NicaraguaNicaragua

Helping moms & babies in Nicaragua

You are changing the lives of moms and babies. Here’s how.

Mom's & BabiesMom's & Babies
Helping moms & babies in Nicaragua
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The Need

Of the 5.2 million children who die around the world each year, 75 per cent die in the first year of life. Babies are at risk of death due to premature birth complications, complications during childbirth, infections, pneumonia and diarrhea. But this is preventable. With training and support, moms in poverty can be empowered to raise healthy and happy babies.

Our Response

Critical care
Your support helps secure access to pre- and postnatal care, skilled birth attendants and medical intervention when necessary.

Home-based care
Mothers are visited in their homes monthly by a Survival specialist, who offers education in prenatal care and early child-rearing as well as one-on-one biblical mentoring.

Group-based learning
At these church-based activities, moms learn skills to earn an income and gain vital knowledge including basic literacy, the importance of breastfeeding and how to prevent malnutrition and disease. These groups combat isolation through a supportive community of mothers who, together, learn about the God who loves them.

Nicaragua Stats

Average number of children in household 3
Average age of first-time mothers 15
Births attended by skilled health personnel 88
Stunted growth from malnutrition 23

Activities

Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.

Physical health: Moms and their babies received medical care and support. Babies’ height and weight were measured to monitor growth and doctors assessed their health in physical exams. Mothers and babies also had blood, urine and stool samples taken to check their overall health and diagnose illnesses. Staff educated families on the importance of vaccinations and moms and babies received routine immunizations.

Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.

Home visits: Staff visited caregivers in their homes and provided one-on-one care and support. Pregnant moms were taught valuable lessons about having a healthy pregnancy, what to expect during labour and delivery and caring for their newborn. Moms learned how to prepare nutritious meals for their children, provide age-appropriate stimulation for their babies and identify and track babies’ developmental milestones.

Business skills: Caregivers learned vital business and entrepreneurial skills during group workshops. Staff took moms on an outing to see the shops in the community to help them determine opportunities as they consider starting their own businesses. Caregivers learned about managing finances and small businesses to empower them to begin generating income. They also learned how to make and stick to a family budget.

Welcome gifts: Staff distributed welcome kits to each mom in the program. The gift contained a mosquito net, a Bible, a folder to keep track of their program work, pens and other supplies. Moms felt happy and grateful to receive their kits and were excited to begin the program.

Project Stats

This intervention addressed:

Full-term births 10
Pregnancies 1
Illness subc: Respiratory Tract Infection 1
Breastfeeding Moms 9
Malnourished Babies - Severely Underweight 10
Attended births 5
Malnourished Babies - Moderately Underweight 12
Normal birth weights 10
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Celebrations: Families celebrated holidays and special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, Mother’s Day and baby dedications at the church. When babies reached their first birthdays, Survival staff held birthday parties with games, piñatas, delicious treats and gifts. Survival families enjoyed fellowshipping with one another as a community and moms and babies felt special and loved.
Physical health: Moms and their babies received medical care and support. Babies’ height and weight were measured to monitor growth and doctors assessed their health in physical exams. Mothers and babies also had blood, urine and stool samples taken to check their overall health and diagnose illnesses. Staff educated families on the importance of vaccinations and moms and babies received routine immunizations.
Physical health: Moms and their babies received medical care and support. Babies’ height and weight were measured to monitor growth and doctors assessed their health in physical exams. Mothers and babies also had blood, urine and stool samples taken to check their overall health and diagnose illnesses. Staff educated families on the importance of vaccinations and moms and babies received routine immunizations.
Physical health: Moms and their babies received medical care and support. Babies’ height and weight were measured to monitor growth and doctors assessed their health in physical exams. Mothers and babies also had blood, urine and stool samples taken to check their overall health and diagnose illnesses. Staff educated families on the importance of vaccinations and moms and babies received routine immunizations.
Physical health: Moms and their babies received medical care and support. Babies’ height and weight were measured to monitor growth and doctors assessed their health in physical exams. Mothers and babies also had blood, urine and stool samples taken to check their overall health and diagnose illnesses. Staff educated families on the importance of vaccinations and moms and babies received routine immunizations.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Group activities: Staff taught a variety of workshops on topics such as child protection and preventing child abuse, nutrition, early childhood growth and development, basic first aid and disease prevention. Caregivers were so grateful to be able to learn and share together. Moms also learned about God’s love and pastors shared the gospel with moms. Along with their moms, babies participated in activities and stimulating games to promote their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Home visits: Staff visited caregivers in their homes and provided one-on-one care and support. Pregnant moms were taught valuable lessons about having a healthy pregnancy, what to expect during labour and delivery and caring for their newborn. Moms learned how to prepare nutritious meals for their children, provide age-appropriate stimulation for their babies and identify and track babies’ developmental milestones.
Home visits: Staff visited caregivers in their homes and provided one-on-one care and support. Pregnant moms were taught valuable lessons about having a healthy pregnancy, what to expect during labour and delivery and caring for their newborn. Moms learned how to prepare nutritious meals for their children, provide age-appropriate stimulation for their babies and identify and track babies’ developmental milestones.
Home visits: Staff visited caregivers in their homes and provided one-on-one care and support. Pregnant moms were taught valuable lessons about having a healthy pregnancy, what to expect during labour and delivery and caring for their newborn. Moms learned how to prepare nutritious meals for their children, provide age-appropriate stimulation for their babies and identify and track babies’ developmental milestones.
Home visits: Staff visited caregivers in their homes and provided one-on-one care and support. Pregnant moms were taught valuable lessons about having a healthy pregnancy, what to expect during labour and delivery and caring for their newborn. Moms learned how to prepare nutritious meals for their children, provide age-appropriate stimulation for their babies and identify and track babies’ developmental milestones.
Home visits: Staff visited caregivers in their homes and provided one-on-one care and support. Pregnant moms were taught valuable lessons about having a healthy pregnancy, what to expect during labour and delivery and caring for their newborn. Moms learned how to prepare nutritious meals for their children, provide age-appropriate stimulation for their babies and identify and track babies’ developmental milestones.
Home visits: Staff visited caregivers in their homes and provided one-on-one care and support. Pregnant moms were taught valuable lessons about having a healthy pregnancy, what to expect during labour and delivery and caring for their newborn. Moms learned how to prepare nutritious meals for their children, provide age-appropriate stimulation for their babies and identify and track babies’ developmental milestones.
Business skills: Caregivers learned vital business and entrepreneurial skills during group workshops. Staff took moms on an outing to see the shops in the community to help them determine opportunities as they consider starting their own businesses. Caregivers learned about managing finances and small businesses to empower them to begin generating income. They also learned how to make and stick to a family budget.
Business skills: Caregivers learned vital business and entrepreneurial skills during group workshops. Staff took moms on an outing to see the shops in the community to help them determine opportunities as they consider starting their own businesses. Caregivers learned about managing finances and small businesses to empower them to begin generating income. They also learned how to make and stick to a family budget.
Business skills: Caregivers learned vital business and entrepreneurial skills during group workshops. Staff took moms on an outing to see the shops in the community to help them determine opportunities as they consider starting their own businesses. Caregivers learned about managing finances and small businesses to empower them to begin generating income. They also learned how to make and stick to a family budget.
Business skills: Caregivers learned vital business and entrepreneurial skills during group workshops. Staff took moms on an outing to see the shops in the community to help them determine opportunities as they consider starting their own businesses. Caregivers learned about managing finances and small businesses to empower them to begin generating income. They also learned how to make and stick to a family budget.
Welcome gifts: Staff distributed welcome kits to each mom in the program. The gift contained a mosquito net, a Bible, a folder to keep track of their program work, pens and other supplies. Moms felt happy and grateful to receive their kits and were excited to begin the program.
Welcome gifts: Staff distributed welcome kits to each mom in the program. The gift contained a mosquito net, a Bible, a folder to keep track of their program work, pens and other supplies. Moms felt happy and grateful to receive their kits and were excited to begin the program.
Welcome gifts: Staff distributed welcome kits to each mom in the program. The gift contained a mosquito net, a Bible, a folder to keep track of their program work, pens and other supplies. Moms felt happy and grateful to receive their kits and were excited to begin the program.
Welcome gifts: Staff distributed welcome kits to each mom in the program. The gift contained a mosquito net, a Bible, a folder to keep track of their program work, pens and other supplies. Moms felt happy and grateful to receive their kits and were excited to begin the program.
Welcome gifts: Staff distributed welcome kits to each mom in the program. The gift contained a mosquito net, a Bible, a folder to keep track of their program work, pens and other supplies. Moms felt happy and grateful to receive their kits and were excited to begin the program.
Welcome gifts: Staff distributed welcome kits to each mom in the program. The gift contained a mosquito net, a Bible, a folder to keep track of their program work, pens and other supplies. Moms felt happy and grateful to receive their kits and were excited to begin the program.
Neris

ReportA message from a caregiver

My name is Neris, Keydi’s mother. My child is 8 months old. My family and I are so grateful for your support since we entered the program.

From the moment they registered me in the program it was a great blessing. I feel very lucky and blessed to belong to this centre NI0107 Primisias de Vida. The impact on my family has been satisfying since the support has been great with the food. My baby and I have good nutritional status. Medical consultations have reduced the index of parasitism and common diseases. I feel very grateful since my daughter’s health has improved a lot due to the consultations that I have received in the program.

In each class our implementer has taught us how to feed our baby and take care of our daughter’s health. In addition, she is always aware of each child’s vaccinations. My baby, at 8 months old, has developed abilities that I never imagined, and I know that we will continue learning together. In the same way, they are encouraging me to attend church faithfully and to be able to instruct my baby from a young age in the ways of the Lord.

I know that without your support all this blessing would not have been possible, I always pray for God to keep and protect you and that you would also continue to support our family and community with new opportunities. I really feel loved, cared for and valuable in the program.

I say goodbye, very grateful for everything you have given us. I will always carry you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Neris
Pastor Edgar, NI0266

ReportA message from a pastor

God bless you. We want to tell you that we have been serving the community, especially the boys and girls, for nine years, through the Compassion centre with the contribution you give to keep the Survival program running.

Thanks to Compassion and to your economic contribution, we have been able to bless the 15 participants and their families with a medical checkup, food packages, specialized medical aid, protection training for the participants and vocational skills like sewing and making pickles and crafts.

In the same way, Survival caregivers have been offered Bible studies and discipleship in which 30 per cent have confessed Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and are now participating in the church.

We want to express our gratitude to you for your contributions that have been received and invested. Today, we are getting results as the Survival program has had an impact on the community. The program is unique and comes through the church, and we feel encouraged when we receive words of thanks from the families.

We pray that this program continues and we bless you in the name of Jesus. May God bless you and your family greatly.

Pastor Edgar, NI0266
Yessenia

ReportA message from those your gift helped

My name is Yessenia, and I am very happy to be able to greet you and express my best wishes. May God’s grace and love be upon your lives. My family is made up of nine members. I live with my in-laws and my husband’s brothers. I have two children: one is older than three and a half and I have a five-month-old baby named Dalinger. My husband is 29 years old. He works as a mason’s assistant.

I thank God for my family and for putting the person who helped me enter the Survival program on my path. I found out this program existed in the church through a friend. He commented that caregivers were instructed in the Word of God and that the staff helped them become better people, to have better communication with their children, to interact with them and to instruct them in the ways of our heavenly father and that they would give us help for my child.

I entered the program in January 2022 when I was four months pregnant. I was having a problem with my health since my baby wanted to come early and they sent me on absolute rest. The sisters supported me with purchases of injections, which allowed my child to finish forming well. My baby was born in June 2022. Today my child is a beautiful child.

Within the program, I receive home and group lessons. Thanks to the lessons the implementer Leda has taught me, I have learned to take better care of my children, to share more with them and to teach them good things when speaking to them about God. I have learned about other important topics such as breastfeeding and recognizing the signs and needs of your baby. I really liked the class on creating a stimulating environment and interacting with your baby. All are very beautiful and important topics. They gave us a Bible, a mosquito net, medicine during pregnancy and a folder to keep the work we do. We receive medical checkups twice a year and a monthly food package containing rice, sugar, oil, salt soap, oatmeal, cookies, pinolillo, cereal and milk if we request it.

Everything we receive is a great blessing because we know it is a gift from God, but there was a moment when I could really see the hands of God working in my life and that of my family. We were having a very difficult time in which my husband was unemployed, and we did not have milk for my child. Just then, the implementer called me to tell me they were going to place the order for the monthly basket and that I could request milk. Days before the call, I had asked God to help us so that my baby would have milk. When I received the package with milk, I thanked God for His love and mercy towards my baby and my family and for listening to my calls. God has always been taking care of me.

I am very grateful to the program and the brothers of the church who have treated us so well. I thank you for allowing me to enter the program, for your great love and noble heart and for your generosity to help children in need. God bless you greatly and pour great blessings on your lives!

With love to you,

Yessenia