Santa Emilia

Santa Emilia

Santa Emilia is a coffee-growing community in the mountainous rain forest of the Department (state) of Matagalpa in central Nicaragua. The area includes, and is highly interdependent with, a 12,000 acre coffee farm by the same name — Santa Emilia. The area is home to about 2,500 people year round, plus an additional 800-1,000 migrant coffee pickers from November to February each year.

Many of Santa Emilia's residents live and work on the "finca" (farm); while others own and work the small farms they received as part of Nicaragua's Agrarian Reform in the 1980. Poverty is epidemic in the area, and resources are limited. JustHope is partnering with the community of Santa Emilia to provide solidarity and support as they develop leadership, create a healthy and safe environment for their children, and work to improve their lives. In 2008, JustHope partners provided computers for the community high school, helped stock a small community clinic, and worked with the community to turn an old, unused plantation kitchen into a preschool for local children. In 2009, JustHope joined with community leaders to work on a clean water project, and to improve housing in the area.  In 2010, we added opening a local high school and a micro-credit program for women to the community projects we are working on together.  

See JustHope partner project in Health, Education, and Micro-enterprise.