Tengo un Sueño supports 29 fifth and sixth grade students (“dreamers”) by providing an English teacher, two full-time community coordinators, uniforms, shoes, school supplies, along with 4 times a week English lessons and a warm lunch. The program is unique in scope. It is a 17-year agreement among parents, teachers, and organizers to nurture these children during their academic journey. It is currently in its 7th year. The goal is to support each child and ensure that they get to secondary school and then college. This project is taking place at the Hermandad MaryKnoll Elementary School in the rural community of Chacraseca (5 km east of León). The cost per child for this project is currently $25 per month or $300 per year.
About three-quarters of rural, working class children in Nicaragua don't make it past primary school (5th grade). Both programs focus on not only funding for educational resources, but also getting other members of the community involved in the hope that education becomes a shared value.
About three-quarters of rural, working class children in Nicaragua don't make it past primary school (5th grade). Both programs focus on not only funding for educational resources, but also getting other members of the community involved in the hope that education becomes a shared value.
NicaArts
The NicaArts program facilitates arts and literacy activities in the town of El Castillo and its surrounding one-room school houses. El Castillo is a remote town of about 1,500 people nestled along the San Juan river on Nicaragua's southern border. For the last four years, NicaArts has been working in conjunction with the town library to teach poetry and theater workshops, publish student work, organize art contests, facilitate reading challenges, bring books and supplies to rural schools, and put on poetry and reading festivals. NicaArts also focuses on expanding the holdings and outreach of the community's library. NicaArts has received grant funding from Florida International University, the US embassy in Nicaragua, and grassroots fundraising.