Supporting Education in Nicaragua's Poorest Community

Panama (the neighborhood, not the country) is the poorest part of La Concha in Nicaragua, especially as the fumes from the neighboring Masaya Volcano pass directly over it, meaning nothing grows there. Sadly, because the community doesn't receive water from a tap, many of the 700 local children must spend time traveling each week to fetch a water supply for their family and transport it for miles. ___ This was one of the places I visited while attending classes at La Mariposa Spanish School & Eco Hotel, who also help the community beyond employing teachers. In terms of in Panama, they've built a library and have hired teachers to help give children who can't attend regular school a chance to learn. They provide meals to the children, too, and are currently working to get more organic vegetables into their diets. ___ This is a photo I snapped while spending some time with the local Panama children myself. This was truly a moving trip for me. While I'm always conscious of traveling responsibly, it's not every trip where I get to truly go out of my way to support and work with such a powerful organization. La Mariposa truly listen to the needs of their community, and has made such a positive impact in the La Concha area of Nicaragua. If you have a chance to volunteer and learn Spanish with them, I highly recommend it!