Cycles of poverty deeply affect many people in Nicaragua. Unavailability of credit, lack of infrastructure, inflation, unemployment, and the nature of seasonal agricultural labor make Nicaragua one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. As with all poverty, the most immediate threat is malnutrition, affecting 1 in 4 people nationally and 40% of all rural residents.

Lack of healthcare and sanitation dramatically reduce quality and length of life. While only 2% of rural Nicaraguans have access to sewer/septic services, none of the remote villages we serve have such access. With only 18% of all people having clean water, tropical parasites are a constant problem, as are respiratory problems due to volcanic activity and indoor cook fires.

Natural disasters are common in Nicaragua; hurricanes and tropical storms trigger flooding and mudslides, paying a toll on infrastructure and human suffering. There are a staggering 8 active volcanoes in the areas we serve, some of them streaming a constant flow of toxic gases.