Hogar Luceros del Amanacer, Nicaragua

Hogar Luceros del Amanecer Civil Foundation is a non-profit organization legally constituted and registered in Nicaragua under perpetual number 6636. It is domiciled in the City of Camoapa, in the department of Boaco. Founded in February 2004, the foundation has more than 21 years of uninterrupted operations, focusing on children and families in situations of extreme social vulnerability. The foundation is oriented towards the development and well-being of children and adolescents in both the urban and rural communities of the municipality of Camoapa. Our work focuses on guaranteeing integral Assistance  programs, with education, health, nutrition and the personal and social development of the children and families we serve as its central axis.

With the support of the Ministry of Family, Childhood and Adolescence, we began our activities in 2004, providing assistance to the most unprotected sectors of the community. Over the years, we have established ourselves as a key institution for child welfare, focusing on the promotion of rights and the comprehensive development of minors, in response to the growing need for support for children and families in extreme poverty.

Mission

We are a community organization that develops programs and projects aimed at protecting and promoting the rights of children and their families, especially those in the most vulnerable situation. We offer comprehensive care that includes education, health and nutrition, with the goal of transforming lives and guaranteeing a better future for children.

Vision

Our dream is that each child under our care achieves the full development of their capabilities, guaranteeing the restitution of their rights, and promoting an environment where they can achieve their goals and purposes in life.

Programs and Activities

Comprehensive Education Program: Education is the Foundation's fundamental pillar. 98% of the children we serve were not enrolled in the educational system before joining our programs. We serve 645 children in extreme poverty in one urban center and three rural centers, where we offer regular and complementary education. We provide school materials throughout the year, and offer additional classes in areas such as English, dance, music, painting, and technological training. We also provide social and psychological care to support the emotional well-being of children.

Our nutrition program seeks to ensure the adequate nutritional status of children. This food is a key incentive for the regular attendance of children to the project, and each child is monitored for weight and height twice a year, ensuring their proper development according to the standards of the Ministry of Health. This is linked to the health program that is essential to guarantee the physical development of children. We ensure that all children receive general medical, ophthalmological, dental and pediatric care, as well as exams and medications, all in collaboration with the public system and private clinics. We carry out periodic health assessments and cover any medical needs that may arise, ensuring that all children have the necessary support for their growth.

The family strengthening program is key to improving the living conditions of families. We offer empowerment workshops for mothers, promoting their self-esteem and personal skills. We also coordinate with the Ministry of the Family and INATEC to offer vocational technical training to women, helping them to integrate into the labor market.

The vocational technical training program is aimed at young people who have finished primary school or who are not in school, offering them the opportunity to learn trades for their future insertion into the workforce. Currently, 11 teenagers participate in this program, learning trades in local workshops, where they also have the opportunity to find paid jobs.

The program “One Life at a Time” is also developed, which serves pregnant teenage girls under 19 years of age who have economic difficulties and who do not have family support, ensuring that their pregnancies come to term, avoiding fetal deaths with continuous monitoring up to 1,000 days after their integration into the program. This program also offers psychological, nutritional and medical support to teenage girls, in addition to technical education for their insertion into the workforce.

Promotion and Protection of the Environment

Our Foundation is a pioneer in Camoapa in environmental promotion and protection. Through a model farm, we have promoted reforestation projects, producing more than 5,000 fruit trees. This year we have donated more than 3,000 plants to institutions and organizations, in addition to continuing to offer plants at affordable prices to the community.

Volunteering

Volunteering is essential for the operation of our Foundation. We have received more than 800 national and international volunteers over 20 years. We have agreements with universities and NGOs in Spain and Nicaragua, who support us.

Sponsorship

Since its inception in 2018, the sponsorship program has focused on providing greater opportunities to the most vulnerable children. Each sponsor contributes a monthly contribution of $20 dollars, although agreements can be established for different amounts or modalities. In addition, sponsors receive updated information about the child through a digital report, which can be monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annually, as agreed. Likewise, sponsors have the option of communicating directly with the child and can visit him or her at any time.

We deeply appreciate the opportunity to present the great work of the Hogar Luceros del Amanecer Civil Foundation and its commitment to all the programs they develop such as the comprehensive education, health and well-being of children, adolescents and their families in situations of extreme vulnerability, which they have worked constantly throughout these 21 years.

Links:

• Hogar Luceros del Amanecer Foundation