Our Homes: NPH Nicaragua

Nicaragua Facts

Area:
50,336 square miles – slightly smaller than New York state

Population:
6,359,689 (2023 est.)

Languages:
Spanish (official) 95.3%, Miskito 2.2%, Mestizo of the Caribbean coast 2%

Issues:
One of the poorest countries in Latin America; earthquakes,
volcanoes, landslides, extremely susceptible to hurricanes

NPH Nicaragua at a Glance

Opened:
May 10, 1994

Location:
Casa Padre Wasson is 45 minutes southwest of Managua in Jinotepe

NPH Operates:
Family-style home, school (grades K – 11), medical clinic, farms and greenhouses, vocational workshops

Community Programs include an academic scholarship program, meals and healthcare for children/youth in the community, NPH OneFamily which provides services to families in need, and the “Good Samaritan” and San Jorge programs.

2022 Impact
565 children and adults supported

124 local people employed

64 K – University graduates

Did you know?

Marlon Velásquez, NPH Nicaragua’s National Director, is an Hermano Mayor (“Older Brother”), who was raised at NPH Honduras.
Originally, children age 8 and older lived on Ometepe Island and those under age 7 lived in San Jorge on the mainland. An earthquake and volcanic activity on the island caused a temporary evacuation of the home in August 2005, and due to ongoing safety concerns, new property was acquired. The new site, Casa Padre Wasson, opened in December 2011.
The farms have a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as chickens, cows, fish and pigs.
The wastewater treatment system works without electricity or chemicals and the treated water is used for irrigation of green areas, gardens and agricultural programs.
The vocational workshops offer certification in shoe-making, sewing, residential electricity, welding, computers, and English.
The “Good Samaritan” program provides physical, motor, intellectual, and sensory therapies to children living with disabilities, and also supports in-house instruction for parents of disabled children.
In 2021, nearly 80 children in the San Jorge community benefitted from therapies, transport to medical appointments at external hospitals, and primary medical care by NPH doctors.
Despite challenges brought on by COVID-19, NPH Nicaragua provided tools and resources to help youth transition into self-sufficient adults via vocational training, certifications, and workshops.

More Information:

• Holiday Celebrations at NPH Nicaragua
• Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Home Map (PDF)
• Visitor’s Guide (PDF)

How to Help:

• Sponsor a child
• Donate now

Learn about the other NPH homes: