Education Programs

Community Preschool Alan Shawn Feinstein

On December 2006 NITCA had the sixth Promotion in Preschool, III level going to First Grade, Elementary School.

We had a very good attendance and excellent retention of children from the original registration at the beginning of the year.

With the contribution of Food from the Nicaraguan American Foundation, NITCA was able to serve all children daily meals of rice, beans, vegetables and derivates from soy beans.

Sixth Promotion in Preschool

All year round mothers shared the maintenance of the Preschool, by cleaning, cooking, washing etc.

During the Holy week all children from Preschool and first grade were taken to a beautiful park that has a lagoon Xiloa and they exercised in the swings. Parents came along with them and we all had a great time.

Celebrations of Mother´s Day and the International Day of the Child were celebrated by parents and children at the Preschool. As well as the 14th of September, Independence Day for Nicaragua when they all marched throughout the community joining other children of the barrio and other private small schools.

After School Reinforcement Program

At the end of 2005, NITCA director heard of an organization in Holland who gave grants for educational programs for children and Adolescents. NITCA wrote to the coordinator of Projects in Holland and a Proposal was submitted to him.

Kinder Postzegels is the name of this organization which in dutch language means Post Stamps by Children, by children designing Post Stamps to raise their funds.

After several arrangements, NITCA was accepted to have a Project of School Reinforcement for children and Adolescents at Risk in the barrio (meaning by that, children or youth who left school or were sent to work instead of going to school).

The goal for that first year was to reach 150 students both, from Elementary and High school. The need was so great that we passed the goal giving classes to 163 students. The Program ran from April 1st 2006 to March 31st 2007.

After School Reinforcement Program

This is a holistic program (we say in Spanish Integral) because Parents and community had to participate and support their children attendance, studies, etc., For that purpose several training workshops were given to student's parents in: Self Esteem, Children and Adolescents Rights, Responsibility of parents in following up their children and youth studies, etc.

Training Workshops are run twice monthly addressing the most relevant issues of: Rights of Children and Youth, Interfamily Violence, Sexual abuse of children and youth, Self-esteem, and for the high school youth it has been a great emphasis on issues of prevention against Sexually Transmitted Diseases, VIH Positive, and AIDS.

A committee of parents, youth, children, and community was formed, to implement the program together. The annual Report sent to SKN was accepted as very good. Therefore the program has extended into 2007. The goal is to reach 200 children and youth.

In May 2007 we are had the pleasure to recieve the Project Coordinator, Mr. Niko Teteroo. He had the opportunity to communicate with students, parents and he visited the schools whose students had come to the Program. NITCA presented him with a plaque in gratefulness for this beneficial program.

This program was so needed for the population that we request to the Director of Projects in Holland if we could extend it another year. We were granted the extension and the second year begun April 1st to December 2007. This time our goal is 200 and just as we are beginning we have met the goal already.

Opening by the Ministry of Education of First and Second grades in our Preschool

Near one million children are without school in Nicaragua, (caused by the fact that parents had to send their children to work and they did not have money to pay for schooling). The present government and its Minister of Education ruled that all education would be free. Parents rushed to put their children to schools, not being enough of them.

NITCA offered half of the Preschool building in the afternoon. The Delegate of Education agreed to open a multi-grade (first and second grade) in our Preschool. It started with 40 children, there are now near 60 children (boys and girls). NITCA has overextended itself, and these children are given a nutritional light meal, as well as NITCA does with the afternoon Preschoolers. Most of the children families are very poor and their parents unemployed.

Promotion at the School Reinforcement Program: Elementary School

160 Boys and Girls from the grades first to sixth passed the grade thanks to the daily work after school in this program reinforcing their studies. To NITCA'S teachers surprise, a good percentage achieved grades from 90 and above.

We had to reward these children that all year round came to the program. There was not much money in the budget for presents of toys. Then we called Books for Children a marvelous organization promoting lecture among children and Youth and they sent 200 books for different ages (within elementary school).

NITCA went further and made a pack for the distinguished students with coloring books, crayons, pens and pencils and play-dough. This way these distinguished students would have something to play with in their Xmas vacation days.

It was exhilarating to see the boys and girls opening their books and glancing at them right away or holding them up in joy and pride.

Games to make the occasion festive took place along the celebration as pictures to the right show.

Scholarships: Mis Primeras Letras school

For the last two years, NITCA's Xmas letter was telling its donors that the best use of money would be to grant scholarships to those who cannot study for lack of funds.

Our donors responded well to our Xmas letter and we collected a bit over $2,100 and as a result we have given:

• 32 Scholarships in Elementary School to My First Letters (a private small school while the big Elementary school is built next to NITCA)
• 12 Scholarships to High Scholars Adolescents
• 5 University Scholarships to 5 Youngsters who graduated from High School and could not had afford to pay for their studies

NITCA considers these Scholarships to be the best Xmas presents, contributing to the future of the kids and youth in our barrio.

Center of Formation and Education Los Quinchos 

In January 2005 NITCA sent, with the parents consent, 5 boys to Los Quinchos. These boys were not attending school, also they had insufficient food and were sent to work.

After a long process of adjustment and implanted discipline, along with schooling, good nutrition and recreation, they have come to prosper and become real good students; better behaviour and they had grown healthier with much better nutrition.

Since then NITCA has sent 3 more boys who became orphans and the step fathers would not care for them. It is a happy end to see them grow, happier, better mannered and surprisingly, doing extremely well in school. Also discovering a World outside the four poor walls of their huts at home.

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