Nicaragua

Our projects in Nicaragua

Nicaragua data
Human development index (out of 182 countries in the world) *	124^th position
Total population (2010 estimate) **	5.995.928
Urban and rural population	57% - 43 %
Average age **	22,5 years - 22,1 men - 22,9 women
Per capita GNP *	$ 2.570 ($ 6,50 a day)
Population living under the poverty line (1.25$ a day) *	15,8%
Population living with less than 2$ a day *	31,8%
Life expectancy at birth (years) **	72 years
Infant (under 5 years) mortality rate (2007) *	3,5%
Rate of underweight children (under 5 years) *	10%
HIV rate (adults) (2007 estimate) **	0,2%
Unemployment rate (2007 estimate) **	5,9%
Employment workforce **	29% agriculture 19% industry 52% services
Literacy rate **	67,5% - 67,2% men - 67,8% women)
Primary school attendance (2007 estimate) *	90%
Population with access to safe drinking water *	76% - 90% urban - 63% rural
Population with access to sanitation *	48% - 57% urban - 34% rural

* fonte UNDP 2009
** fonte CIA

PROJECTS

ACRA is in Nicaragua since 1986. In the early years, ACRA activities were confined to the provinces of León and Managua, in the western region of Nicaragua and were mainly related to technical training in agriculture, livestock and transport. In 1992 began ACRA first activity in the region of Río San Juan in the South-East, linked to sustainable management of natural resources of the humid tropics (agro-ecology, forestry, ecotourism, artisanal fisheries, etc.)

ACRA is still present in the country with: a project that aims at promoting agro-ecological production in protected areas, two projects in the Nicaragua Lake with interventions in water supply and environmental hygiene and a pilot national public project for solar electrification of a small community of 23 homes in the Solentiname archipelago.

In Managua has been undertaken a project to strengthen the collection and disposal of solid waste, in support of which ACRA deals with microcredit activities.

In the rest of the country ACRA launched other two projects: one in the town of Mozonte, involving the construction of ten aqueducts in many rural communities; the other in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region - in the north-east of the country - aiming at building toilets in rural areas.

For ACRA, the main novelty of 2009 in terms of strategic planning in Central America is the opening of a new and interesting work and research front in the tri-national area of the Gulf of Fonseca (North-West of Nicaragua, South-West of Honduras and East of El Salvador) aimed at deepening and implementing development projects in border regions.

For the tri-national strategic territory of the Gulf of Fonseca, the themes prioritized (water management, waste management, rural development, adaptation to climate change, chains for small producers, etc..) and for the bottom-up and self-management municipalities approach, we can say that this work will be undoubtedly a priority and thematic area in Central America for the coming years.