ViviendasLeón is a non-profit organization whose mission is to eliminate rural poverty:


We empower and equip rural communities to be the agents of their own transformation


Our programs are participant-centered and community-driven. They address a complex history of neglect in the region, the effects of climate change and gender inequality. They work towards achieving food security and economic stability. We successfully support farm construction and maintenance, human capacity development, and water improvement efforts in rural communities for over two decades.

I have only appreciation in my heart for ViviendasLeón, because of their consistent presence in the community, giving us technical assistance, and encouraging us to move forward despite the problems that arise. ViviendasLeón is more than an organization, it is part of my family. – Oralia Ramirez

An Interview with Karla Galeano

In 2015 Karla Galeano joined the capacity training program, learning about the value of education and women’s rights, leadership, gender equality and better ways to raise children. She became empowered, and capable of holding difficult conversations with her peers…
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An Interview with Juana Chamorro

Juana Chamorro and her husband Crino live in Los Planes with 3 of their 8 children. In 2023, when she began workshops in ViviendasLeon’s training program, she demonstrated a capacity for leadership, collaboration and responsibility among her 20 cohort members.
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Women looking to the future: A Cooperative in La Gallina

During the  implementation of our HCT program in 2023, a third of the 20 women in the program had founded a cooperative two years previously.  They named it CoopEMEGA, an acronym for Cooperative of Entrepreneurial Women Managing Alternatives and Solutions. This group produces chili based condiments known as chileros that are popular in homes…
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