El Porvenir

The mission of El Porvenir is to improve the standard of living of poor people in Nicaragua through sustainable self-help water, sanitation and reforestation projects.

• To improve the health of poor people, especially the children, and to reduce infant mortality.
• To lessen the physical burden on women and children of carrying water.
• To support self-help, community-initiated efforts in rural villages.
• To transfer to the villagers skills which they can use to improve their lives.
• To preserve the watersheds on which the water projects depend.

Each year, El Porvenir offers one-week and two-week work trips to Nicaragua. Groups of 10-15 people work in a village assisting Nicaraguan families in the construction of water, sanitation, or reforestation projects. The group is accompanied at all times by a bilingual El Porvenir staff member. Neither Spanish nor construction skills are required, though both are useful and welcome.

Work trips cost $800 to $1075 and the fee covers the following expenses:

• Cost of project materials, tools and equipment
• Pre-project organization, materials purchase and delivery
• Reservations, airport transfers, special arrangements
• Lodging, meals and transportation within Nicaragua
• Services of group coordinators/interpreters
• A recreational weekend at the beach or in the mountains
• Health/accident/baggage insurance

• July 24 to 31, 2008 — Open
• August 9 to 18, 2008 — Open
• October 4 to 13, 2008 — Elderhostel Service Program
• January 31 to February 7, 2009 — Open
• February 20 to 28, 2009 — Open

• http://www.elporvenir.org/