Granada Rivas Nicaragua
Location: Granada, Nicaragua
Length: 8 Weeks
Special Theme:
 Community Health
Dates: June 10, 2009 - August 5, 2009

Dates and information are tentative. Check back regularly for updates.

Project Specific Activities:

  • Support local health center activities 2-3 days a week by providing health information to patients (children and adults) or assisting nurses with administrative duties.
  • Facilitate educational activities for 5–12-year-old children 2-3 days a week at schools focusing on preventive health. Topics will include personal hygiene, dental hygiene, and malaria education. Also focus on environmental issues including water cycle, trash pick-up and deforestation.  
  • Collaborate with youth counterparts or health volunteers (brigadistas) to implement Community-based intiatives

Project Area:

This project is located in the western part of Nicaragua in the Pacific Lowlands region between the nation's capital city of Managua, Lago de Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 40 volcanoes dominate the landscape of this lush area, which also serves as the repository for much of Nicaragua’s Spanish colonial heritage. AMIGOS headquarter city will be Granada, a beautiful colonial city that sits on the western shore of Lake Nicaragua. This lovely city is the very heart of Nicaraguan folklore and crafts and possesses historical and cultural richness. Host communities will be located within 2-3 hours of this location, in the departments of Granada and Rivas.

Project History:

AMIGOS work in Nicaragua began in 1970 and ran consecutively until 1978. During this time, programs implemented included human immunizations, vision screening and dental hygiene education. Due to the civil war in 1978-79 and the ongoing disruptions during the 1980s, AMIGOS suspended programs in the country. AMIGOS returned to Nicaragua in 2000 to work with CARE on a latrine construction project in the department of Leon. In 2003, AMIGOS partnered with the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health to open a project in the departments of Masaya and Carazo. In addition to the Ministry of Health, AMIGOS formalized their relationship with the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education in 2006.  

Although AMIGOS has been working with the Ministry of Health for six years in Nicaragua, this will be the fourth year working in the department of Granada and the second year in Rivas.

Partner Agencies:

Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deportes de Nicaragua
Ministerio de Salud de Nicaragua

Further Actions:
AMIGOS Voices


“Through my work with AMIGOS, I learned about grassroots inside out models of community development – the ability for marginalized collectives to use the assets they already have available to initiate effective change on their own terms – and as a part of this process, I discovered the infinite potential to use self-representation as a vehicle for empowerment. ”

–Jeff Zimbalist, Veteran Volunteer and professional documentary maker