MANAGUA

Managua is situated near the Pacific side of Nicaragua with a population of about 1.5 million people. An earthquake in 1972 decimated the city, and many buildings remain in ruins today. Many of these are inhabited by the homeless. Aside from scattered enclaves of the very wealthy and a few "show" projects of the present government, Managua is extremely run down with dilapidated buildings, streets in disrepair, and a high crime rate. People do whatever they can to make ends meet - numerous street vendors at every traffic stop, on the buses, and in the barrios (neighborhoods)... 

The street kids congregate in city's large public markets living by petty thievery, prostitution and scrounging, fighting among themselves and sniffing glue to cover the pangs of hunger. Jonathan Roise, a Quaker from Seattle, and Mercedes Guido, a Nicaraguan social activist, began working with the boys in the large Montenegro Market which was a terminus for buses coming into the city from outlying parts of the country. 

Kids escaping poverty and abuse in families living on subsistence farming flooded into the cities following the end of the Contra War. The Hurricane Mitch disaster sent another wave of boys into the cities, principally Managua. Sí a la Vida grew out the necessity to do what could be done to help these kids get off the streets and, whenever possible, reunite them with their families. Or when this is not possible, to provide them a longer term accommodation, educate them and prepare them to live useful lives.

Now with the building of the additional Sí a la Vida center on Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua, the boys will be moved to that location after a period of rehabilitation at Casa Nuevo Amanecer in Managua. 

The following is a report from Jonathan Roise in May, 2000, to the Bellingham, Washington, Friends Meeting:

Casa Nuevo Amanecer, our house in Managua that was the entire project for several years, is now the base for our work with kids living in the streets or recently arrived from the streets, most of whom are addicted to sniffing glue. Rosario Poveda and others of our staff work regularly in the markets and gathering places where the street kids congregate, working to gain their confidence, providing first aid, and convincing them to take the big step of changing their lives. 

The Casa has residential space for up to 12 kids as they pass through the first stages of stabilization and socialization. During this stage many fall back into the streets. A few are transferred to another project specializing in older kids. A few are reintegrated directly into their families, if and when the staff judges that the family (most commonly a single mother with other kids) can provide adequate affective conditions and that both child and family are ready to accept each other. After three or four months a kid may transfer to the island project if he is sufficiently stable to attend school and is ready to take on a measure of responsibility for himself. These kids often have family situations aggravated by neglect, alcohol or violence which preclude their prompt reintegration into their homes.

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ What They Say ] [ How & Why ] [ Nicaragua Today ] [ Volunteer Now! ] [ Related Sites ] [ Amigos de Si a la Vida ] [ Story Archive ] [ Espanol home ] [ YOU CAN HELP! ] [ CONTACT US ]

The Montenegro Market near Barrio Villa Austria in Managua. 

Jonathan giving First Aid to glue sniffer in the Market. Boiling water had been thrown on him by an irate vendor.

A family in Las Cabezas on Nicaragua's Atlantic coast.  This poverty stricken region supplies many kids to the big cities.