It is a reality in Nicaragua, as in many poor countries, that children living in extreme rural areas have access only to a primary school education. Indeed, many of the communities we serve offer no secondary school options at all, thereby forcing students to drop out of school permanently after the sixth grade. One of the most exciting developments at Fabretto this year has been the roll out of the SAT program (loosely translated as System for Apprenticeships and Tutoring). SAT is a six year high school program of study that awards a full diploma upon completion and is designed to be taught in extremely rural environments.

Originating in Colombia, and already in use in many countries around the world, SAT is being used in Nicaragua by Fabretto exclusively at this time. The program accommodates rural student needs in many ways. For example, SAT uses only workbooks, no texts, as the students often must walk significant distances to get to school and heavy packs aren?t suitable. Since many communities do not even have a building that can be used for instruction, the program does not require a physical facility and can be taught ?under a tree." Course materials are geared to rural issues and concerns so that it can be taught in the context of the students? lives. Finally, the program incorporates a practicum component centered on the idea of community service. For example, as seen in the picture above, students might actively learn new farming techniques by managing new farming plots for the community, they will learn about irrigation systems by building one for their village, or they will learn about land conservation by implementing new programs in their region.

Fabretto?s first year SAT students range in age from 15 to 22, reflecting the fact that many students are coming back to school now that this program is being offered. It is encouraging to see that so many have such a strong desire to learn and have only been waiting for the opportunity to do so. Indeed, the most amazing exception to the age rule is one mother, who at age 34 , is participating in the SAT program. As she told visitors, she had always hoped to finish her education and now that her children would have a chance to do their secondary school studies, she wanted to be a role model to them, and complete hers as well. She believes that this education will allow her to improve her own life situation.

Over the next six years, SAT is going to result in significant student enrollment increases as we bring the opportunity for high school instruction to many new communities, children and adults. We are excited!

From February 9th to the 14th, a group of donors came to visit Fabretto in Nicaragua, spending 5 days touring the country and our centers. The trip consisted of an intense immersion into the programs and activities of Fabretto on the ground. The visitors, numbering 10 in all, had many chances to speak with the staff and interact with the children. One of the highlights was during the ?Halloween Dance? when youngsters presenting a folkloric dance decided on the spur of the moment to invite our donors to join in. Needless to say - this was pretty amusing!

The trip wasn?t all fun and games though ? especially when sitting in the back of the pick up trucks, traveling through the hinterland (translation, VERY bumpy roads) of the rural communities we serve! Yet taking these excursions allowed everyone to witness the full impact Fabretto is having in the lives of so many truly impoverished young children and their families. The visit also allowed our donors to get a real sense of the wide variety of programs we offer, and the different ways we try to meet the needs of the children.

In all, we hope all our visitors walked away from this trip with a deeper awareness of the realities of poverty in Nicaragua and a renewed sense of hope that together, we can make a real and tangible difference in the welfare of our students.

We will of course host another open trip next February and if you have never come to see us in Nicaragua, we hope that you will consider doing so then. And remember, tacking on a few extra days to visit the wonderful sites of Nicaragua, including Leon, Granada, Masaya, the beaches, lakes and islands make it well worth the trip and a real vacation! All of this year?s participants extended their Nicaraguan stay either before or after the organized trip and all enjoyed it tremendously. It's a wonderful country - come see it for yourself!

In March of last year, Fabretto purchased a large tract of arable land in the Sebaco Valley, south of Somoto, thanks to a grant from Manos Unidas ? a Spanish non- governmental organization. The farm had been lying unused for a number of years, but now under the guidance of Fabretto?s head of Agricultural Programs, Francisco Valerio, it is now in production once again!

Currently, about a third of the land has been replanted with various crops like tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries. The produce is being used to supply the lunch programs at our centers and schools with wholesome produce. This program is allowing us to cut down on our food expenses. And finally, any excess production is being sold in local markets. To date all proceeds have being reinvested in the farm. However, once the farm is in full production, hopefully within the next year, net proceeds will start benefiting other Fabretto programs as a net source of income.

Francisco?s plan includes adding a wide variety of crops including Nicaraguan staples like pineapples and plantains. Also, he hopes that soon, we will be able to build a small house on the farm that would allow scholarship students studying agriculture to visit and stay in order to participate in a formal apprenticeship program. The Sebaco farm will provide many learning opportunities as it is extremely fertile, thanks to an important water reservoir under the farm that has been tapped and is capable of pumping enough water to meet all of the farms needs. A highly advanced drip irrigation system is being used and installed over the entire property in order to conserve this precious resource.

To make the farm fully operational and efficient, Francisco is still in need of much equipment such as the tractor attachments for fertilizer distribution which is currently being done by hand and other such tools and farm implements. If anyone has contacts with providers of farming equipment or access to used equipment that could be donated, please let us know!

Any help in making the farm a consistent & efficient produce provider for the centers, a successful small business that can eventually support not only itself but also other Fabretto programs, and a regular offerer of practical learning opportunities is much needed and would be very welcomed.

Get out your calendars and mark these down!

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