Since April 2018, Nicaragua has been plunged into a serious sociopolitical crisis that has resulted in the deaths of more than 500 people, injured more than 4,000 others, and left nearly 1,000 missing (according to NGOs). Among the victims, young people have been particularly targeted, and about ten of them have sought refuge at Casa Alianza, fleeing violence in their communities, neighborhoods, or shantytowns. It all began with a pension reform imposed by the government, against which the population took to the streets in massive protests. The initial protests, which were met with severe repression, evolved into a much broader popular movement demanding the resignation of President D. Ortega, who has been in power for several decades amid an increasingly authoritarian climate.
In this particularly difficult context, Casa Alianza had to work under extreme conditions to ensure the safety and protection of the young people and staff. For several weeks, the country was paralyzed by national strikes, and schools remained closed.
Therefore, Casa Alianza Switzerland would like to provide special support to the young people in the care of Casa Alianza Nicaragua and is asking you this year to help fund a computer lab. This computer lab, which does not yet exist, will provide the young people and teenage mothers with the tools they need to succeed in school, earn a diploma, and find internships. Ultimately, the skills they acquire will make it easier for them to find employment and thus reintegrate into society on a lasting basis.
This project will cost 50,000 CHF, and Casa Alianza needs your valuable support to make the computer lab a reality! A room will be completely renovated and equipped with 11 workstations, and an IT teacher will provide classes there twice a week. This project will enable approximately 200 young people and teenage mothers to receive IT training each year.
If you would like to help fund this project that is so important to us, please make a donation with the reference “computer project” to Casa Alianza Switzerland’s CCP account 17-674193-3 (IBAN CH47 0900 0000 1767 4193 3), or via a secure online payment.
The entire team at Casa Alianza Suisse wishes you a wonderful holiday season and looks forward to seeing you again in 2019!
Philippe Vollenweider,
on behalf of the Casa Alianza Suisse team
