Operation Esteli 2016

While Estelí enjoys relative prosperity compared to other regions in Nicaragua, poverty still reaches and impacts the population. Almost 25% of the people in Estelí live in extreme poverty by the definition provided by the World Bank (less than US$1.25 per day). Many of the impoverished work in the city´s cigar´s factories. The impact of poverty is evident in the poor standard of education and the proliferation of unsuitable housing/shelter that line the residential neighborhoods in the area. In Esteli the school day is only 4 hours long, and provides only minimal educational opportunities to children.

The Estelí Education Center, which OE 2016 will support, provides refuge and opportunity to children living in the city and surrounding rural areas. The center offers support for children in two key areas:

· Primary Education/Education Enrichment: Provides academic support and extracurricular opportunities for children and adolescents to reinforce important subjects like reading and math. The program also includes teacher training and/or technical assistance, distribution of school supplies, and parent engagement.

· Food Security and Nutrition: Seeks to improve the nutritional levels of children and increase the food security within communities through the provision of daily school lunches, school/family garden assistance, and community workshops.

The Esteli Education Center, is managed and operated by Fabretto, a Spanish charitable foundation that was formally founded in 1990 as the Fabretto Childrens Foundation in the US, and has had a presence in Nicaragua (through its founder, Rev. Rafael Maria Fabretto) since 1948. Partnering with Fabretto brings BOTL and MPI experience and expertise in Esteli that simply cannot be matched anywhere else. We are proud to be working with them at the school.