Nicaragua Facts

Hola! That’s how you say “hello” in Spanish, the official language of Nicaragua. This Latin American country is home to beautiful beaches and volcanoes. Learn more Nicaragua facts here. 

A horse and a boat stand in front of a lake with a volcano in the background.

5 Interesting Facts About Nicaragua

Here are some Nicaragua facts you may not know:

Map of Nicaragua

Where Is Nicaragua Located?

Nicaragua is located in Central America, right between Honduras and Costa Rica. It’s next to the Pacific Ocean, which lies to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the east.

Key Challenges Throughout Latin America & Our Response

Countries throughout Latin America, including Nicaragua, are home to many impoverished communities. And children living in those communities face the painful, life-altering challenges of poverty.

Lack of Education Keeps Children Trapped in Poverty 

Millions of children throughout Latin America can’t access education. Some children must drop out of school to work and provide for their families. Others simply lack the resources to pay tuition. Some children living in remote areas don’t even have physical access to schools and can’t afford to travel. 

Sadly, children unable to go to school will likely struggle to provide for themselves and their families later in life, keeping them and their children in poverty. 

Our Response: Providing Educational Opportunities for Kids of All Ages 

Partnering with local churches, Compassion provides tutoring, school supplies and other educational opportunities to children who attend our program. We also help families cover the cost of tuition for their children. 

For older children, we also provide vocational training teaching them practical skills they can use to provide for themselves and their families. 

Children in Remote Areas Can’t Get Essentials 

Nicaragua is home to many remote areas. For example, the Rio San Juan region in Nicaragua is one of the most isolated regions in all of Central America. 

Children and families living in these areas struggle to access basic resources like medical care, clean water and education simply because they’re so far away. 

Our Response: Empowering the Local Church to Care for Kids in Remote Areas 

Compassion partners with local churches that have a heart for reaching children in remote areas. Through nearby churches, we offer critical care like medical checkups, clean water and tutoring to children who would otherwise go without them. 

Our Impact in Nicaragua

Compassion has supported children and families throughout Nicaragua for over two decades. During that time, we’ve helped release thousands of children from poverty in Jesus’ name through our child sponsorship program.

71,223

children served (and counting).

256

churches serving.

21

years serving.
A young boy laying on a bright yellow background holds glasses up the camera and smiles.

Glasses Changed Everything for These Three Children

Andreina, Yubielka and Anderson suffered from problems with their eyesight, harming their health and keeping them from thriving in school. Through the local church, they received eye exams and glasses, changing their lives. 

A young boy wearing a chef’s uniform smiles for the camera.

Mareck Chases His Dream of Becoming a Chef

Mareck and other children in the Compassion program are dreaming of brighter futures beyond poverty. And for Mareck, this means becoming a chef so he can serve others in his community. 

Fight Child Poverty: Give Right-Now Care & Eternal Hope

Nutritious food. Medical care. Protection from harm. Hope. These are just some of the critical, right-now needs of children living in poverty. Help us fight child poverty by meeting these needs and sharing the lasting hope of the gospel. 

Sponsor a Child

By sponsoring a child, you empower a local church to share the gospel by meeting the needs of a child’s body, mind and spirit. Through sponsorship, you’ll help deliver medical care, hygiene training, education, malnutrition monitoring and so much more to a child in need. 

Pray

Jeremiah 33:3 says that if we call on God, he will answer us. When we lift up children living in poverty, God hears us, and we can trust he’s working on their behalf. Join us in praying daily for children living in poverty by becoming a prayer partner.

Donate

Children living in poverty face many challenges, from a lack of medical care to dangerous living conditions. You can provide immediate support by donating to fulfill a right-now need.