Mission

The Barrio Planta Project is a community development, education and arts initiative that provides the children and adults from the low-income neighborhood, ‘La Planta’ in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua with free English classes. Through these classes, along with extra-curricular activities and community development projects, they are able to discover their skills, passions, confidence and pride for an overall more fulfilling, successful and rewarding life.

Some People Have Nothing

But that doesn’t mean they lack the desire, ambition, intelligence creativity, passion or potential that those more fortunate possess. They only lack the materials and circumstances necessary to filter and fully develop these skills. The children and adults living in the neighborhood, La Planta, in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua fall into that category.

The Barrio Planta Project is an intensive community development program created to provide the outlet for these needs. As a main base for the program, we hold free English classes three days a week for the children of San Juan del Sur. There are 100 adults and 150 children from the neighborhood who are already enlisted in the program, and counting. Classes are held in the the nearby recreation center, La Escuela Integral, owned by the Nicaraguan Association for Cultural Promotion (APC). We have begun reconstructing three classrooms within the space, which hasn’t been used for thirty years due to lack of funding.

These English classes give our students the opportunity to find jobs in the growing tourism industry of San Juan del Sur, which was just a tiny fisherman’s village ten years ago. However, that isn’t all we do. We also give positive outlets for the children’s abundant energy that would otherwise remain stagnant due to poverty and lack of hope and opportunity. Activities such as mural painting, basketball, and theater foster focus, discipline, following instructions, creativity, and teamwork. These endeavors enforce confidence, pride, individuality, and community.

How Can You Help?

We are in need of donations to help pay for materials, hire teachers and ensure the longevity of our project.

What Does Your Money Buy?

• School supplies. Pens, notebooks, folders, photocopies, paper, extra dry-erase boards, books.

• Sports equipment, uniforms, shoes,  alimentation and water for practices, games and tournaments

• Art supplies. Paint for the murals, paintbrushes, materials for art classes such as paper, canvas, markers, magazines, paste, scissors, smocks and more.

• Volunteer Support

• Field trips,  family events, theater, music and poetry projects

• Staff Support!

While volunteers are an essential part of the project, a qualified, committed and consistent staff provide a solid base and support system from which our project can grow and flourish. We are lucky enough to have nine staff members working full-time, four Nicaraguans and five North Americans taking care of things like Fundraising, Public Relations, Event Organization, Directing Athletics and Creative Arts, and of course teaching English Classes. All of our teachers are college graduates and our English teachers are also Certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).

On December 3rd, 2009, Barrio La Planta Project officially became an IRS-authorized 501(c)3, meaning we can now apply for grants to ensure a solid and consistent income for our project! On March 25th, 2011, the BPP officially became its own Nicaraguan Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) as well, increasing our eligibility for grants and foreign aid. However, this can take up to years and until then our salaries, which ensure our commitment are 100% dependent on generous donors, like you.

Want to donate? There are a few ways to do so:

1. Donate through Paypal.

You can donate once, occasionally or commit to making monthly donations and become a BPP Pillar!