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5Nicaragua
Nicaragua, a beautiful country with almost 6 million young citizens, and the largest land mass in Central America comparable to the size of New York State, is ranked by the United Nations (http://hdr.undp.org/en) as the second poorest country, after Haiti, in the western hemisphere. Natural disaster and a storied political history have left many...
Donors
As a social enterprise registered in Canada and Nicaragua, Compañeros raises private funds for public purposes. For a look at the sources of our revenue and distribution of expenses see: Click here to see What is a Social Enterprise? YE11 Financial Graphics Thanks to the increasing number of program participants and project donors – individuals,...
Projects
Compañeros community development projects are identified and executed in close collaboration with the priorities expressed by the leaders of Barrio Grenada and in partnership with several Nicaraguan organizations. Barrio Grenada, and its annex named “Dios Proveera”, is a settlement of hundreds of families located in the centre of Managua. It...
About
Founded in 2001, Compañeros Inc is a private social enterprise legally registered in Canada and Nicaragua. It is dedicated to organizing international volunteer programs and facilitating community development projects involving Canadians and Nicaraguans. With its proven track record of leveraging volunteers, local labour, individual and corporate donors, civic agencies, and academic institutions to execute cross-cultural learning programs and community development projects in collaboration with partner organizations, Compañeros effectively brings diverse people together to participate in mutually beneficial public service and educational...
Participants
Group Leaders
Thanks usually to the initiative of a few highly motivated and committed individuals in a school, a university, a business, a civic organization, or a faith-based site, 90% of participants join our programs in a group of some sort. Group Leaders are the good folk who voluntarily communicate, organize and implement the experience collaboratively with Compañeros on behalf of the group. Please read, download, or print the following documents for Group Leaders: Group Leaders Checklist Host Family Form Email Contact Form Emergency Contact Form T-shirt Order Form List of Cash Donations List of Material Donations Compañeros participants come from...
Preparation
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Before, during and after your trip there are many resources available to assist your preparation, to facilitate your in-country program, and to integrate your experience afterwards. In our Pre-Departure Guide you can find helpful checklists of What to Bring, Health and Safety Advice, and Emergency Contact info. As well, gain insight into What This Trip is About, Roles & Responsibilities, Group Dynamics, Expectations, Nicaragua, and Useful Spanish Phrases. To read, download, or print, click the Pre-Departure Guide To read, download, or print click Fundraising Ideas The following Reflection Tools provide...
Host Families
For many participants, one of the most anticipated aspects of their program is living with a Host Family. Compañeros has screened and worked with the same trusted Host Families for years. Between 2-6 participants are placed per home and share meals, bedrooms, and bathrooms.Host Families are contracted to provide each person with safe and comfortable accommodation, meals, water, and cross-cultural contact. All families have previous experience hosting and are supporters of the program and project you are involved in Nicaragua. English speaking skills ranges from none to some.The Host Families are not located in the barrio where the service project takes...
Reviews
Read what past participants have said and written about their Compañeros experience. “Comfortable cultural immersion, rewarding work, and a worthwhile intern experience that gave me plenty of personal and career insight about my place in the world” – Toronto, Ontario “Preparation, organization, and execution of the trip were all of the highest quality and made our service learning program in Nicaragua a success” – Montreal, Québec “Challenging socio-economic conditions offset by an effective volunteer placement, incredible landscape, and inspiring people who showed me how to make a difference” – Vancouver,...
