"According to Nicaraguan government statistics [2002], Nicaragua suffers from 54% unemployment (the area where we[CDCA] work the most has 80% unemployment). Ciudad Sandino has an infrastructure designed for only 40,000 people and yet it houses 147,000…

“Health care for poor Nicaraguans  is slowly disappearing. Infant mortality rate is 37 per 1000 live births, and the maternal mortality rate is 150 per 100,000 live births. (United Nations Human Development Report 2002 [UNHD])

“Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. It is ranked 118th in the Human Development Index. 50.3% of its citizens live below the poverty line (United Nations Human Development Report 2002). 25% live in extreme poverty (International Development Association and International Monetary Fund). 20% of Nicaragua's children are malnourished.[1]”

Microenterprise Loans

"With an area of Nicaragua suffering from more than 80% unemployment, people need to create jobs. Without jobs and with no social welfare, Nicaraguans are living without the basic necessities of life: decent housing, clean water, latrines, food, clothing, and medical care" (CDHA)

Microenterprise Loans

"With an area of Nicaragua suffering from more than 80% unemployment, people need to create jobs. Without jobs and with no social welfare, Nicaraguans are living without the basic necessities of life: decent housing, clean water, latrines, food, clothing, and medical careThey are watching their children suffer and die... literally.

They are being driven to do anything to get money. Women prostitute, children beg, teenagers steal, and men work at odd jobs and ask for donations.

The desire to work is not a problem. When jobs are available a long day's labor earns less than $3.00 a day. Meanwhile a pound of beans costs $0.40, a pound of rice $0.25, and a gallon of gasoline more than $2.00. (CDHA)

Nicaraguan banks are making loans at 18 - 20% interest when the loan is made in dollars and 18 - 24% when it is in cordobas, the national currency. These loans are made primarily to big business and to big agribusiness. This "loan availability" is designed to strengthen large prosperous endeavors and discourages the small, creative plans of ordinary hard working people, who find their loan requests always denied for lack of collateral in the face of exorbitant interest rates.

The CDCA has a revolving loan fund for these creative initiatives. We have funded various small businesses: motorcycle repair, small neighborhood stores, school uniform sewing shops, and freezers for neighborhood ice vendors. For information on larger loans see Sustainable Economic Development Projects" (CDCA, see website for more information.)

***This is why the school garden approach to teach children how to farm and raise crops by bringing in local farmers is critical. Especially when 50% of the population is under 18! Encouraging the consumption of locally grown heritage crops is essential to nutrition and self-sufficiency in the face of overwhelming oppression.

We must encourage local food production to feed local markets.