Building a Youth Green Movement in Nicaragua,

Empowering youth environmental leaders in the remote community of Nandaime, Nicaragua.

Project Summary

Horizons and the Oscar Arnulfo Romero Association for Socio-Cultural Promotion (ACOAR), a community-based organization dedicated to supporting the rights and education of vulnerable youth, have partnered to build a youth environmental movement in the remote community of Nandaime, Nicaragua.

Poverty, food insecurity, and environmental degradation are persistent challenges in Nandaime. With continuing droughts, crop shortages, and rising food prices, the community is vulnerable to the effects of climate change and food insecurity. Close to one third (30%) of the population lives in extreme poverty, on less than $1.25 a day. In the urban centre of Nandaime, more than 13,000 struggle to earn a decent living and feed their families.

This project aims to educate and empower local youth to actively participate in efforts to address issues of nutrition, food security, and environmental degradation in their community. The project directly benefits 60 youth from the poorest neighborhoods in urban Nandaime and rural Montegrande Occidental. Through education and training, they are involved in building a green movement by the name of Green Action Team to develop a healthier environment and food system.

The Green Action Team trains young people to act as environmental leaders and promoters of healthy eating through the educational system. The project reaches 1,671 youth enrolled in local schools, who benefit from the creation of school gardens, and skills training in agriculture and practical knowledge about food security, health, and nutrition. This initiative is supported by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education and local teachers.