Our Work
Our community development model focuses on long-term, sustainable growth in rural Nicaraguan communities.
Transforming life through:
Leadership
Community Owns Everything
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Developing community leaders to change their own community is at the very core of what we do. Every community elects leaders for community development, water system management, and youth development. We bring these committees together to share ideas, learn strategies, and inspire hope in the future of their community.
TECHNICAL TRAINING
Impact through Leadership
Abundant Generosity
The first goal of our community development model Plan 7 pertains to leadership: that in every community we partner with, local leaders are the owners...
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Before the BazaarÂ
Written by:  Lynnaya Preuss I love a good garage sale. As a little girl, I would scooter around the neighborhood looking for a special treasure...
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What do we take to heaven?
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the impact of our work at Amigos for Christ. To date, we’ve served alongside over 20,000+ individuals living...
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Water
Clean Water and a Bathroom
WATER SYSTEMS
In rural Nicaragua, 69% of families lack access to clean water in their homes. We build water systems that bring water directly to each family’s home to ensure access to clean, abundant water 24/7. This improves families’ health and frees up time and resources for them focus on education and economic development.
MODERN BATHROOMS
WATER FOR CHINANDEGA
There are 500,000 people living in the department of Chinandega. Our dream is for each and every one of them to have access to clean water and modern bathroom. Over the next several years, our team will make this dream a reality.
Impact through Water
Clean water changes everything
You make this possible! This summer, our community came together in a powerful way, raising $230,000 to provide clean, running water to over 142 families...
Read More >>The story of Mayocunda
Working JUNTOS The community of Mayocunda has always struggled for access to water. They collaborated with another organization six years ago to build a water...
Read More >>Access to clean water is a blessing!
Water for Chinandega was born from a simple question: What if Amigos for Christ could lead the charge in providing clean, running water in every...
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Health
Reduce Preventable Disease
HABIT CHANGE
MOBILE HEALTH LAB
Our commitment to families’ health extends to the identification and treatment of various illnesses. Our Mobile Health Lab visits communities to test, diagnose, and treat parasites, kidney disease, and respiratory disease.Â
CLEAN AIR KITCHENS
Every person that cooks over an open flame suffers from respiratory problems. Our kitchen model features a smokeless stove and a tiled food preparation area that helps prevent sickness and disease caused by unhealthy food preparation conditions.
SURGICAL CARE
We partner with local hospitals to provide life-changing surgeries. Medical brigades from the United States come to Nicaragua several times a year to assist with surgeries for Nicaraguans in need.
Impact through Health
What a kitchen can do ?
What happens to a girl who helps her mom in Nicaragua every day? She cleans. She watches siblings. She cooks. Her days are filled with...
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Health, Sustainability, and Employment
Glenda Montoya loves to cook. One wall of her home in Rancho Pando is entirely covered by her collection of hoyas and cacerolas. As a...
Read More >>Final Bathrooms are in for Espabel
In early February 2023, a church from Iowa called City Point came to Amigos to support the construction of Modern Bathrooms in the community of...
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Education
Every Child in School
INCREASED EDUCATION COMMITMENT
In Nicaragua, only 40% of youth complete high school. Working alongside communities, we facilitate after-school activities, offer tutoring and professional development opportunities, and regularly visit with families to encourage school attendance.Â
SCHOLARSHIPS
We work to remove the barriers to secondary education by covering tuition, supplies, and transportation through our Young Leaders in Action scholarship program. We have formal partnerships with local high schools and universities to ensure that our students have every opportunity for a better future.Â
FUEL THE FUTURE
We build community-led cafeterias that provide breakfast and lunch to all students. This program serves as an incentive for families to send their children to school and improves students’ overall nutrition.
BUILDING SCHOOLS
We are committed to ensuring all children have access to an education. We build model schools with innovative learning environments where attendance and educational opportunities are top priorities. Read more about one of our model school projects here.Â
Impact through Education
Dreams of Excellence
When we first met Jimmy, he was a young student in a small makeshift primary school in the rural community of La Chuscada. Living just down...
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Boy Washing Hands
We hope for many things at the Amigos for Christ Academy. We hope our students are safe, we hope they know they are loved, and...
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Building Character
Francisco Jesús Flores Barba is a star baseball player, and he was one of the first student athletes to participate in the Amigos for Christ...
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Economic Development
Increase Income by 10% Annually
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
In the communities we serve, the average daily income is $1.40 per person per day. We want families to thrive, not just survive. Our team works alongside families through regular house visits and trainings that are focused on budgeting, developing small businesses, and growing family income by 10% each year.
MICROCREDIT LOAN PROGRAM
In rural Nicaragua, high interest rates routinely destroy families’ financial freedom and dreams. We’ve found that access to low interest capital and technical assistance makes all the difference for families. Our 5-year program provides the opportunity to maximize profit, increase savings, and end the cycle of debt.Â
1 MANZANA PROJECT
Despite having the world’s most fertile volcanic soil, generating a profit from small-scale farming can be nearly impossible in rural Nicaragua. We partner with local farmers to create sustainable organic farms that allow families to grow their income and become debt free.Â
Impact through Economic Development
Leading the Way
On a small farm surrounded by vast sugar cane fields, William Matamoros continued to lead the charge of bringing transformation to the community of El...
Read More >>Congratulations, Microcredit Class of 2023!
At the end of March, Amigos celebrated a graduation ceremony with 16 of our microcredit beneficiaries. It was a family event, as beneficiaries brought spouses,...
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You Won’t Succeed If You Never Try
Meet one of the newest beneficiaries of the Amigos pig farm project. Francisco grew up in the community of Valle los Morenos, and he has...
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