Granada Street Kids is a Californian NGO founded in 2010 in Granada, Nicaragua. Its main project is the Escuela Nueva Vida (School New Life), a free-of-charge private school for the education and rehabilitation of young street boys and boys with complicated family backgrounds. The school offers a professional training in the following three vocational fields: English, Carpentry and Textile; as wel
l as basic education in Spanish, Math and Informatics. When they join the school, the students have a two-month discovery program. Every day they attend three hours of academics (Spanish and Math), one hour of Informatics and one introduction hour in each vocational field. At the end of the two months, they select one or two specialties (three to four hours of each per day). They still have one hour of Informatics until the end of their training. Besides the professional training, the students have the possibility, if they want, to attend public school in the mornings, afternoons, evenings or on Saturday, as it is usual in Nicaragua. Moreover, thanks to an agreement with the Ministry of Education, they receive, at the end of their training, a certificated equivalent to primary school. Escuela Nueva Vida is not only an education center but also a shelter. It works as a residential school where food and accommodation are available for free every day of the year, as well as hygiene items once a month. This enables them to stay away from the drugs and violence that generally consist the environment surrounding them. Moreover, we offer them a safe frame to reintegrate into society:
- Medical and psychological care;
- Sport activities;
- Outings every two Saturdays;
- Constant presence of the members of the staff and the founder of the organization as family frame. Every week, the students are paid for their works at school: making furniture, textile products and pulseras (Spanish for bracelets). This is how we decided to launch Granada Street Kids’ second project: the furniture store, where all the products are being sold. It will opened in July 2014 in Granada and the profit will be used to fund the school. Granada Street Kids welcomes volunteers or interns with basic Spanish knowledge throughout the year. They can help us at the store or at school. We offer food and accommodation in our volunteer dorm room at no charge. The following positions are available:
- English/Spanish/Math/Informatics teacher or assistant
- Sewing or carpentry teacher (professional skills are required for this position)
- Communication/webmaster or administration assistant
- We welcome propositions according to your skills.
