Nicaragua Initiative For Community Advancement Inc

Somos el cambio program (sec) is a work program that offers community service opportunities to teenagers and adults. This is the first program we established to address the overwhelming need of locals to meet their basic needs like food, water and shelter. This program directly benefits 750 residents each year, and indirectly benefits 2,000 residents as well as the thousands of tourists who have returned to visit the area each year since the program resumed after the pandemic. There was a huge litter problem, so instead of just giving out basic needs, we set up a program where locals could create conscience and care about their own community for their needs by cleaning up litter in exchange for 78 hours of part time work cleaning streets, beaches, waterways, and the health (continued on sch. O) center over 13 weeks. Once they accomplish the community hours services, they receive a benefit in construction materials, food or education opportunities. Hundreds of homes have been repaired and more than a dozen have been constructed from the ground up over the years. In 2023, there was an increase of $10 in the in-kind benefit, which is raised it to $85 per participant per 78 hours of volunteer time, due to the increase in prices for construction materials and food. In 2023, a clean-up day was held with a construction company called holcim. 100s of homes were improved and 750 families felt direct impact from this program. An average of 37 participants per period, for a total of 148 families received benefit. In 2024, the program continued to operate smoothly and effectively. As part of our ongoing efforts to support the community, we began assisting the local police station by providing a full tank of fuel each month. This initiative ensures that the police have the necessary resources to operate their patrol vehicles and respond promptly to any security emergencies in the town. At the end of each year, every participant receives a plastic basket filled with basic necessity items, which they can share with their families to help ensure they have enough food for their christmas dinner. An average of 37 participants per period, for a total of 150 families received benefit.

Caracola cafe is an internet cafe that sells tacos and smoothies. We provided the start up money, and the cafe has paid it all back. The profits will help pay for the app subscription costs for the crea program and food costs for the food program. The cafe has created 6 jobs in town. The cafe has been totally self sustainable after initial start up investment was made. In 2019 the cafe moved to the community center facilities. The net includes a kitchen facility and restaurant area for caracole cafe operations. Due to impacts from the pandemic, the cafe has not operated normally. We have hopes that in 2024, operations will begin again as tourism increases and demand rises. There were no changes for 2024; the caf remained closed. However, we remain hopeful that with the expected increase in (continued on sch. O) tourism and demand, caracola caf will resume operations in 2025.

The food program is a lunch program that supplements the nicaraguan government's pine program. The pine program provides basic foods to primary and kindergarten school students daily. Our food program contributes foods like fruits, vegetables, protein sources, and dairy products to the menu to ensure balanced meals daily as well as provides complete meals to high school students, parent volunteers and teachers daily in collaboration with pine. This program benefits 450 students every day. We have a garden where we grow food for the program and for sale at the school. We use it to teach kids about growing food and exposing them to new foods. We have seen high school attendance rates increase since the program was established.

To benefit the three programs listed in part iii, line 4 as well as the food program described in sch o, nica inaugurated a community center in el transito in july 2019. The center houses 3 classrooms, nica's offices with a conference room, a restaurant, a multipurpose room to impart training or community conference, a store to sell hand craft products locally made and local artisan works, restroom, storage rooms for our sec program, volunteer dormitories, food gardens, and independent back up power. This facility provides reading, math, and english instruction and reinforcement. The massive courtyard provides a meeting area for community and local government meetings. This facility is a huge upgrade for our impact and work in el transito, impacting 2,200 residents. In 2022, we used the massive courtyard to continue english classes and as a distribution center for food distribution under somos el cambio. In 2023, the community center was used for the implementation of reading and math fairs. It was also provided for the medical staff of the len hospital to carry out health days for the residents of the community. Also, was used to support minsa vaccination campaigns and gynecologist consult from locals. As well, as veterinary clinic days to promote animal care and protection such as vaccinations, sterilization, cancer treatments and deworming. We use this space to benefit the community as a whole. In 2024, the same activities continued to be held at the community center. This space continued to serve as a vital resource, benefiting the entire community by providing access to necessary services and fostering overall well-being.

From time to time, nica assists other communities to fund projects that are within nica's mission and comply with our reporting policies. These projects are presented and approved by the board of directors. To date, we have facilitated funding for laguna apoyo program as well as a monthly veterinarian clinic for el transito. Currently, we continue to fund projects in the laguna apoyo community on a project-by-project basis.