Most of us know that the Caribbean nation of Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, but did you know that Nicaragua is the second?

Nicaragua is just behind Haiti with the second lowest per capita income in the region.

Years of civil war between the Sandinistas and the Contras, have depleted Nicaragua’s resources. 48% of the country lives below the poverty line! Unemployment and underemployment are major problems in this strife-torn nation.

Hurricane Mitch in 1998 did tremendous damage to Nicaragua’s fruit and coffee industries, and cause widespread unemployment which they have yet to recover from.

Nicaragua has many of the same problems as its neighbors; homelessness, an abundance of gangs, prostitution, drugs, alcohol addiction and trafficking in human lives.

When we were asked by a partner ministry working with orphans and vulnerable children, to assist them with a program for older orphans to help them transition into independent living, we readily agreed. With your help, we will continue to help the orphans of Nicaragua, and hopefully expand our outreach in this poor country.

Major Issues

• Orphans
• Poverty
• Infectious diseases
• Human trafficking (women, children)