Last year Margarita lost her father and consequently her motivation to continue her studies. If it were not for the home visits by the team at Empowerment International, she would have dropped out of school all together. However, thanks to the frequent counseling by the team, a new bond of trust was formed and not only did she resume her studies but also started interning for EI. In fact, she has become the first person in her family to go to college, inspiring her younger brother to follow in her able footsteps.

There are many such stories hiding within the crowded barrios of Granada.

Stories of parents who considered education a waste of time until personal interaction with the EI volunteers changed their perspectives.Stories of teenagers tired of juggling physically demanding jobs and mentally challenging studies, but, nevertheless, hanging on after getting inspired by EI workers to finish studies.

A lot of this change in attitude can be credited to the consistent and encouraging home visits carried out by the EI team. Thanks to these visits, children have improved their school attendance, school grades, and neatness on their workbooks. Today, children as well as parents who failed to understand the need of education, are the most eager participants in EI's program.

The objective of the home visits is to make sure that the children are attending school and are improving their educational process. Their backpacks  and workbooks are reviewed in order to check that they are using the materials provided by EI. The staff also observes their personal hygiene and use of backpacks and uniforms (both provided by EI). Also, the team tries to teach the parents how to best provide positive feedback to their children regardless of their own education level. Sometimes this takes a bit of creativity.

A home visit becomes a significant tool to monitor and follow up on children's school activities. The visits take place throughout the year and the strengths and weaknesses of the kids are analyzed. The basic aim is to learn about the problems faced by the students. Many tend to lose interest in studies due to the difficulties encountered in balancing school and work ( which they need to do to sustain themselves and their families).

The staff of EI gathers information regarding attendance and grades through meetings with the school personnel every two months. With that information in hand, the staff then determines the causes behind poor grades or low attendance. Sometimes students themselves are unwilling to continue studies but often, parents are at fault too. Therefore, the staff meets with the parents on a monthly basis and discusses the difficulties while asking for their support during the following month.

The main idea of the home visits is to establish a strong rapport between parents, children, Nicaraguan Staff, and EI interns. Personal visits help establish trust between the volunteers and the families and allows direct communication with them. Importantly, these home visits prevent school drop outs through constant monitoring, support and counseling.

In a nutshell, home visits aim to groom kids into confident, educated and healthy individuals ready for a bright future.  

  - Neha Singh 

A photograph can speak a thousand words.

It can show that you do not require the most sophisticated cameras to capture the true essence of a scene. It can also show that you do not need to be a professional to make poetry out of an everyday activity. And, most importantly, it can show that children with no means or exposure can wield their cameras like paint brushes and create masterpieces out of the drudgeries of life.

The idea of using photography as a means of honing children's creativity hit Kathy in 2003 when she started with Joseline who was 8 years old then. Kathy knew the idea would be a hit but had never imagined how well it would actually work out.

After all, these kids were not your average carefree symbols of happiness, plied with the latest gadgets and toys. The kids that EI works with live an extremely harsh life in the most shockingly poor conditions. They do not have the simplest necessities of life like safe homes or running water, leave alone electronic gadgets like digital cameras. Besides, this photography program was to be started for the most at-risk kids, the ones who had the highest chances of defaulting. 

Still, the experiment began in an organized way in July, 2007 in the filthy slums of Granada with 15 nervous students. The beginning was jittery with most students finding it hard to hold the camera steady. But, amazing though it may sound, few of these kids who had never before held a camera managed to create unbelievably artistic shots within half an hour of the first class! This goes on to show that talent and hard work always persist over the worst conditions and the least resources.

As can be imagined, the photography workshop leader was thrilled with the results. The pictures were not jut simple snapshots of any still life but carefully framed posters of the most ordinary objects made extraordinary by their unique points of capture. After about a week of classes, 8 dedicated students were short-listed for the program. They were taught in two batches and timing was adjusted to suit their school schedules. The progress of these 8 kids has been very inspiring. Their photographs posted on Flickr have generated some of the most appreciative comments and numerous “awards”.

The only male in the photography classes is Colochon. This 15 year old boy is not only one of the most creative in the class but also the most at risk of moving on to the other side of law. With a recent loss of his father and a very real possibility of getting hooked to gangs and illegal activities, photography seems to be one of the only positive aspects of his life.

Extremely passionate and creative, this lad could easily go places if shown the right direction. He surprised everyone with his sensitivity when he suggested the idea of shooting elderly homeless people and child workers to raise awareness about them. This idea is to be one of the next EI projects in June. Advanced classes will be offered to him and other interested kids in summer.

It has been statistically determined that most female participants in the EI program (and in Nicaragua in general) often drop out by the time they are around thirteen years old, putting this category of participants at high risk. Photography, thus, became an engaging attraction for these kids who stayed on due to the innovative classes offered.

Joseline was the first unofficial participant. She started out by taking photos of kids entering the program as founder Kathy Adams interviewed them. She has matured into a phenomenal photographer and an excellent student who is still very much with EI. Just like her, several other kids, who might have cut short their education, have been tempted into sticking with the program. Photography has become the most loved extra-curricular activity that helps the kids channel their creative energies into timeless creations.

What is absolutely delightful is that these kids try to go beyond the usual technicalities and look deep into the soul of the scenery. A leaf becomes a canvas for shadow play. Fruits change into colorful paintings. A sunrise becomes a light from heaven. Tractors convert into dusty compositions of harvest. A pup becomes the symbol of these kids' sad lives.

The heart wrenching conditions of these children are  completely contrasted by the sheer magnificence of their lovely photographs. Every photo shows a mind crying out to have  better opportunities and a heart determined to change the misery of life. Just look at the world through the eyes of the photographers and you see stories of hope amidst misery and courage in the face of devastation.
 

- Neha Singh 

This is the final part of the interview with Anielka who has been with EI every step of the way.

How is a typical day, or week?

A typical Monday:

I arrive at the office at 8 a.m. I start the computers, read the mails, and answer when needed. Later on, I review the report from the prior week in order to learn what we need to do during the current week. I write up on the wall board what we need to finish, whether it is the completion of the database about the program’s sponsors, translation of the letters written by the children to their sponsors, filing of the records of the children’s activities, mailing the materials of the Program Sponsor, visiting homes, visiting a school and chatting with the teacher, gathering the reports on the assistance we have facilitated, updation of the medical reports, etc.

We prioritize each of those issues based on their importance. Once we know what we need to do, we decide on how and when to do it, (time table), in such a way that the volunteers and I know what each will be doing.

To wrap this up, if we need to work at the office, then we put on some music and we go to work! At l2 or l2:30 we have an hour for lunch. The volunteers leave since they only work part-time. I return to the office and work until 5 p.m. If we need to go to visit the barrio we grab our bottles of water and go visit the children. Usually, after we visit the barrios we talk over the accomplishments we observed and difficulties we found in some cases and how we can help if it is within our mission scope.

How did you like your visit to United States?

It was one of the best experiences I have lived all my life. Thanks EI!!!

How does the health program work?

Tickets from partner organization Clinica Alabama are purchased when we need them. Then, we distribute the tickets to the children in our program who are ill. They are then able to use the ticket to go to the clinic and receive care and medicine.

These tickets are managed by a mother who belongs to the Board. If a child is ill, the parents or guardians need to go to this mother’s house, fill a form with the child’s information, and the symptoms the child has. Once the form has been filled the ticket is handed over to the person and then they can go to the Clinic to receive both medical attention and medication. At the end of the month we compile the filled forms and then we prepare a monthly report.

How does EI work in unison with Pronat on their English and computer classes? 

The Pronat’s director advises us when a new term starts, usually by calling me to a meeting. They inform us that there is space for 10 to 15 girls according to availability they may have. We then review our list of participants, look girls who meet the requisites set by Pronat and who are good candidates to be in those classes.

How does the program “Sponsor a Child” work? How are the children selected? How do you decide the conditions for them to remain within the program?

The program “Sponsor a Child” uses a database that has information about the children and their sponsors. Here we have registered those children who have a sponsor and how many are without one; when a child has a new sponsor; when a sponsor decides to renew the sponsorship. Kathy sends me a mail, then I update that information on the database, I write up the date the scholarship begins or is renewed, and then I prepare the time table of when the sponsor will receive the “Welcome” packet and the children’s activities for a period of one year. In this way, on a monthly basis, I know what activity needs to be reported to the sponsor.

The sponsors are assigned to the children still waiting for one, according to the database, but if there is a child who may be ready to be sponsored but is missing school too frequently or has poor grades, I rather have him/her on standby since he/she may not be a good candidate to have a sponsor, after all. This type of child could leave the program and the scholarship right in the middle of the year, and that is not good for us.

There are conditions to keep a child in the program: if the child is not meeting the requirements, shows little interest, he/she cannot stay with us. At the end of the year the staff makes an evaluation which contains several factors such as school attendance, behavior, grades, interest from the child and his/her parents.

If we think the child had a difficulty which can be overcome next year, then we prepare a special contract on which both the child and his/her parents write down their own goals. We keep a follow-up of this child. If after given this opportunity, the child still does not show improvement then he/she will be terminated from the program without any further options to come back as participant in EI.

Which are your favorite job’s responsibilities?

My favorite responsibilities are:

The “Sponsor a Child” program.

The Home visits.

The visits to Costa Rica.

Following is the continuation of the interview with Anielka, our Program Director.

Do you think that EI is successful? Tell us the reason why, if so.

Yes, it is absolutely successful. Each year it is growing and improving the participant selection process. We have been fortunate to have excellent volunteers and staff who have added a lot of value. And now the community volunteers have become an integral part of our program model.

We partner with other organizations instead of creating new programs. For example we have a partnership with Pronat, an organization that offers computer classes to underprivileged girls and women. Each year 12 positions are open for our teen girls. This offers them opportunity to receive computer classes, thus allowing the girls to participate in the technology field.

We have children who, thanks to our help, have finished primary school, moving forward to the next phase which is high school. We have had two girls graduate from High School who are now in the University while also interning in our program.

On a personal note, I have witnessed positive changes in the parents and the children; the parents have assumed more responsibility and interest in their children’s education. If it had not been for EI many children could have not continued with their education, especially when difficulties arise, since we are always facilitating solutions for these so the children can go on with their educational process. (Our program’s aim is for the children to stay in school).

What kind of impact has the program had with the children in the community since you have been working with the organization?

The fact that most of the school-age children are studying with our support has had an impact on the community. The parents are aware that we are an organization with integrity and well established principles. The children and their parents are more responsible with their education. Now, we have developed strong relationships with the schools who understand what we are working for. In Granada, more people know about us and we have been asked to serve other communities.

Are you in charge of the program in Costa Rica, too? How does the program and the situation in Costa Rica compare to Nicaragua’s? 

Yes, actually I am in charge of the program in Costa Rica. My point of view is that there is no comparison between the two countries. Costa Rica is a country much more developed in the educational and economic areas than Nicaragua.

The educational system in Costa Rica is more advanced. Schools offer better working conditions for the children on the academics as well as in the infrastructure. The Costa Rican government offers more opportunities to the people, from a scholarship through a scholarship fund, a daily full lunch for the children, up to the building of houses for the families. On the other hand, the Nicaraguan government does not offer any opportunity to the children. It is said that the education is free here but no one offers the necessary conditions so the children can receive a good quality of education, let alone the government itself.

As far as the program is concerned, I travel 4 times a year trying to do the same work as in Nicaragua: visiting the children, the schools to talk with the teachers and the parents. But we do not have the human resources in Costa Rica to offer an ongoing follow-up at the schools and homes as we do in Nicaragua; that is the reason why the program in Costa Rica has not grown. The education quality in Costa Rica is superior than in our country, and the children and the parents are more motivated than those in my country.

¿Usted cree que EI es exitoso? Díganos la razón porque lo es.

Si, absolutamente es exitoso, cada ano esta creciendo rápidamente y mejorando los procesos de cómo seleccionar a nuestros participantes.

Hemos tenido la fortuna de tener voluntarios excelentes, los cuales han hecho un buen trabajo según su descripción de trabajo.

Tenemos comunicación con otras fundaciones como Pronat que permiten que nuestras niñas, reciban un curso de computación, involucrando alas niñas al mundo de la tecnología.

Tenemos ninos que gracias a nuestra ayuda terminaron sus estudios primarios, pasando a la segunda etapa como es la secundaria (high school).

De manera personal puedo ver, sentir y percibir cambios positivos en los padres y los ninos; mas responsabilidad de parte de los padres, mas preocupación por los ninos hacia la escuela, muchos ninos que si no fuera por el apoyo de EI no podrían continuar su educación y sobre todo porque siempre estamos tratando de buscar soluciones cuando se presentan dificultades para que nuestros ninos puedan continuar su proceso educativo. (retención escolar en los ninos de nuestro programa.)

¿Qué clases de impacto ha tenido el programa en los niños / en la comunidad desde que usted ha estado trabajando con la organización?

En la comunidad, ha sido impactante, que la mayoría de los ninos en edad escolar están estudiando con el apoyo nuestro.

Los padres se dan cuenta que somos una fundación muy seria, con fundamentos bien sustentados.

Mas responsabilidad en ninos y padres en los procesos educativos.

Las escuelas saben ahora, quienes somos y que hacemos.

Mas personas en Granada conocen sobre nosotros lo que permite que EI, no esta oculto.

¿Está usted a cargo del programa en Costa Rica, también? ¿Cómo el programa y la situación en Costa Rica se comparan a Nicaragua?

Si, actualmente estoy a cargo del programa en Costa Rica, desde mi punto de vista la situación entre ambos países no tiene ninguna comparación, Costa Rica es un país mucho mas desarrollado en términos de educación y de economía que Nicaragua.

El sistema educativo de Costa Rica es mas avanzado, las escuelas ofrecen mejores condiciones de trabajo para los ninos tanto en materiales didácticos como en infraestructura; el gobierno de Costa Rica brinda oportunidades a las personas allá, desde una beca escolar a través de un fondo de becas, un almuerzo completo a diario para los ninos, hasta la construccion de una vivienda para sus familias. En cambio el gobierno de Nicaragua no brinda ninguna oportunidad a los ninos, se dice que la educación es gratuita aquí , pero nadie ofrece las condiciones necesaria para que los ninos reciban una educación de calidad, menos el gobierno.

En cuanto al programa, viajo 4 veces al ano, tratando de hacer lo mismo que aquí en Nicaragua visitar los ninos, las escuelas, conversar con los maestros con los padres, pero; en Costa Rica no tenemos los recursos humanos necesarios allá, para poder brindar un seguimiento continuo en las escuelas y hogares como lo hacemos en Nicaragua, es por eso que el programa allá no crece, pero también un factor importante es la situación de pobreza, es mas extrema en Nicaragua.

La calidad educativa de Costa Rica es mas superior que la de nuestro país. Y los ninos y padres allá tienen mas motivación que los de mi país.

Here is the first part of an interview with Anielka, the Program Director of EI and a tireless worker loved by everyone here in EI.

How did EI find you?

Earlier I was an elementary school teacher at a school where EI had participants in the afternoon., and in the morning I was working in the school's administrative office. One day Kathy came in to learn more about the school and I happened to be there to greet her. I mentioned at one point to Kathy and Leen Jille (an EI volunteer) that I was interested in looking for a new job someday in the future.

Upon finishing our conversation, Leen, asked me if I would like to work for the organization in the future, to which I responded right away “yes.” Later on I was called to have an interview; we had lunch with 5 people who interviewed me for a long while. After that, they offered me a part-time position which later turned into a full time one.

How do you like to work for EI?

I like my job very much; I have a passion for it. I had been a teacher for 10 years. The opportunity to keep working in the education field with children and young people of my country, and to establish a direct contact with them and their families make me feel that I am an asset to the Nicaraguan society. Above all, it fulfills me with a great personal and professional satisfaction.

What makes EI a great organization / or maybe a not so great one?

EI is a great organization in this country and what makes it different from other organizations is the direct contact we have with its staff, the volunteers, and the children and their families. Not only are we giving away material things, but we are trying to improve the participants’ quality of life by making positive and significant changes and by encouraging and motivating them to move forward on their own. We are only the facilitators.

What kind of experience have you acquired, or have learned during the time working for EI? 

The time spent working for EI has had the same effects on me as it has on the participants of the program; working for EI has taught me to be a more sensitive person. Living so close to the children’s limitations, has taught me to appreciate what I have - my family, friends, and home - even more. I have learned to be more patient and tolerant towards others. I have been learning English and leadership skills. I have learned to identify problems in their early stages and facilitate solutions. My computer knowledge has augmented greatly, I have been learning the culture and I have been learning how to analyze social problems and to become a facilitator.

What do you like about the program?

I like all of it as a whole. For me, EI is a very holistic program: it includes the educational, social, and health areas, three very basic aspects in the personal and professional development of every single human being. EI truly empowers its participants and their families. It gives them the sense that they are part of the solution and not just being handed a solution.

¿Cómo EI la encontró a usted?

Soy una Maestra de Educación primaria, EI me encontró trabajando en una escuela llamada Padre Antonio Stella, en esta escuela habían algunos ninos becados por EI, entonces Kathy, llego como visita para conocer la situación académica de los ninos y me toco atenderla porque yo trabajaba en la administración del centro por la mañana y por la tarde daba clases a tercer grado.

Al terminar nuestra conversación, Leen Jille uno de los acompañantes de Kathy me pregunto si me gustaría trabajar para la fundación en un futuro, a lo cual respondí a lo inmediato que si, posteriormente me llamaron al colegio para tener una cita para una entrevista, tuvimos un almuerzo con 5 personas los cuales me entrevistaron por largo tiempo.

Posteriormente a la entrevista me confirmaron que estaba contratada a trabajar por medio tiempo para Empowerment International.

¿Qué tal le gusta trabajar con EI?

Me gusta muchísimo mi trabajo, tengo mucha pasión para hacerlo, estuve como una maestra por 10 anos y continuar trabajando en el ramo de la educación con los ninos y jóvenes de mi país, establecer un contacto directo con ellos y sus familias; es algo que me hace sentir una persona muy útil a la sociedad Nicaragüense y sobre todo me llena de mucha satisfacción personal y profesional.

¿Qué es lo que hace ser EI una gran organización / ó quizás no tanto?

EI es una gran organización en este país y lo que la distingue de otras organizaciones es el contacto directo que establecemos entre el staff, los voluntarios y los ninos y sus familias. No solo estamos regalando cosas materiales, estamos tratando de mejorar la calidad de vida de los participantes, produciendo cambios positivos y significativos en ellos; alentándolos y motivándolos a salir adelante por sus propios medios, nosotros somos solamente facilitadotes.

¿Qué experiencia usted ha adquirido, ó qué ha aprendido en el tiempo que ha estado trabajando para EI?

Igual que a nuestros participantes, el trabajo con EI me ha ensenado a ser una persona mas sensible con los problemas sociales de los demás.

Estar día a día viviendo de cerca las limitaciones de los ninos, me ha ensenado a valorar mas lo que tengo, mi familia, mis amigos, mi casa.

He aprendido a tener mas paciencia y tolerancia con las demás personas.

¿Qué le gusta a usted acerca del programa?

Me gusta todo en su conjunto, para mi EI es un programa muy completo, atiende la parte educativa, social y salud tres aspectos muy básicos en el desarrollo personal y profesional de todo ser humano.

What do you do when asked to help in an area that is frustratingly remote and painfully difficult to work in? If you are a member of EI, you collect all the essentials, rent a pickup truck, and hop in its back to deal with the challenge head on!

In fact, this is exactly what happened when EI was approached by community leaders at Santa Ana de Malacos, a rural location, often accessible just by horses and mules. It didn't matter that no one wanted to work in this remote location; the team at EI took up the challenge.

Their first task was to distribute school supplies like backpacks and uniforms to the children of Santa Ana de Malacos. On February 3rd, the distribution was successfully completed with the help of the Rotary Club. Students as well as parents showed their interest by being present in large numbers.

Anielka, the EI Nicaraguan program director, says about the distribution program, "When we started the program, the children and their parents listened intently to the instructions and were very friendly with the staff. Once the work was completed the parents helped in the cleaning of the classroom and asked questions about the program". This overall participation from the community is what EI aims to achieve because only when every child as well as parent participates actively, will there be sustainable progress. It is, therefore, always heartening to see the enthusiasm and interest of the children and parents.

What is even more heartening is that those students, who once were being helped by EI, now help EI with the tasks! Margarita is one of the young girls who graduated from high school against many odds and is about to attend university via EI. This talented student is now an intern at EI and assists new children in receiving education and support. When the distribution of supplies to school started, she was one of the main team players. It is touching to note what she had to say on the day after the distribution.

"When I saw the children wearing the new uniforms and carrying their new backpacks, I was overwhelmed with happiness. I am sure I will never forget this experience and pray to God that someday I start a program like this and help many children."

On the distribution day, not only did EI distribute backpacks and uniforms to children at Santa Ana de Malacos but also distributed supplies to 200 children in Granada, the main location where EI works.
No challenge was big enough for the brave volunteers.

If there was a lack of funds - "we found everything at the lowest cost after scouring all the markets"

If there was too much work - "all parents came over to the office to help in the packing of the supplies which were going to be awarded".

When hungry and tired - "we looked at the beaming faces of the kids and knew that this was the best compensation we could receive".

EI not only provides all the school supplies to the children but far more importantly, provides the much needed support and guidance.

Each family needs to be convinced about the importance of education so that all guardians help their kids with their education. EI uses a special "contract" to ensure that each child completes his education. According to these contracts (which every parent must agree to before receiving all the supplies), the parents need to agree to complete the year, support the child in the best way they can, work with EI and learn, and make an effort to keep the child's attendance high. The parents are also required to attend a monthly community meeting where everyone shares their stories and problems.

Inscription day is always an important function for EI. Teen volunteers, parents, and EI staff  work tirelessly, often more than 10 hours per day, to give the new supplies, and cherish, what Carla terms as, "the beautiful smiles of happiness" of kids. Carla is another young worker in EI who started out as a volunteer, hoping to build up her computer skills and her passion and enthusiasm earned her first right to a position when EI needed a new employee.

A week after the inscription in Granada and Santa Ana de Malacos, Anielka went to distribute supplies to 46 children in Costa Rica, a country much more successful than Nicaragua in development and literacy. This is where EI first started. Today, after 9 years, the families there understand the importance of education and are confident and capable of handling the education of their children on their own. The fact that they "get" the need of education is definitely a high point and EI aims to achieve that and more in the impoverished and neglected communities of Nicaragua.

This year EI has more than 230 kids in Nicaragua. They need to be provided with the school supplies like uniforms and backpacks as they are too poor to purchase them. They must learn to be resourceful, using community and more educated family (often older siblings) as support when school presents challenges, as many parents are uneducated and often illiterate. They have to be encouraged and supported throughout the year to attend classes as the temptation to drop out when situations get tight is strong. Their parents have to be counseled on the need for continuous encouragement and ways to check their child's progress.
This process, which needs to be carried out for each child, may become frustratingly slow and painfully laborious at times. However, for the team at EI, it is work as usual as they prepare for the new set of (more than) 230 challenges.

Neha Singh

We have all worked hard as a team of donors, volunteers, and local staff over the last 9 years with the goal of making a true and lasting difference in impoverished lives by investing in children's education. Today I can say we are definitely seeing the fruits of our labor emerge.  The Nicaragua Press is recognizing this as well.

In December of 2007, for the first time, we had two of our students graduate from High School within our Nicaragua program. This is no small feat from the very impoverished country of Nicaragua, where only 50% of all children that enroll in first grade actually complete 6th grade.*   Now these young ladies have found sponsors who will assist them to embark on the next level of success. They will be attending the University, one studying Computer Science, the other Tourism.  In return for the support, the two young ladies have started interning with EI part-time and are both loving it. Since this has been one of my personal long-term visions, to see our successful participants become active models and mentors to other program participants,  I get chills as I write this. 

Enjoy the article and thank you all for making this dream a reality.  Little by little we all can be a part of the change in making our world a more educated, thus less impoverished place to live. 

------------------------------------

Hope for Students in Granada

Noel Gallegos   END - 19:44 - 07/01/2008

Lizbeth Hernandez and Margarita Arroliga are two young women who live in Villa Esperanza, a community situated to the north of of Granada. These Teenagers, like the rest of the people in this community,  find themselves in a dire financial situation.

While they have lived on the impoverished streets of this heavily populated area, they never imagined in 2008 they would be able to sit at the desks of a university in their country.

The parents of these young ladies, with limited financial resources, until not long ago could hardly pay for the high school education, and only with a huge amount of sacrifice.  However, thanks to the help offered to them by the organization Empowerment International, these two young women will be able to see their dreams become a reality.    

This program's endeavor is oriented toward the social aspect of the community and is led by North American woman, Kathy Adams.  The organization is a non governmental, non-profit, organization.  for several years, it has been dedicated to making schooling accessible to children of low income families who lack financial means in Villa Esperanza.  

There have been a constant stream of visitors to the office today. It's the deadline to submit an application for EI's 2008 program, and mothers and fathers are sitting patiently, waiting to speak with Anielka or Milagros. By the end of the day, over 135 applications have been submitted.

“I'm estimating that probably, we have around 50 spots for new students,” Anielka says. The math is not difficult.

Some families, perhaps like Reina del Carmen Morales, the mother of three, will be left out.  Reina del Carmen has three children. A single mother, she earns less than a dollar a day working in the free trade zone that abuts the barrio.  “What I manage to earn goes towards food,” she says. “There isn't enough money left for uniforms, shoes, or school supplies.”

Her 15-year old daughter, Gema, is hopes to start high school this year, and she hopes that her 8-year old son, Luis Francisco, will manage to begin the third grade if he will be healthy enough.  “He was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago,” Reina says. “He missed the entire school year last year.”

Medical expenses are also a concern for the small family. Luis regularly visits a hospital in Managua to receive expensive treatments – blood transfusions. They receive some help from other organizations, but hardly enough to make ends meet.

“With luck, with help, we do it,” says Reina. “I hope that the Empowerment International scholarship will make it that much easier.”  Still, it's not yet certain whether Luis will manage to get a scholarship.  Whether there is  a chance for for Luis to attend school  depends not only if he is well, but i there is room in the program  and in how many other deserving candidates there are.

“We're going to evaluate the applications,” says Anielka. “We'll be looking at attendance, grades, teacher evaluations. Still though, there are so many students.”  Anielka added that recently another community has sought out EI's support. “In Santa Ana, here are another 50 students who in need as well. I don't know if we'll be able to help them all.
The road to Santa Ana los Malacos

Santa Ana los Malacos is a community about 5 miles north of Granada. Anielka visited the pueblo at the behest of Sergio Cabrella, one of the two teachers who instruct the 60 or so students there.

“There are always problems,” Cabrella says. “The situation is difficult. Sometimes there's no food at the school (students are traditionally given lunch in Nicaraguan public schools – rice and beans), and then the kids don't attend.”

Cabrella says that around 50% of the adults in the community are unable to read, and teenage mothers – 14, 15, or 16 years old – are not uncommon.  “I've worked there for 11 years,” he says. “In that time, we've been teaching class in a community center. There's no proper school.”  

That is not all that the rural agricultural community lacks.  “There isn't any potable water,” Anielka says. “Some people have wells, though most don't even have electricity. It's clear that there is a lot of need there.”

Whether EI will be able to step in to help is uncertain. There is need everywhere in Nicaragua, and with limited resources, it's impossible to address it all. Still, that doesn't mean that one should not try.

“We'll see,” says Anielka. “We're looking outside of Villa Esperanza for students now. Perhaps in the future, we'll able to work in other cities as well.”

It's clear that there is a long road to travel, not only for EI, but for the struggling families which its scholarships help support. I'm glad that despite the challenges, both EI and the hard-working families that it supports, are trying.

-- by Sam Jacoby (on location)