CARE in Nicaragua
In spite of progress, 48 per cent of Nicaraguans still live in poverty. The country is affected by widespread unemployment, low income and lack of access to health, education, water and sanitation.
In Nicaragua we:
- provide access to clean water and sanitation
- work to reduce child labour
- help people set up small businesses so they can earn a living
- help communities to speak out on issues that concern them and influence decision makers
We’ve been working uninterrupted in Nicaragua since 1966, despite political turmoil and civil war. We work in partnership with poor communities to improve their living standards and in times of disaster we provide emergency relief to help people rebuild their lives.
Hurricane Felix battered Nicaragua’s North Atlantic Coast in 2007. Approximately 200,000 acres of crops were destroyed and 50 percent of the population lacked access to potable water and sanitation facilities.
CARE and its local partners have provided relief aid to over 37 communities and reached a target population well above 9,000 inhabitants affected by the hurricane, namely located along the Río Coco and also in the “llano” region of the municipality of Waspam.
CARE in action:
Creating lasting change
We are providing safe drinking water, basic sanitation, health education and community development training to nearly 15,000 Nicaraguans living in rural communities.
Improving maternal and neonatal healthcare
We are working to reduce the number of infants and pregnant women who die unnecessarily in the Department of Matagalpa. We’re improving access to quality healthcare, health clinics and training health leaders, as well as raising awareness about the health risks pregnant women and infants face.
Protecting the environment
We’re working with local communities to prevent environmental degradation in La Majada and the Pire River. We’re teaching people about why they need to, and how they can, protect their environment, through things like farming techniques that increase crop yields without depleting natural resources.
Earning a decent living
Over the next two years, we’ll be working to improve the quality of life of small agri-business owners in the Estelí Department. We’re helping producers compete in national and international markets, as well as using new techniques to fight plagues that damage their crops.
What we do
