Our founder, Father Denis Hébert, was a strong believer that education was the key to unlocking the cycle of poverty in Nicaragua.
There are many reasons education takes a back seat for families in a developing country. Whether it be the long distances children must walk to reach a school or be it the dry season and children needing to stay home to help in the transportation of water, the reasons are many.
While most want their children to attend school, the lack of monetary resources in these poor communities makes it difficult. Often the purchase of school supplies is low in priority and any money they may have is spent feeding their families or other important needs. As a result, very few children have the luxury of starting the school year with the basic supplies they need.
Inspired by Father Denis’ passion for education, the Roots of Change have created a pilot project with a goal that aims to provide students of one entire Nicaraguan school with essential supplies to begin their school year.
In the small community of Los Chupaderos, approximately 220km northwest of Nicaragua’s capital Managua, is a school that carries the same name as the community. There are 60 students who attend this school and range in age from 4 to 12. In preparation for the start of their school year in February, our goal is to provide each student with a backpack that will include:
Notebooks & Scribblers
Pencils, Erasers, Ruler & Crayons
Scissors & Glue
School uniform (shirt, pants or skirt and shoes)
The cost of a backpack containing supplies and a uniform will range from $54 to $63 CAD, depending on the age and grade of the student.
General school supplies supplied by the Ministry of Education are minimal in remote communities. As part of this project, the four teachers will each receive supplies that include textbooks and other items that have a value of approximately $100 each.
In today’s global economic climate, we are reminded of how far our funds can stretch. This is especially true in Nicaragua and is a part of their everyday reality. Costs for most material items rise and are comparable to those in our country.