On the first day of the OSU study abroad trip to Nicaragua, students and staff visited the Fabretto Children’s Foundation. At this program, children who live in and around the community of La Chureca, the Managua city dump, are offered educational and after school tutoring opportunities. Classes are offered to children age sixteen and up to develop business skills that can help them become successful. The skills developed help students work with a cash register, PC operator, graphic design, and provide basic computer skills.
Children age 14 and older also participate in a program called NicaHOPE, a jewelry workshop created to provide families a way to earn money. The program also encourages children to go to school so that they can participate in the after school program. Students get to keep the profit from each piece of jewelry that they make. They can earn $800-$1000 cordoba($29-$36 U.S. Dollars) working 2-3 nights a week, where they would normally only make $1-$2 per week in the city dump.
The city dump has been shut down for nearly two years now, but was once the way the many families earned money. The trash was picked through and sold on the street for money and families even ate the food that was found in the dump. Even after it has been shut down, some families risk getting arrested and fined by going through the trash to earn money for their families. NicaHOPE offers an alternative way for families to earn money and keeps children in school.
For more information about the foundation, to get involved, or shop for jewelry to support the children visit www.nicahope.org.
Donna Stites
Brittany Scott