Nearly half of the population of Nicaragua lives on less than $1 per day. Given this high level of poverty, young adults often see no added value in continuing their education and choose to quit school, migrating or searching out other economic activities that will provide them with the short-term income needed to support their families.
Very few organizations, including the government, are interested in offering scholarships, meaning needy students lack access to essential educational assistance.
Unemployment is another significant challenge facing Nicaragua’s youth: in 2013 the unemployment rate reached almost 25 percent.
It has become quite a challenge to find jobs that pay a living wage and allow for professional development. What’s more, the escalating coffee rust crisis has already affected an estimated 30% of coffee crops.
Not only will there be little or no alternate sources of income for most families to weather the crises, the short- and long-term risks posed to the cooperative itself are significant.
“Nicaragua is a poor country, but this is our home,” says scholarship recipient Loida Zamora Alvarado. “Although coffee is our main source of income, the price of coffee doesn’t allow us to make ends meet—the poverty doesn’t end. We need to think of other ways to improve our lives, such as through education. But without money, it’s hard to get an education.
Therefore, scholarships such as the one from CECOCAFEN are essential and give us hope for the future.”
Since 2002, Coffee Kids and CECOCAFEN have awarded more than 2,500 scholarships. Dozens of graduates are now working as CECOCAFEN staff. Many of them serve on the boards and committees of their cooperatives and are entrusted with a range of high-level duties.
“Our cooperative no longer has to look for employees from far away,” says Lucía Herrera Martínez, another scholarship recipient, “but can find people with the right skills right here in our community.”
This year, project partner CECOCAFEN in Nicaragua will provide nearly 300 students with scholarships to continue their education. Scholarship recipients will also receive training and work experience that will prepare them to serve as future employees and leaders of the 13 coffee cooperatives that make up CECOCAFEN.
Business training and micro-enterprise will help make the scholarship program sustainable. Participants will work closely with the Women Saving in Solidarity savings groups, which have more than 14 years of collective experience in financial planning and management.
Source: Coffee Kids [link]
