Our
Story
Get to Know Us
Project Nicaragua is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of families in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Through a variety of initiatives, including housing construction, education, healthcare, and microloans, we work to alleviate the challenges faced by those living in extreme poverty. Our mission is rooted in compassion, and we are driven by a deep commitment to helping marginalized communities build a better future.
Purpose
At the heart of Project Nicaragua is our dedication to supporting rural communities, particularly in Amatitan, Nicaragua, and beyond. Our purpose is to provide the tools and resources that allow individuals and families to break the cycle of poverty. We achieve this by constructing homes, building latrines, offering education scholarships, and providing access to clean water, medical care, and microloans. Our work fosters long-term sustainability, empowering people to lift themselves up and create a brighter future. Through these efforts, we strive not only to meet immediate needs but to help communities grow and thrive over time.
Our History
Project Nicaragua was founded in 2000, when Sr. Liz Salmon, a Maryknoll nun based outside León, Nicaragua, introduced Msgr. Peter Ryan and several parishioners from Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Centerport, New York, to the rural village of Amatitan. This small, subsistence farming community of 2,500 people had few resources and was living in dire poverty. Inspired by the villagers' resilience, the group began a ministry focused on improving their living conditions through housing, education, and microloans. The first major project took place in 2002, when the community rebuilt the Espiritu Sancto Church after it was destroyed by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Over the years, our initiatives expanded, and we have built over 240 homes for families in need, provided education scholarships, and facilitated access to essential services. In 2019, Project Nicaragua became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, allowing us to grow and extend our work beyond Nicaragua to the Dominican Republic, where we assist an orphanage for abused children and families living in a garbage dump. Through all of these efforts, we continue to bring hope and tangible change to communities in need.
