Home - Board Exploration Insight Trip to Nicaragua. Online registration by Cvent

OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL IN NICARAGUA Despite challenges faced every day—the impact of climate shocks, increasing government controls, supply chain delays, and unexpected crises—the people we serve in Nicaragua are succeeding. The Emprendedora Technical School continues to support students holistically and produce graduates who are changing the world. The community development work improves living conditions and creates more social cohesion. Yuca farmers are growing and successfully selling crops.

EDUCATION Younger students are learning in a safe, supportive environment at our elementary school; older students are learning English and hands-on technical skills at Emprendedora Technical School that prepare them for stable jobs or continued education—truly transformational opportunities that change the life not only of the students but of their entire families and often the larger community.

Founded in 2012, Emprendedora Technical School continues to provide high-quality, relevant education to rural students in grades 7-11. The school provides:

Comprehensive general education and English lessons
Hands-on experience operating and managing the school’s organic agribusinesses, including an egg hatchery and vegetable farm, and learning about food processing via the local yuca processing plant
In-depth hospitality experience by interning at a local sustainable tourism resort
Job or college preparation assistance, including mock interviews, resume assistance, college application workshops, and business plan evaluations

The new elementary school serves around 180 students through sixth grade, including 22 in pre school. The school’s academic coordinator has experience in bilingual education; the reading program Deja todo para Leer enabled 80% of preschool children and 100% of first-grade students to reach the intermediate/advanced reading level. We implemented a transportation scholarship that benefits about 50 students and teachers, improving attendance, punctuality, and retention.

COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Community Economic Development is a proven, holistic, participatory approach that elicits community involvement to build strong industries and markets. It starts with recognizing a community’s local resources and tapping those resources for maximum community benefit. Social and economic development foster community well-being. Our team addresses holistic development areas in a specific number of communities to achieve a greater impact on families and communities.

AGRICULTURE Through a farmer-first, field-to-market approach, we provide a comprehensive program that provides smallholder farmers in remote areas with opportunities to successfully finance, plant, harvest, process, and sell their crops. Our model allows small farmers to access a state-of-the-art processing plant and a diverse portfolio of products (such as yuca, cassava, moringa, and plantains) for year-round harvesting opportunities.

REPLICATION OF THE MODEL: EXPLORING AGRICULTURE EXPANSION For years, Opportunity Nicaragua has been equipping rural yuca farmers with training and market linkages to improve their yields and incomes, and launching Opportunity’s food-grade certified processing facility, which turns raw yuca into yuca flour or starch to sell to higher-value markets. We have seen such success and deep, true impact on the lives of local farmers and the local and regional economies, we are excited to explore building out similar capabilities in other Latin America countries. Join us in early, formative discussions as we examine the possibilities of expansion of a social impact opportunity, rooted in a proven model, and ready for more voices at the table.