Kilambe region of Nicaragua

Our partnership in Nicaragua began in 2005.  CEPAD – the Council of Protestant Churches in Nicaragua – facilitated our partnership with the region of Kilambe, a mountainous area in the northwestern part of the country near the border with Honduras.  Seven communities were initially part of that partnership, but as new communities have been developed, they have been added to the partnership.  The partnership committee in Kilambe is led by Juana Bidea and a representative board of community members. 

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When the partnership was formed, DCPC proposed that we focus on preschool education and on encouraging older children to stay in school and finish high school.  Since the beginning of the partnership, DCPC has provided funds to help build several preschools and has annually provided scholarships that enable parents to allow their children to remain in school.   Currently we are providing scholarships for 59 students in K-12 or university.  The funds are used to provide food for families, provide school uniforms, shoes, backpacks, and supplies, and to provide a stipend for some university students to help them with food and transportation costs.

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DCPC's Presbyterian Women were also instrumental in helping Juan Bidea start a sewing cooperative in the region as a means for the women to raise funds for their families.

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Our annual partnership trip – usually taken in June or July of each year - has given many of our youth and adults the opportunity to visit the communities of Kilambe, to help with school improvement projects (we have supported projects in 7 different communities), to teach, interact with, and build relationships with school children and their families.  Our goal has always been to establish a long-term relationship that helps us all grow in faith and in faithfulness to God whether in Kilambe or Davidson.