International Development
Nicaragua is a country of 5.1 million people with a land area slightly smaller than the state of New York. Its main challenge is to overcome inequity and poverty, which affect children and women most severely. Nicaragua is the third poorest country in the Americas, with a per capita gross national product of $453. Poverty affects 2.3 million persons, 831,000 of whom live in extreme poverty, mainly in the Central and Atlantic regions. One of every three children has some degree of chronic malnutrition and nine per cent suffer from severe malnutrition.
An estimated 79 per cent of primary-school-age children are enrolled [in school]. The quality and relevance of education are significant problems. It takes an average of 10.3 years to complete the mandatory six years of schooling, and only 29 per cent of children complete primary schooling. Poverty affects school participation, with many families unable to afford the direct or hidden costs. Poverty also results in child labor, which affects more than 167,000 children and adolescents.
Growing environmental degradation exacerbates poverty among children and their families. Poverty and its interaction with the environment increase already high levels of social and environmental vulnerability. Nicaragua is also prone to disasters including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and drought.
ViviendasLeon was founded to address these problems and to create ways for US citizens to engage with these and other issues confronting our neighbors. Its Rural Development Program provides essential projects for rural communities around León and a way for US students to participate in projects designed to alleviate poverty. The communities we serve are located in the center of Nicaragua's most productive agricultural region and are vital to the country's economic future. Improving rural living standards through development programs supports families, improves productivity and reduces migration to cities and neighboring countries; migration contributes to the disruption of the social and economic fabric of rural communities, and is a leading factor in the overpopulation and social conflicts found in many Latin American cities.
Rural projects are designed to benefit the community, and each community decides which project it will undertake. Most have chosen schools, which improve access to education - a principal cornerstone of lasting development, and housing - which improves family living standards. The projects are principally built using rammed earth, a traditional construction method VL has reintroduced and updated through years of research and experimentation. It is a material requiring basic skills and many hands, and is therefore ideal for student volunteers and community members alike.
Development is not limited to construction projects. Rural communities need support through education opportunities, adult training and economic development projects. When combined with construction, development is a comprehensive tool to rebuilding rural communities and improving the standards of living of families in the Leon region.
UNICEF: Nicaragua at a glance: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/nicaragua.html