Sixty percent of Nicaragua's population lives in urban areas (mainly in Managua and surrounding communities), and the growth rate in urban areas is twice that of rural areas. However,

the majority of land and economic output is rural and steeped in agriculture.

This, combined with the fact that 43 percent of citizens are under the age of 15, puts significant pressure on community development initiatives in these rural areas to maintain economic and cultural strength.

To read more about Applied Technology issues in Nicaragua, click here.

FSD interns, volunteers, and donors join efforts with community development organizations throughout Nicaragua to:

• Offer community workshops for poor, rural farmers on topics such as microcredit opportunities, natural medicine, preventative health, domestic violence, agricultural management, cooking, nutrition, and organic agriculture.
• Support the expansion of a women's community market for local entrepreneurs.
• Recruit youth from local communities to become peer educators on issues including reproductive health and birth control methods. Youth groups work not only in their own communities but also in secondary schools and rural areas by organizing talks and workshops, and training other youth leaders to multiply their efforts.
• Plan and host community educational workshops and discussions that address vocational skills, local leadership, and education curriculum for local schools.
• Provide resources to organizations that address sexual and intra-familial violence, vocational and technical training, HIV/AIDS awareness, and legal assistance for rights violations.
• Preserve indigenous cultures by assisting the building and maintenance of a local museum to house artifacts found from nearby archeological digs.

Read more about Applied Technology programs and opportunities initiated by our Community Partners in Nicaragua.

For a description of the opportunities available in each development subject addressed by FSD in Nicaragua, click on the links below:

Microfinance & Microenterprise • Environmental Sustainability • Child and Maternal Health
Youth Education & Development • Gender Equity • Applied Technology • Human Rights

Click here to return back to the Nicaragua home page.