Photo Credit: Roger Winstead
El Porvenir invites you to share the life and work of a Nicaraguan village. We offer a small group (10-15 people) work experience as part of our program of supporting self-help water and sanitation projects in rural communities. Group members join Nicaraguan families in building a lavandero – a community laundry and bathing facility, or latrines, or will participate in reforestation of the micro-watershed around the water project village.
Work trips are from one to two weeks in length. The first morning of the trip, group members learn about the history and current reality of Nicaragua, and take a short tour around Managua. The group then travels to a provincial town where participants stay in a modest hotel, traveling out to the village each morning in the back of a 4WD truck. The week is spent working side by side with local families under the supervision of a Nicaraguan foreman. No special skills are required, only a willingness to learn.
Spanish is not required to enjoy this program, as you will be accompanied at all times by our bilingual staff, although knowledge of Spanish will certainly enhance the quality of your experience. If you wish to add language study to your visit to Nicaragua, we can provide you with a list of language schools in Nicaragua.
After the week of work, there is some recreational/cultural time, such as a weekend at the beach, in the mountains, or in Granada. These excursions often include a trip to the rim of a live volcano, a visit to a cloud forest, exploration of a crafts market, or attending a concert of Nicaraguan music and dance.
In addition to getting to know the families with whom you work each day, throughout your visit you will have opportunities to meet and talk with other Nicaraguans. El Porvenir’s staff will arrange meetings and conversations with local organizations and individuals in response to the specific interests of your group. You may meet with a politician, teacher, and/or health worker in the afternoon or during dinner. Your group may visit an artist making pottery or an archeological museum.
Most El Porvenir worksites are in small villages without electricity, plumbing or running water. While you are working in the village, during the day, you will use a latrine and eat simple food that is prepared for the work group’s lunch.
At night, you will stay in a modest hotel in a town near the worksite village, and can expect running water, indoor plumbing, electricity, a bed and a fan in your room. El Porvenir staff will provide purified water to you at all times and will ensure that the food serve to the group is prepared under healthful conditions. Breakfast and dinner are eaten in town, at the hotel and other local establishments.
In case of accident or illness, you will receive prompt medical attention. Your trip fee includes a travel health insurance policy that will cover most medical treatment you may need in Nicaragua.
Costs range from $925-$1135 depending on the length of the trip. This fee includes all meals, lodging, in-country transportation, translation, health insurance, recreation and the materials for the project you will help to build. Each participant is responsible for his/her own round trip airfare.
Your travel to Nicaragua with El Porvenir will contribute in a substantial and positive way to better lives for the people of rural Nicaragua.
El Porvenir work trips are for everyone, though those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. It is necessary to be in good physical health to participate in a work trip. The climate is hot, the roads are dusty, you will be doing manual labor. Transportation is in the back of a pickup truck, and medical treatment available in Nicaragua is not as sophisticated as in the U.S. Although each person is free to work at his or her own pace, we do not recommend this trip for anyone who has significant physical limitations or special medical needs.
We promise you an unforgettable experience!
