Circulo de Amigas

Círculo de Amigas is a secular 501 (c)(3) nonprofit and tax-exempt organization that provides charitable, educational, and medical help to the poor in Jinotega, Nicaragua.

CdA's mission is to alleviate poverty in Nicaragua by helping women acquire the education needed to improve their lives, enabling children to go to school, and giving direct aid to victims of severe family hardship or regional crisis.

CdA sponsors approximately 100 students and most of the poorest families in Linda Vista and neighboring barrios now have a child in the program. The monthly assistance not only allows the sponsored child to study, but usually permits all the siblings to attend school, too -- and everyone eats better!

Our students receive help from a staff psychologist and tutor, and the entire community has access to our lending library (one of the few in the country), as well as our computer/internet lab. Our Center also offers a safe place for neighborhood children to play.

Exciting new work at CdA includes:

-The Ayudate Project: Promotes family autonomy and nutritional health by teaching the art of family home gardening. (Check out our video online!)

-Recreational Reading: Changing community literacy patterns with a full-time librarian, book club, contests, and news kiosk.

-Lowering Pregnancy Rates: In conjunction with US universities, the Peace Corps, and local health authorities, CdA is currently developing a program aimed at reducing teen pregnancy rates.

-Community Health: The Jinotega Department of Health is now periodically providing local medical care at our facility. This includes well-baby check-ups, inoculations, and ob/gyn services.