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years 2021
Strengthening Community Bonds
Nicaragua has been suffering an economic and social crisis for the last few years. The COVID-19 pandemic
continues to affect not only elderly and high-risk people, but the population as a whole.
Elderly people began receiving the vaccine in March. However,
the vast majority of Nicaraguans are 20 to 35 years old, so most
of the population was not eligible for the vaccine until mid-Sep-
tember. Due to this discrepancy, the virus continued to spread
vigorously for many months.

In September, all activities were postponed due to the Delta va-

riant. It was, by far, the worst month we have had since the
beginning of the pandemic. We postponed our youth community
centers and suspended all in-person activities for a month to
ensure the safety of our community. Unfortunately during this
difficult stretch, five of our youth promoters got sick. However,
others stepped up to the plate and took over, finding innovative
ways to safely lead youth initiatives, to build resilience, and to
support one another. It was an incredibly difficult time, not only
for the people we accompany, but also for the staff. Projects had
to be postponed or adapted to maintain safety. One example of
this is the annual camp, which will be replaced with a small ga-
thering in Ciudad Sandino as an end of the year farewell festival.

Thankfully, in October, we were able to resume our regular courses and rural workshops. In order to stay safe, all meetings
had a maximum of 10 people, and coordinators capped the number of people visiting the centers at 10 as well. In rural com-
munities, CANTERA provided comprehensive COVID-19 education. We taught people how to prevent infection, what to do
to keep oneself and others safe if a person tests positive, and, importantly, we highlighted the life-saving capabilities of the
vaccine.

Despite all the difficulties we have experienced this year, we are fortunate that most of the people that CANTERA serves are
now vaccinated, and our youth promoters who were sick all made full recoveries. Through all the adversity that we have en-
dured, we have gained a deeper appreciation for the sustaining power of our community bonds, especially among our youth.
As we take small steps toward normalcy, we are noticing how our social fabric, once broken, is now being pieced back toge-
ther. We are reenergized by our ability to more fully, yet safely, resume our work of community engagement through not only
dancing, theater and painting classes, but also by providing medicine, food, and woven within all projects, emotional support.

Thanks to all our donors, we had the resilience and the support to make
it through this year. We are proud to have accompanied over 1300 peo-
ple from ten rural communities, four vulnerable urban neighborhoods
and also from a large region of Nicaragua which we serve through our
spirituality and gender equity workshops. This essential humanitarian
work of promoting and protecting the physical, mental, and spiritual
well-being of marginalized Nicaraguans would not have been possible
without the help of our friends like you.

Friends of Cantera was founded in 1993 to support the programs of CANTERA in Nicaragua. Friends of Cantera is
recognized as a philantropic 501c3 non-profit by the IRS. Contributions are tax-deductible to to the fullest extent allowed
by law. Find our most recent financial statements on Guidestar.
 Why do we talk about Migration?
The migratory flow of Nicaraguans has increased dramatically in recent years; and it is estimated that almost
10.5% of the population lives abroad. Since 2018 some 108,000 Nicaraguans have left the country, of which
85,000 have sought refuge in Costa Rica, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Some key reasons
Nicaraguans choose to migrate are the country’s poverty, unemployment, and low wages, accompanied by
various social and political problems, violence, and climate change.

Some communities where CANTERA intervenes intensively,

such as Mateare and Ciudad Sandino, are locations which are
prone to immigration and human trafficking because they are
located on the Pan-American Highway. The Pan-American
highway is a network of roads that connects all of the Ameri-
cas, from the southern tip of Argentina up to the northern part
of Canada and Alaska. The location of this road makes it a
commonly-traveled route for people who are migrating. In Ma-
teare, at least five of our beneficiaries live their own migration
experience, and the majority of the community knows friends
or family who have decided to migrate.

To curb the increasing irregularity of migration, CANTERA is implementing measures to minimize the migratory flow.
CANTERA aims to mitigate the effects, before, during and after migration, by micro-financing projects to promote business
ventures and student scholarships for primary through university-level students, thus increasing people’s prosperity and safe-
ty in Nicaragua. Furthermore, the beneficiaries are trained on immigration to help ensure a safe, legal, and orderly migration
process. They also receive emotional and psychological support after returning home.

At CANTERA, we recognize migration as a universal right, which should be carried

out safely and justly. However, we are working to change the reality for Nicara-
guans who are most at-risk to protect them from the instability that leads people
to migrate. Our goal is to keep people safe and to mitigate the impact of migration,
while ensuring that people have accurate, unbiased information on this important
topic.
Communication Through Media Workshops
In late October, CANTERA offered a one week Communication Through Media
Workshop to adolescents and young adults from the four urban neighborhoods
supported by our programs as well as the youth from one rural community. The
young adults learned how to take photos and videos in order to create their own
media content. Through this course, they also strengthened their camera operation
abilities and improved their skills on editing their own material.

The youth were highly satisfied with the opportunity to not only learn how to operate
a camera, but also to learn about the visual narrative. They explored how to tell a
story with a photo, the art of making a video and the tools to share their content
online. This workshop has empowered them to create their own media content to
document their experiences and then to share that knowledge with their peers.

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2021 in a Nutshell
In Our Urban Centers...
• New workshops on nutrition were held in Ciudad Sandino and then replica-
ted by 5 of our promoters.
• Our annual Gender Equity course was successfully held through a virtual
platform.
• New workshops on urban gardens and environmental awareness were held.
• Our BECA scholarship program continued, despite the difficulties of the pan-
demic.
• Our Child-Development Program expanded to Jorge Dimitrov and Mateare.
• We renovated the San Judas house and it is now fully functional as the per-
manent site for this urban center.

Innovation Through Technology...

• We worked to create engaging promotional videos, one in San Judas and
the other one at the Farmers Center for Technological Exchange.
• We held workshops on how to create digital media and podcasts.
• Our conference center got solar panels which will help alleviate expenses
and reduce our ecological footprint.

Within Rural Communities...

• A project on water harvesting started in mid 2021, so now 200 people will be
benefiting from water cisterns to store rainwater for household use and crop
irrigation.
• Four workshops on leadership and strengthening the social fabric were held in
four neighborhoods and one rural community, benefiting over 100 youth.

CANTERA and Friends of Cantera
would like to thank the Congregation of
Sisters of Saint Joseph and the Rucks-
tuhl Foundation for our Urban Garden
Project, which benefitted 90 families of
Managua!
support our beca scholarships program
This year we were able to support 30 young people
to fulfill their dreams to have a technical and univer-
sity degree in rural communities and poor neighbor-
hoods of Managua.
With $30 each month you can support high
school education and $50 per month you support
university studies.
https://www.friendsofcantera.org/beca-scholarships
Join us supporting the people of Nicaragua!
Our Annual Fund support CANTERA’s
work in community development, youth
empowerment, eadership, and gender
equity.
Your support to the Annual Fund will be
matched up to $25,000.00 by a generous
donor!
https://www.friendsofcantera.org/an-
nual-fund.html
Online
Go to our website
MAKE A GIFT
friendsofcantera.org
And click on Donate Now!
Gracias!
Donations In Memory of:
Sister Mary Hartman,CSA: Lisa Fitzgerald and Mary Dame
Gregory Bivin: Angie and Jay Wood
Gloria Romeo: Armando and Consuelo Corripio
Father Ben Innes,OFM: Jane Curran-Meuli
Mr and Mrs HJ Rose: Melanie Rose
In Honor of:
Beth Wilder in honor of Savita Wilder
Sheri Acosta in honor of Annaclaire Acosta
Marcia Lee in honor of Andy Choi and Margarita Loring
Elise Robinson in honor of Rose Costello and Natalie Mall
Paul Da Silva & Erin Feeney in honor of Rose Costello and Melvin
Boyd, Sylvia Mothe, Cherry Riggs in honor of Sr Dianne Fanguy, CSJ
Mary & Thomas Freeman in honor of Mary Freeman
Frank & Donna Gregaru in honor of Mrs Gregaru’s beautiful
Goddaughters
Nanette Olivier in honor of Sandy Jumonville Brown
April Forrar in honor of Lynn Kapitan
Beth & Robert Salisbury in honor of Alice Waco and Bill McGee
Society
Kim Hardman, Sissy & Ralph Stephens in honor of Alvin Raetzsch
Sarah Edwards in honor of David Thom
Diane Klein in honor of Sr Anabel Torres, CSA
Rachel Pomeroy in honor of Monica Mangelson
Special thanks to Sandy Brown and Alice Waco for their birthday’s
fundraisers and all the people who donated to the cause!
FOLLOW US! CANTERA COVID-19 RELIEF CAMPAIGN
Despide all efforts to alleviate Covid 19
cases in Nicaragua and the vaccination
process, a rebound in the country has emer-
ged. Please consider making a donation to
friendsofcantera
ensure elders and youth get support
$30.00 Prepaid telephone balance for one
promoter
Friends of Cantera $50.00 Prevention kit for one family
$100.00 Food Package for one family
www.friendsofcantera.org https://www.friendsofcantera.
org/covid-19-response.html
Amazon Smile By Mail
Shop at smile.amazon.org, Friends of Cantera, Inc.
Choose Friends of Cantera C/o M.Rose, Treasurer
And Amazon will donate .5% PO Box 86233
Of your purchase to FoC! Baton Rouge, LA 70879