Intern or Volunteer with a Grassroots Health Organization in Nicaragua

  Nicaragua

• Other Cities in Nicaragua: 
Jinotepe,  Ciudad Sandino

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer, Throughout the year, Trimester, Winter 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months and 1-2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: See FSD Website

Description: Examples of how you can support Health initiatives in Nicaragua:

* Assist preventative and curative medical attention at a hospital for children and adults. Work in any of these areas: pediatric care, epidemiology, gynecology, family planning, emergency services, nutrition, TB care, immunizations, internal medicine, and physical therapy.

* Expand an FSD project that provides individual and group counseling to middle and high school students with the support of other teachers and administrators trained in counseling by the Ministry of Education.

* Work in a women's health clinic focused on reproductive health counseling, prenatal and postnatal care, and breastfeeding promotion. Support the pediatrics division focusing on hydration, vaccinations, and methods to prevent malnutrition in children.

* Offer physical therapy, education, medical, and psychological support to rehabilitate mentally and physically handicapped children and adults who have been abandoned by their families.

* Work with parents to help them understand their children's disabilities, teaching them ways to cope with the emotional and social difficulties facing their children and themselves.

* Provide psychological help through counseling and intervention for those overcoming addiction and intra-familial violence.

For more health opportunities in Nicaragua, visit our website or contact us directly.

About FSD

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1995 to support underserved, international communities in a collaborative and sustainable manner. Our model incorporates three overlapping programs:

1. Sustainable Development Training Programs for Interns and Volunteers
FSD provides comprehensive training and immersion programs for interns and volunteers seeking hands-on experience in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Program participants come from countless professions and more than 300 universities worldwide to collaborate with our partner organizations on community-driven projects that reflect sustainable practices.

2. Grantmaking to Projects and Initiatives Led By Our Partner Organizations
Donations and grants given to FSD are used to support projects and initiatives implemented by our partner organizations, site teams, interns, and volunteers.

3. Sustainable Development of Community-Based Organizations
Our professional field staff, consultants, and program participants provide on-site technical training and capacity building to more than 200 community-based organizations.

Highlights: Development Issues Addressed by FSD in Nicaragua
Health needs in Nicaragua are the result of poverty, geographical positioning, and a disorganized health care system. A high prevalence of malaria and parasitic diseases, gender inequity, large numbers of children, and periodic natural disasters all contribute to a portrait of suffering and necessity. Infant mortality and maternal mortality remain high, especially in disadvantaged groups, rural areas, indigenous populations, the poor, adolescents, and women with low levels of schooling. Malnutrition is another pressing problem so that nearly a quarter of children living in rural areas suffer from not having enough to eat. In addition, communicable diseases continue to increase. Malaria is concentrated in municipalities with indigenous populations and tuberculosis is prevalent in the poorest, most inaccessible areas. The incidence of HIV/AIDS is also rising, especially among the female population. To add to all of these concerns, only about six percent of the population is insured and government spending, already low, has been steadily decreasing since the eighties. This has created a situation where out-of-pocket health expenditures constitute a serious barrier for the majority of Nicaraguans.

FSD interns and volunteers have the opportunity to contribute directly toward healthier Nicaraguan communities by assisting nurses and doctors, training youth to be peer health educators, helping to organize vaccination and education campaigns that address a variety of problems, and doing other important work. Participants work at rural clinics, urban hospitals, women's health centers, and public health organizations that apply funding and human resources directly where it is needed most.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Depends on Program Selected; See FSD Website

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: FSD supports participants who boldly wish to initiate the change they believe is necessary in the developing world. Interns are passionate about sharing their practical knowledge, heart-felt enthusiasm, and economic resources with communities abroad that suffer unnecessary hardship. They wish to gain hands-on, grassroots development experience because they believe change is most powerfully cultivated on a community level. The aim is to experientially learn how their work can empower the community toward applying sustainable development solutions, rather than increasing reliance on foreign aid. Participants choose FSD because the program structure enables them to design and implement their own sustainable projects in collaboration with their host organization and the FSD Site Team. They are able to test their ideas and theories in the most direct way possible, giving them the experience and knowledge they seek. The flexibility of the host organizations allows for participants at all stages and levels of experience in international development to participate, thus opening the programs to a diverse group of capable applicants.

Age Range: 18-75

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Nicaragua Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 3-10

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Foundation for Sustainable Development's Mission Statement: FSD supports the efforts of grassroots organizations in the developing world that are working to better their communities, environments, and the economic opportunities around them. We believe community development is only sustainable if it empowers the people to effectively use and cultivate their own resources in a conscious manner. Through our programs, we aim to raise international awareness of the economic challenges in developing countries and to support cross-cultural communities in finding more effective solutions to development issues.

Year Founded: 1995