Nicaragua
Compassion started working in Nicaragua in 2002. Today, there are over 56,000 children registered in our programs through 181 church partners.
Where We Work
Snapshot of Nicaragua
75
years is the average life expectancy
22%
of people over 15 cannot read or write
32%
lack access to improved sanitation
Nicaragua spiralled into crisis in 2018, with political protest erupting into widespread violence. Thousands have fled the country, most heading south into Costa Rica, and life is increasingly difficult.
In April, the Ortega government announced reforms to Nicaragua’s pension system. The announcement was greeted by initial protests that were crushed by pro-government groups, but the heavy-handed response triggered widespread outrage, mass protests across the country, and ever more violence.
More than 300 people have been killed and thousands injured since protests began. Protestors blame security forces and paramilitary groups for the violence, while the authorities have labelled the protestors “terrorists” and continued to back riot police and other groups who are using live ammunition against them.
The Catholic church has offered to mediate the stand-off and been turned down. Protestors are demanding President Ortega’s resignation; the President—a former revolutionary himself—claims he still has majority popular support and won’t step down or call an early election. The next election is not due until 2021 and there is no resolution in sight. Meanwhile, the economic conditions are deteriorating; work is scarce and more and more people are struggling to meet their basic needs.
In the years before this new conflict swept the nation, Nicaragua had been making progress: its economy was growing and it had largely avoided the cartel and gang-related crime racking its northern neighbours, El Salvador and Honduras. Now it faces deep uncertainty and the risk of thousands slipping even further into poverty.
Letter from Compassion Nicaragua Director William José Gutiérrez Rojas
Dear Sponsor, Dear brothers and sisters, it is a privilege for me to write and greet all of you. My name is William José Gutiérrez Rojas. During 14 years, since 2003, I have been the Country Director of Compassion Nicaragua, located in Central America. It has been more than 16 years since the ministry was launched in this country; among challenges, we are helping more than 56,000 children, to release them from poverty in Jesus’ name. They are supported by 181 church partners.
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Letter from Compassion Nicaragua Director William José Gutiérrez Rojas
Dear Sponsor,
Dear brothers and sisters, it is a privilege for me to write and greet all of you. My name is William José Gutiérrez Rojas. During 14 years, since 2003, I have been the Country Director of Compassion Nicaragua, located in Central America. It has been more than 16 years since the ministry was launched in this country; among challenges, we are helping more than 56,000 children, to release them from poverty in Jesus’ name. They are supported by 181 church partners.
Thank you so much for your support, for walking with these children during all this time through sponsorship! Now, our children have the opportunity to grow in a holistic way (spiritual, physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional) by being exposed to the Gospel, spiritual retreats and other activities that teach them about God’s love; regular medical checkups, meals, preventive health care; having access to education, school reinforcement, diverse types of vocational trainings; and the opportunity to interact with other people in a healthy and compassionate manner. Besides all these, the children’s lives are impacted in a positive way with their sponsors’ friendship. Your letters are much appreciated by them because of your encouraging words to get ahead in life, making them aware they are worthy and loved—especially considering many of our children come from dysfunctional homes with frosty relations where there is no interest in their wellbeing.
With Compassion's program, not only our children are impacted, but also their parents, who are taught how to raise, treat and educate their children from their survival age (pregnancy onwards). Parents are made aware to take greater responsibility and are educated in topics such as child protection, nutrition, etc.
Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Americas after Haiti. Around 50 per cent of children and adolescents are living in poverty, and 19 per cent in extreme poverty. The most deprived children are those living in rural areas, whose income is even less than US$2 a day. That is why there is a high rate of Nicaraguan children out of school who are impelled to work to earn some money trying to relieve, a bit, their basic needs. Children in our country struggle with common diseases such as malnutrition, poor quality of drinking water, domestic violence, lack of access to education, poor self-esteem and hopelessness.
I would like to take advantage of this letter to ask for your prayers, please. There is still a long path to walk through, and our effort is to reach more and more children in need in order to enable them to become responsible and fulfilled adults.
Thank you for joining Compassion in its effort to break the chain of poverty in Jesus’ name; and thank you for “arising and crying out in the night, for lifting up thy hands toward Him for the life of young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street” (Lam. 2:19). Your support is greatly valued and appreciated, not only by our children but by our Lord and Saviour.
In Him and for Him,
William Gutiérrez Rojas
Country Director Compassion Nicaragua
Wilmer’s Education
Wilmer’s father worked in farming, but at the beginning of 2016 he left the family and did not return. He gave no warning and left his children devastated. In his absence, Wilmer’s mother, Elvira, began to make and sell tortillas to provide for the family. Every day at 4am, she rose to grind the corn to make the tortillas.
open_in_new Read moreWilmer’s Education
Wilmer’s father worked in farming, but at the beginning of 2016 he left the family and did not return. He gave no warning and left his children devastated. In his absence, Wilmer’s mother, Elvira, began to make and sell tortillas to provide for the family. Every day at 4am, she rose to grind the corn to make the tortillas.
Wilmer became his mother’s right hand, helping her each morning with the corn, cleaning the yard, drawing water from the well to wash clothes, and taking their wooden cart to find drinkable water from the neighbourhood water tank.
With the daily earnings, Wilmer’s mother buys food and corn for the next day. After that, there is not much left to cover school expenses like uniforms, shoes, supplies and other things for five kids. In fact, for a time, Wilmer and his brothers had to drop out of school entirely.
“I don’t know how to read or write, and I wish all of my children had what they needed to go to school, but it is difficult,” says Elvira.
But when Wilmer was registered with Compassion’s program at the local church, Elvira was relieved of much of her burden. The staff have been including her in community literacy classes and helping her provide for her family.
“All of Elvira’s children go to school but with much difficulty,” explains Fernando Garcia, the program director. “She is responsible with her children and is faithful in attending all meetings at the project and at school. We see her efforts to help her children succeed.”
When asked about Wilmer, Fernando smiles fondly. “Wilmer has a servant’s heart. When he comes to the centre, he waters the plants and helps with anything we need without asking him. Wilmer is obedient and attends a church in this neighborhood with his mother and siblings.”
Wilmer is thankful for the program, because it means his love of learning at school can continue. “I feel good at the program, because we read the Bible, pray, sing and learn things about God. I´m also happy because I don´t have to drop school anymore, and I love to study!”
Prayer requests for Nicaragua
- Please pray for God’s peace in Nicaragua; pray that the violence will stop and that peace talks can begin. Pray that those who have been injured will be able to seek treatment, that the displaced will be able to return to their homes without fear, that the families of those killed will have justice.
- Pray for the protection of Compassion assisted children and their families, and for the churches that continue to offer God’s hope and love to the communities around them especially in such troubled times. Pray for their ministries to continue and even to flourish as people are drawn to His peace in the midst of conflict.
- Please pray for Genesis Hernendez, a nine-year-old Compassion assisted girl who recently fell from the second storey of a building and was rushed to hospital. Pray for her as she has recently undergone surgery; her situation is very delicate. Pray for her family and community.
- Please also pray for five-year-old Denis Paniagua; he has recently been diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in his neck. Pray that he will receive treatment and make a full recovery, and please pray for his family to experience God’s peace as they support him in the coming months.
- And please pray for the financial stability of the children’s families; a lot of them have lost their jobs because of the very delicate economic situation of the country. Pray for God’s strength and provision.