program.
Thank you for
your support!
CONTACT US for photos, profiles, and more information about the BECAS program.
