El Porvenir

I had a great experience with El Porvenir in Waslala this summer. The project was well planned out when we got there, even had already been started by some of the parents. We all worked along side of them despite the language barrier. Some of the students even joined us throughout the days we were there. I always felt safe and comfortable with our food and surroundings. Our experience was greatly inproved by Enrique form El Porvenir who stayed at the same place at night with us and helped explain what was going on through out the time , even hanging around in the evenings talking and playing cards. The team from the office there was very organized with information and anything we needed for the project. They have followed through with finished pictures of the project and offered us a very memorable and great experience, along with the school. Highly recommended!

The time spent working with the staff of El Porvenir was amazing. Besides the wonderful work they do for communities, they are warm, friendly and committed. God willing, I'll be back with then next year.

El Porvenir was INCREDIBLE!!
The entire staff and especially Enrique and Marcos did an excellent job with not only the “job tasks” but with the entire experience as a whole. We are so thankful for the wonderful translations and events and meals and hospitality that they showed us. El Porvenir is doing some fantastic work with the communities and God is working for them and through them. 10’s all across the board! Can’t wait to hopefully work with them again!!

The El Porvenir team of Marcos, Enrique, and Jose (and our great driver Luis) picked us up at the airport and got us all loaded and ready to go. One of our members was experiencing some car sickness and they were helpful and compassionate. The team never left our side from touring sites, taking a boat ride, and visiting with a local church, they were there with us to interpret and make sure we had a memorable time. The work we did was challenging but so rewarding. The El Porvenir team dove right in and worked right alongside us mixing concrete, digging holes, and helping to interpret for our contractor so the work got done correctly. They threw a massive piñata party for the community when the work time was finished. (But they will continue to work until the jobs are complete.) They even dropped us off at the airport and made sure all was well. I never once felt unsafe, unsure, or unseen. The team was amazing. Enrique even served us ice cream! If you’re considering working with El Porvenir, take the leap. It’s well worth your investment of time and resources. A worthy non-profit who works in worthy communities.

I recently went on a Mission Trip to Nicaragua with El Porvenir. Everyone that we came in contact with was amazing. The El Porvenir provided a wonderful experience for the entire team.

El Porvenir is doing amazing work in rural Nicaraguan communities! We were honored to have the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua to see this work firsthand. We helped to build 10 wood burning stoves in 2.5 days. Our trip experience was incredible! Thank you especially to Enrique, Jose, Marcos, and Eddie!

We have served with El Porvenir for over 10 years. Our experiences have always been exceptional. From the very beginning of planning our trip to the moment we are dropped off at the airport to fly back home, the El Porvenir staff has been friendly, knowledgeable and organized. El Porvenir is making a huge impact on the lives of the Nicaraguan people they serve. We are excited to continue to be a part of creating a sustainable furture for the beautiful people of Nicaragua. We already have dates set for our next trip and can't wait to see our El Porvenir family.

El Porvenir is an outstanding NGO working in Rural Nicaragua. I have had the pleasure volunteering with them since 2003, always returning because it's such an enriching experience. Working closely with communitites, side by side to build latrines, lavenderos, efficient wood stoves, refurbishing wells, working on watershed restoration, building community gardens. it is always a true partnership. Often times we have done projects at schools, handwashing stations and latrines. The children are so joyful and eager to share their smiles and elbow grease! El Porvenir is unique in it's practices- letting communities reach out to them with their specific water and sanitation needs, hiring local foremen for projects, empowering communities to work together to better their communities. Education is also a big piece of their operations and they employ local sanitation educators, foresters, project managers in all of the communities they work in. These folks are so knowledgeable and work so well with all of the community members and volunteers. I absolutely feel thankful and privledged for my experiences with them.

I have gone on 3 trips to Nicaragua with El Porvenir. Their team is highly professional in accommodating volunteers. The excellent communication from El Porvenir (both before and during our trip) helped our team prepare and understand our mission while we were in Nicaragua. They do an excellent job making sure food is prepared for volunteers throughout the trip through selecting local restaurants that meet their standards. El Porvenir’s work and mission is so important for the people of Nicaragua. I have enjoyed each trip to Nicaragua and I definitely intend on returning someday!

I have made 7 trips to Nicaragua with El Porvenir. I have loved each one of them and they have all been different from each other. In every trip, El Porvenir has gone beyond my expectations in transportation, housing, safety and communication. They have supplied interpreters that help us on our worksites and that work along side us as we help the rural communities of Nicaragua with their goals of attaining clean water and better living conditions . They do their very best to insure our food is safe while in their care. The drivers of our transportation for the trip are fantastic. The housing in the rural communities are what they are, a bit rustic but clean and safe. However, for our after trips of two nights, to learn more of the history of Nicaragua, El Porvenir has always put us in very respectable rooms and done a great job of showing us more of their beautiful country. I totally support El Porvenir and their work in Nicaragua.

I went on a work trip to Nicaragua in August 2024. The staff of El Porvenir did so much to make this a great experience. The meals and transportation were awesome. We worked on several projects at a local school in Waslala side by side with the El Porvenir staff and parents from the school. Not only was this a meaningful experience, but we also learned about other projects they are doing in surrounding communities. This organization is definitely making a difference in Nicaragua.

We visited a number of projects with El Porvenir that were supported not only by our company but some of others too. It was great to see the work they carried out to ensure communities, especially schools access to clean water and sanitation projects.

I have supported El Porvenir since 2016, and have travelled to Nicaragua and witnessed their work personally for 6 different projects over those years. The work that they do has a tremendous impact on the local communities where they work, from planting trees to protect the soil and restore the rainforest, to providing clean, potable water for communities, to sanitation projects, and building fuel efficient wood burning stoves for cooking. I have been involved with all these projects, and am impressed with the way that El Porvenir uses their resources responsibly, and connects volunteers with communities and build relationships that last. Great stewards of their resources and outstanding work for the benefit of rural Nicaraguans.

My wife and I have been connected with El Porvenir for the past twenty years. About 15 years ago we were fortunate to join a work crew that went to a rural village near Dario in Nicaragua to help build a lavandero (washing station) and a leech field to assure that clean water was not impacted by use of the lavandero. We saw how the local residents were involved and committed to the project, a real credit to the effort of El Porvenir to assure local investment of time and effort. We have watch the progress of El Porvenir closely since first being involved and have financially supported their efforts. They are a tremendous organization.

Going on a trip with El Porvenir was a blessing. Our whole group had a great week, and we felt very welcomed by everyone we worked and interacted with!

I support El Porvenir because of my first hand experiences (during five service trips plus one impact trip) seeing how well this organization not only accomplishes its various missions and exclusively uses Nicaraguans as the in-country staff (other than Rob Bell), but does it in a way that empowers local community members to decide how and when to participate. I am also impressed with the way projects are planned to ensure that maintenance and/or caretaking needs are built in. One aspect in particular that impressed me was the way that funding for maintenance of the local water systems is overseen by the user groups. I feel as if my financial contribution truly goes to support the Nicaraguans at several levels.

PRAISE FOR EL PORVENIR

I am a true international development junky. Serving in the Peace Corps in Uganda and working in Haiti through my church have been wonderful experiences. My recent work in Nicaragua with El Porvenir building a hand washing station with eight other Americans in Camoapa has been a true highlight.
• Staff members remembered when my daughter and I worked with El Porvenir 15 years ago. That type of continuity is comforting.
• Their projects are always locally planned with local leadership. This approach helps assure that programs meet community needs and are sustainable.
• All of my projects with El Porvenir have involved various age groups. It is nice to see multiple generations working together.
• Our trip involved the right mix of work and play. Our hosts were extremely knowledgeable of Nicaraguan history and customs and gave us time to explore.
• Through this trip, Nicaraguans benefited from our expertise and enthusiasm, we benefited from their hard work and open hearts, we found common ground for community and building a better future.

Ron Geason
February
2024

El Porvenir's staff and many volunteers share a heartfelt dedication to assisting Nicaraguans through development of clean water sources and personal hygiene education. The organization responds sensitively to local needs, working in partnership with Nica communities to provide the mix of resources and training they need and are ready for.

El Porvenir is a great non-profit very much rooted in local realities and the needs of the communities they accompany. I loved having the opportunity to see the work up close and personally earlier this month.

I have worked with El Porvenir (EP) as a full time volunteer in Nicaragua (1987 & 1990); then as a board member, work delegation organizer and leader, and donor up through about 2016; and continuing as a donor and member of the emeritus board. EP always has supported locally initiated, locally led projects focusing on potable water, sanitation, local reforestation, and community health. All of EP's field staff are Nicaraguan.

As a former professional in the WASH sector, and as an educator who has led 10 groups of high school students on service-learning trips to Nicaragua under the auspices of El Porvenir, I can attest to this NGO's effectiveness, efficiency and results-focus. I served for many years as a member of EP's all-volunteer board, so I can also confirm that this organization has an exceptionally dedicated and capable staff -- almost all of whom are Nicaraguans -- who work tirelessly to enable critical water, sanitation, hygiene, and watershed rehabilitation projects in the country's rural communities. Among the most impressive aspects of EP's work are their attention to sustainability, and the way in which they partner with local residents to plan, execute and monitor these improvements. In sum, a fantastic group!

Board members and major donors began their weeklong trek through Nicaragua in October 2023 to look at El Porvenir water projects.

A community’s life is forever improved with the addition of clean water: no more need for the women and young girls to walk to the river carrying water on the tops of their heads. No more need for the women to carry the heavy, waterlogged clothes from their house to the river and back. And now, the community has clean water that is sanitized through an in-line chlorinator. After multiple days, we returned to the states, deeply moved by the needs of the people of Nicaragua, filled with gratitude for all the blessings of our own lives and energized to help El Porvenir.

We will return in the future, not for the tourist sights, not for entertainment, not for fun, but because the people are loving, and the need is overwhelming. It just feels right to be part of the El Porvenir solution.

My family and I have been on 4 work service trips with El Porvenir since 2003 and have been donating since we first saw what it can do. I just completed a visit to several communities currently working on projects and I am so impressed. It is inspiring to see how rural Nicaraguan communities work with El Porvenir staff to bring clean water and safe sanitation to their homes and schools. Community members showed us with pride the water systems and latrines they have been able to build with El Porvenir support. Women shared how their lives have changed with water available from taps near their houses, freeing them from long walks to sources of water. I know that our donations to El Porvenir have a tremendous impact on the lives of others.

I had a wonderful opportunity to see first hand the work that El Porvenir administers and supports in Nicaragua. I accompanied a group on a Donors Impact tour to visit several communities with clean water systems, washing stations, and latrines all installed under the auspices of El Porvenir. These installations have changed the lives of entire villages by providing access to clean water and sanitation faculties. Critically, the villagers themselves must initiate interest, provide a portion of capital, and devote “sweat equity” during installation. Local Nicaraguans manage the education and installation, and the villagers themselves are responsible for maintaining the systems. For El Porvenir to accomplish this life changing work, on a shoestring budget compared to many nonprofits, persuades me to become a continuing supporter of this important mission.

My connection with El Porvenir goes back 32 years. In 1991, my husband and I began to donate annually to their fundraising to help them build wells and latrines in the poorest areas of Nicaragua. Over the years, we've come to know about many of their projects personally. In 2003, we both joined a work brigade in one central area of Nicaragua (El Sauce), working with other volunteers to help restore an old hand-dug well. Since then I've been back 4 other times to see first-hand how our donations have been put to work in many different projects, helping Nicaraguans help themselves through clean water wells or systems, latrines, hand-washing stations at schools, hygiene education, and tree planting. Their mainly Nicaraguan staff is well-trained and highly respected by all who know and work with El Porvenir. I know of no other NGO that does so much good with every dollar they receive in donations.

We have worked with El Porvenir on 4 water projects in Nicaragua. We also just returned from a trip to tour these water projects, as well as touring schools, homes, and communities. I am most impressed with the warm reception that El Porvenir staff receives from each of these villages. At one village, we were greeted with balloons, fireworks and a big celebration of the installation of their water well, pumps, storage tanks, latrines all put in place by El Porvenir. This nonprofit makes an amazing difference in the lives of the rural people of Nicaragua. Often with tears in their eyes, the people spoke of having clean, running water and sanitary latrines for their homes. El Porvenir is well organized, efficiently run and clearly has changed the lives of thousands of people in Nicaragua. I will certainly continue to put my trust and support into this nonprofit and feel awe inspired by their humanitarian efforts.

This was my first mission trip, and it was an amazing experience! El Porvenir made sure we were well taken care of. Everything was very well organized. I always felt at ease everywhere we went. The people and the community were so kind and welcoming it made it hard to leave. I highly recommend a trip like this to anyone interested, and has the opportunity to help improve living conditions and the quality of life for the families in the rural communities. You will not regret it!

I have been down to Nicaragua to work with this group four times and each time has been a fantastic experience. The US staff makes safety a priority, and ensures that volunteers have chances to see sights, savor local culture, and make friends. I appreciate that EP is not going down thinking we'll make everything alright and we know what's best. The local people direct the projects and produce the materials. We are there to do part of the work, and show that we care about their health and living conditions. It's a joy to see a project completed and know we have helped make lives better. I've never worked with a better organization.

I went to Nicaragua in 2009 to work on building a school with Seeds of Learning . Luckily for me, we spent one afternoon at El Porvenir's office; I have been a (small) monthly donor ever since. The two things that impress me most are El Porvenir's means of engaging with communities and the fact that they work with those communities to provide vital, life-changing, water-related essentials to people in Nicaragua. I feel fortunate to know of El Porvenir's work and highly recommend you consider donating to them.

My first encounter with El Porvenir came about when I chose my 50th birthday to join a brigade and visit Nicaragua. We spent the week digging a pit and filling it with rocks that we gathered from a stream. This was used to cleanse the water from the lavendero ( a rather primitive laundromat) that we built with brick and cement that we mixed. Doesn't sound like much, but it beat washing clothes in the river, which was the prior option. We met the most amazing folks who lived there - the local kids competed to transport the rocks in wheelbarrows when my 50 year old body protested. I was hooked, and 18 years later I am a monthly contributor to El Porvenir. For my 70th birthday I am hoping to bring my two grandchildren to join another brigade. Who knows what we will build this time? It was an amazing way to find out how other folks live. The villagers worked hard and were full of joy, and we ate lots of rice and beans and learned the meaning of a "Nicaragua minute". The staff is wonderful, and I am amazed on how much they accomplish on a limited budget. I highly recommend donating to El Porvenir. You will find a new appreciation for clean water.

I am a water professional who has worked with El Porvenir a number of times in Nicaragua with both water professional and church groups. I am constantly impressed with the quality of people who work at El Porvenir and the quality of their projects. The wells, pump stations, water filters and watershed developments I have observed are first rate. El Porvenir's staff have always been kind, knowledgeable, gracious, patient, teaching us about Nicaragua, teaching us construction techniques and helping us build relationships with the people of Nicaragua.

The first time I visited Nicaragua with El Povenir was 2003 and have been back with them 7 times since. They are a first class organization which does meaningful work for the people of the country. They continue to grow and expand their reach in the countryside, employing many Nicaraguans while helping thousands clean water, sanitation, reforestation and health.

The main reason I "invest" with El Porvenir is that I trust in the integrity of El Porvenir and all of its employees. I recently helped fund latrines and a water system in the community of Las Palomas, and they provided reports and updates along the way.

I believe the funds I have invested have been well managed and employed for the benefit of this community. I plan to do this again with another project. El Porvenir is the greatest!

I have volunteered with many non-profits through the years and my experience with El Porvenir lands them at the top. I had meagerly supported them financially for several years before I got a chance to go to Nicaragua on a work trip in 2010. From the top down, the staff's concern for our safety, our comfort, and our needs made the trip as stress-free as possible. I loved the experience so much that I have gone down there for three more work trips and become a monthly donor to support the great work that has continued, even during the COVID disruption. I highly appreciate that the projects are community proposed and driven, and not designed by norteamericanos who think they know best. It is a joy to see what we can accomplish for the health and hygiene of disadvantaged people when we work together.

I have always been impressed with El Porvenir over the years, but the work they have done during these last couple of years dealing with COVID has been amazing. While many NGO's pulled back, El Porvenir forged ahead. El Porvenir has never wavered despite any potential pandemic set-backs and continues to provide safe drinking water and better sanitation for communities across rural Nicaragua.

El Porvenir has had a long and steady relationship with rural Nicaragua. EP starterd as a spinoff of Habitat for Humanity in Nicaragua addressing the issues impacting affordable housing such as water, sanitation, reforestation, health education.
It has been and is a much needed effort addressing the needs of rural Nicaraguans.

Having been associated with El Porvenir as a volunteer since 2012, I am now a proud member of the Board. This organization does wonderful work enhancing the lives of rural Nicaraguans by providing clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, cleaner burning stoves and reforestation. The organization is totally dedicated to the people of Nicaragua and is very well managed, so your donation goes almost entirely direct to the beneficiaries.

The work El Porvenir does in Nicaragua is outstanding. To provide water for so many to drink, cook, sanitation, health, etc. is priceless. Helping to raise someone’s standard of living at no cost to them is admirable and that is exactly what this organization does.

I am very happy to donate to this charity! Clean water and sanitation are something we take for granted in our country. This is a human right and I am thrilled to be a part in helping others have an improvement in quality of life!

Over the years I have led 10 groups of high school students on service learning trips to Nicaragua under the auspices of El Porvenir. I can personally attest to the excellence of this organization relative to the efficiency of their operations, the dedication of the staff, their relationships with community members, and the effectiveness and sustainability of the projects. Outstanding in every way! (I am a board member, but also a former WASH professional with expertise in the field.)

Joe Sloan

I worked in rural Nicaragua (1989 - 1992) and saw some of the early hand-dug wells and rope pumps built in some of the comminities in my area. I was impressed with El Porvenir then and continue to be today. I have visited many project sites and have witnessed the impact of El Porvenir's work. The community has ownership over the completed project. They collect funds to maintain the projects, hold workshops on relevant issues, work very hard to keep wells working, latrines clean, trees and watersheds protected. I support El Porvenir with my money and my time.

I often reflect on a well project we visited as part of a sustainability/longevity study. A home we visited near the well had plastic sheeting for a roof, green bananas, and tortillas for food that month. But they had clean and abundant water from the well built 20 years earlier with the help of El Porvenir. From my perspective, it was the only basic human need being met on a regular basis for that famiy on a regular basis. May the work of El Porvenir continue until all folks in Nicaragua have the basics of water and sanitation.

El Porvenir is a wonderful non-profit that is focused on sustainability of the project for the communities and the environment. They only partner with communities that request assistance, provide labor, and take responsibility for the long term maintenance of the projects. Providing communities with sanitation and clean water is vital for the people living there and the environment!

El Porvenir is a wonderful non-profit that operates on a model of empowerment. Through that approach, El Porvenir comes alongside communities when requested to assist with them with clean water projects, providing technical assistance and funding. The communities organize project committees, volunteer with labor and create plans to ensure each project's long term sustainability.
I have traveled to Nicaragua as a volunteer on El Porvenir's work projects seven times. The work trips are always well planned. The trips always provide meaningful experiences and help me feel connected with my siblings in another part of the world on our shared journey of life.

Twice my husband and I have been on work trips, helping folks meet the need we all have for clean water. We worked hard, shoulder to shoulder with local villagers. These work trips have been well planned and organized. To this day, sometimes we will turn on our tap, look at each other and say "Look at this! Fresh, clean water that comes out of tap. Amazing!" Helping people get and keep clean water sources for their families is so rewarding.

As a frequent donor to several non-profit organizations, I'm often concerned whether my money is being well-spent. Will it mostly go to support a large administrative staff or will it be put directly into programs? With El Porvenir I don't have those concerns. It is one of the most efficient non-profit organizations I know. They have a skeleton crew of just 4 people in the U.S. , but, working with their Nicaraguan staff and community leaders, complete hundreds of projects every year. In 2019, they trained over 18,000 people in health education, built 18 community wells/clean water systems and installed hundreds of latrines, toilets and hand-washing stations. And in addition to all their sanitation projects, they also found the time to plant 96,000 trees! Well done, El Porvenir, keep up your important work for Nicaraguans.

I serve as the Pastor of Outreach at Providence Church in Mt. Juliet. My congregation has served in Nicaragua and provided funding for projects in several communities through El Porvenir. I have had the privilege of traveling to serve with El Porvenir twice. The work they do in education, clean water sanitation and reforestation are vital pieces of enhancing quality of life for many communities in Nicaragua. They serve the people of Nicaragua with integrity and with values that seek to empower, not enable. Our church looks forward to traveling and serving the people of Nicaragua each year and it is a joy to see how their work has continued sustainably spread throughout the country. Any group or individual would be served well to partner alongside this work. It is a great example of mission work that is sustainable and not only life giving, but life empowering.

We have gone on two El Porvenir Mission trips through our church Columbine United Church in Littleton, Co. First one we built stoves to keep the residents more healthy venting smoke to the outside rather than keeping it inside. Second trip we built a washing station, a shower and a place to do laundry with water from a close by well and planted trees to help reforestation.
El Porvenir members really take good care of us from the safety aspect to feeding us well, always there for anything needed and they were very flexible. These trips hold a special place in our hearts being able to make a difference to the Nicaraguans who are so gracious and appreciative.
I have coordinated four trips for our work teams to participate in and so easy to work with Jo, the US Rep for work teams. EP spends their money wisely, every dollar is well controlled.
I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to participate personally or financially with/for El Porvenir—-your heart will flourish!

My church has supported the work of El Porvenir for many years, and several members have visited projects as volunteers over the years. Their work with the communities is responsive and exemplary. They respond to the communities' needs, they provide infrastructure, yes, but also education to go along with it (such as health education promotion for months/years, building the capacity of the local community to sustain and replicate it) and they expect community buy-in to the projects and their maintenance. The priorities of sanitation, water, and reforestation - watershed preservation have multiple positive effects in an area deeply affected by climate change and poverty. They are also effective in their national-level work in Nicaragua in their advocacy for clean water for all. The staff is almost all Nicaraguan. In terms of communication with us, they are a joy to work with. What a wonderful organization that punches far above its weight in terms of effectiveness.

When the coronavirus found its way to Central America, El Porvenir was right on it -- helping Nicaraguans with 1800 handwashing stations and sanitation education. El Porvenir is about helping remote communities help themselves. That's what people to people solidarity is all about.

My husband and I had the privilege of living in Singapore at one time, and while there took advantage of opportunities to travel as much as possible in the region. In those travels my eyes were opened to the vast numbers of people who live without easily obtainable water and basic sanitation in their everyday lives. Once back in the U.S., I went on a couple of church mission trips, one to Guatemala and another to Nicaragua. Again, the daily struggle to obtain reasonably clean water and the unforgettable poor sanitation facilities were glaring. Those experiences made me want to help make a difference, which I felt like my husband and I can do through a monthly donation to El Porvenir. The financial transparency, excellent communication, local hires, and spot-on projects they engage in make me feel confident as a donor and translate into better, safer lives for those they help. So glad we can partner with those who are working to make a difference! I encourage others to do the same!

El Porvenir has been a partner of H2O for Life for years. Our students raise funds to support WASH projects in Nicaragua. Out students specifically raise funds for schools and El Porvenir always provides us with stories and pictures of the projects that we support. They are changing lives with clean water and I am honored to work with them!

Our son was fortunate enough to work with El Porvenir during a spring break trip to Nicaragua a few years ago. As parents, we were concerned with his safety; what food he would eat; and unsure what kind of experience he would have during his first trip abroad without us. We were totally blown away by his stories of working alongside families in a small community; his new appreciation for taking high school Spanish; the fun he had exploring the country; and the food he discovered (he came home with a new found love of all things rice, beans and fresh fruit). He would love to return to Nicaragua again some day and visit the families that he grew so close to. Thank you, El Provenir, for taking such good care and sharing your country with him.

We have partnered with El Porvenir for over 10 years and they are a model non-profit. We work with a lot of non-profit organizations around the world and El Porvenir is one of the best. They understand the importance of holistic development and working "with" instead of "for" local communities to ensure sustainable solutions that meet real needs. Additionally, they place a high value on safety of their volunteers and staff. The staff of El Porvenir is professional, trustworthy and a real joy to partner with. They receive my highest rating!

Mike Giancola, North Carolina State University

As a organization that has partnered with El Porvenir, we had the opportunity and the privilege to participate in a variety of projects. Among these were clean water, latrines, efficient wood stoves and reforestation. Most encouraging about theses type of projects is that they provide benefits that last for many years. Apart from the obvious health benefits that these projects make, evidence shows that they have a positive economic impact on the lives of the individuals.
I fully commend the work of El Porvenir.

El Porvenir is amazing. When a work group was wanting to participate in a volunteer trip in Nicaragua, we thankfully connected with El Porvenir. From the beginning, they were very accommodating and worked with us to develop a trip tjat was both meeded by a community whilst utilizing our skillset and considering our goals. Their wonderful staff and partners took such great care of our group, ensuring that we were able to enjoy tourist activities while working hard to constuct a handsink for a rural elementary school - and at a very reasonable cost. I will be back to work with them for sure!

We have been supporters of El Porvenir for more than ten years. Their programs are so important to the people of Nicaragua. Bringing access to clean water and sanitation, healthy cooking and reforestation lay the groundwork for dignity and health, especially for women and children. Over the years EP has expanded their scope and always takes a holistic approach to development. We reccomend them wholeheartedly and applaud the work they do every day.

I have gone to Niaragua twice with El Porvenir. They do a fantastic job of taking care of the work teams and helping us get the full experience of Nicaraguan life. I helped build showers and stoves. I appreciated the fact that the construction teams were led by Nicarguans and we had translators to understand our tasks. This is an agency that invites people to work alongside local leaders. Not come in and boss everyone around.

Our Rotary Club worked with El Porvenir in Camoapa two years in a row in person and via a fundraising effort this year. I can't say enough positive things about this amazing nonprofit. The staff is dedicated and the model of community involvement that is used by El Porvenir really works.

Having worked with El Porvenir for that past five years I can without a doubt rate them as far exceeding expectations. El Porvenir has partnered with Trinity United Methodist Church, Springfield, MA to serve several villages in Nicaragua. El Porvenir's commitment to empowering people in rural communities is evident in that they wait for an invitation from community leaders instead of imposing upon a community. Fuel efficient stoves, wells, reforestation, latrines and health lessons provide key components to ensure a healthy environment for thousands of Nicaraguans.

We visited two of El Porvenir's project sites in Nicaragua last year and came away profoundly impressed with the way this organization is deeply imbedded in the communities. We have stayed in touch "from afar" since then and while (overall) the nation has sadly spiraled into political chaos, EP has succeeded in maintaining critical services and even moved forward with implementation of its vision. I believe that is the strongest testament there can be, that lifesaving services continue despite the dreadful politics. Finances are transparent, dedication is deep and lasting. My resources are limited and yet whenever I can, I direct aid to this fine organization

My wife and I became acquainted with El Porvenir nearly twenty years ago. We later went on a work trip to help build a lavandero and a leeching pit. We were so impressed with the commitment of the staff and the local communities that we have been regular donors ever since. This is a truly remarkable non profit, with a wonderful vision of providing safe drinking water and clean facilities to rural communities in Nicaragua.

I went on 2 El Porvenir work trips and know thatI learned much more about this beautiful country and its people than if I had gone on a tourist type vacation .
I first went to a small rural village to help build a washing and shower station. The young men in the village pitched in and did most of the heavy work,cleaning out a well and digging a deep hole for the gray water from the showers.
On the next trip I helped with a resforestation project. On both of these projects I was impressed by how much work the young men did and even the children bringing water as digging holes for the little trees. Thewomen of the villages cooked delicious lunches for us. We all felt welcome.
El Porvenir made sure we had nice accommodations and traditional, but very nutritious local food.
I highly recommend the organization for anyone who desires to be more than a regular tourist. It was gratifying to know we provided deserving people with something they needed. And one of the best moments was having a piñata party for the kids in the village plus,course, meeting people from all over who enjoy helping others.

I highly recommend supporting El Porvenir. They work in remote rural villages in Nicaragua that lack access to most basic services and are too small to receive assistance from other organizations. As a long time employee of a non profit that has collaborated with them on hundreds of water and sanitation projects in Nicaragua, I can attest to the dedication and impact of their work. El Porvenir continues to be a valuable partner to us and we hope to continue including them in our program for many years to come!

I've worked with El Porvenir for 23 of its 25 years. Grassroots organization. Responsible with their money. No highly paid executives or board perks. Volunteers and staff alike are passionate and dedicated.It's real people helping real people with basic needs.

A laudable organization delivering health and wealth through clean water project.

Spent some time in Nicaragua with El Porvenir. Wonderful team, mission and approach!

I have been on 4 trips to Nicaragua with El Porvenir, sponsored by my church. The evidence of their work in rural areas is everywhere. The staff people we work with in Nicaragua are honest, sincere as well as knowledgable and efficient. As you drive down the roads you see the wells and latrines that have been built by El Porvenir. As part of the program they also provide efficient wood stoves and reforestation. They not only bring clean water and sanitation to the villagers but follow up with continuing education and assistance with maintenance of the projects. I feel the same way about their representatives I have worked with from the US office. I give El Porvenir the highest rating possible. I have seen the evidence first hand that their work changes people's lives in one of the hemisphere's poorest countries. Any time or money donated to El Porvenir I would consider very well spent

El Porvenir has been the NGO that has handled 3 Grants for Colorado Rotary Clubs. I have shared these experiences with them and our partner club in Nicaragua, Managua Rotary. We have observed great performance that has gone beyond the bounds necessary and can be called superlative efforts. In April 2015 I was part of a 7 day visit to Nicaragua which El Porvenir hosted for a reasonable fee. There were 6 of us and our purpose was review past, present and future Rotary projects/opportunities. We saw what has been done, projects being completed and future opportunities. And besides we had a great time in this wonderful country. This is an efficient, well run, dynamic and thoughtful organization with lots of ideas to help the countrymen of Nicaragua.

My first work trip with El Porvenir was in 1999 when hurricane Mitch devasted rural Nicaragua. The experience truly changed my life and I have been involved with ever since.

Our church has traveled to Nicaragua for the past 4 years and worked on various projects, all through El Porvenir. El Porvenir is an incredible organization and its employees pour their hearts into changing the lives of the families in Nicaragua. They are professional, organized, personable, compassionate, inspiring and very easy to work with. I can't wait to work with and see many of them again as I travel back to Nicaragua for the fourth time next February!

El Porvenir is helping people with the most basic need and doing it successfully. Their leadership is committed with integrity and a great network on the ground.

Our church has been partnering with El Porvenir for almost 5 years. Through this partnership, we have made 4 trips to rural Nicaragua to witness the work first hand. Each time the experience has been enriching for the team members, life-changing for many of us. But it is in the relationships we have developed through El Porvenir that we have the deepest experiences. Driving through rural communities, you see the signs of the positive effect El Porvenir is having - wells, latrines, lavenderos, reforestation, fuel-efficient stoves, complete water systems. Grateful to be a part of this great organization and appreciative of all the ways they enhance and facilitate our experience. Most of all though, grateful for the thousands of lives that are being changed because of the work of El Porvenir

We meet with them in the Denver Office and learned how El Porvenir helps Nicaragua villagers build there own clean water systems with their own efforts. It is amazing when people have clean water systems it leads to so may other things like latrines, good health in the young and old, education on health, more time for child to go to school and less fetching water out of contaminated sources, preserving the forests, cleaner cooking systems.

I have seen it first hand what the differences is without clean drinking water and with clean drinking water. This program succeeds and sustains through small donations, one dollar at a time. It also saves children's life's, one clean drop at a time. it is impressive how effective El Porvenir by how many villagers now have access to clean water and all the great things that comes with their program.

The Denver group passion is impressive. When we have donated to the cause they have been so fast to correspond with us and thank us for our support.

In 2012, I took a trip with El Porvenir to the Camoapa region of Nicaragua. I was 18 years old, and went by myself. I didn't know anyone, I speak VERY little Spanish, and had no idea what to expect. It was an absolutely eye-opening experience! To see the heart of the people in Nicaragua, and also the heart of El Porvenir was so amazing. I hold that trip very dear to my heart, and share my experience with everyone that lets me share it with them.

I can't wait until I have the opportunity to go back to Nicaragua with El Porvenir!

In developing a solar oven project in Nica I happened upon well after well, and newly built lavatories that were built by El Porvenir. I couldn't help but be impressed with the work, and ended up sponsoring a latrine myself. They do the real work that needs doing, as far as I can tell.

El Porvenir is a serious, transparent, effective development organization working only in Nicaragua, with 20 years' experience in rural water and sanitation project development. I have worked in or visited its projects many times over the past 20 years and am impressed with the integrity of the organization and the long-term impact it has on rural communities. You read a lot of promotional prose on the internet about development organizations, but I can attest from direct personal knowledge that this one really does what it says it does. Nicaragua is a poor country whose government cannot fund infrastructure, but depends on international investment and donations to provide clean drinking water, sanitary facilities, and reforestation of watersheds. El Porvenir has been making such investments in Nicaragua since 1989. These investments are always locally initiated and after self-help construction are left in the hands of the village to maintain and repair. I have seen projects still working well 14 years or more after construction.

I think that El Porvenir does a great service for Nicaragua and Nicaraguans. It involves the community members to help make improvements to their communities and enrich their lives. The group has a mission to provide clean water in the rural areas by providing education to help themselves making them more independent.

I sponsored the construction of a well in my daughters name for a rural community. My daughter passed away as a child and I wanted to help families provide clean drinking water to their children - globally, water born illness is the greatest cause of death for children under five. El Porvenir dedicated a plaque at the base of the well to my daughter. The plaque reads in Spanish so that the residents using the well could remember my daughter in the life giving water. Three years later there continue to be fresh flowers placed upon the plaque daily. This is the greatest and most joyous gift that I have been able to share. The work that this organization does is unsurpassed. They work with local communities to build and maintain structures and in doing so give residents pride and responsibility in the water and sanitation systems that are created. El Porvenir brings donors and volunteers down to Nicaragua to meet with families and see the projects that they have forwarded and they do this with a skeleton administrative budget in order to stretch dollars to where they belong - the families who need and deserve clean water.

El Porvenir is a wonderful and sustainable nonprofit that makes a real difference in the lives of rural Nicaraguans. They hire local people to work with local people, creating jobs while providing vital services the government cannot. Water, sanitation, and hygiene provide the best chance for people to get out of poverty, and El Porvenir attacks this problem in the best ways possible.

El Porvenir's vision is clear and executed well. Starting with a mission of clean water for rural Nicaragua, they saw how sanitation, deforestation and a lack of education on these issues was impacting their clean water mission. They expanded their work to address these issues to support sustainable sources of clean water.

With only a one in-country gringo and a few stateside, they built an organization run by Nicaraguans, designed their mission as technical assistance to a local community that has an active role in their project. El Porvenir follows up with the community on each project and uses simple technology that can be maintained locally and is sustainable.

Volunteers can get involved in work projects that are well organized, informative, and transformative.

Overhead is low so donations have a big impact on the people it is intended to help

My husband and I have volunteered on projects run by several different organizations. But the water project we worked on in Nicaragua with El Porvenir was by far the best organized, most smoothly run, and truly inclusive project of any we have experienced. The people from the village participated in the decision making and we worked side by side with them building a lavenders and shower stall. El Porvenir does not stop its support with the end of the building. It returns to visit the people, make sure the equipment is maintained, and trouble shoots for years to come. El Porvenir is an outstanding organization.

Sheila and Ed Rogers

This is a great organization! When my son was 14 I traveled with him to Nicaragua with El Porvenir for a service trip to build latrines in a village near Dario. We were a group of Oberlin College graduates, eclectic as can be, accompanied by an Oberlin professor with expertise as a researcher in Nicaragua and parts of Central America. What a time we had! Another mother came with her son near in age to mine, and the boys worked side by side with the adults and were the hit of the community we worked with. Impressive to me was how well organized the trip was, from meeting us at the airport (in a beat-up Russian made mini-truck, but how appropriate!) to take us to the hotel, where the electricity was out but candles led our way. Our interpreter was wonderful, local hosts and planner all excelled in what they did. The side trips to see the coffee plantation and other sites made it a rich experience. I appreciated a trip of value, the opportunity to help my son learn about service, and that we lived and ate not as outsiders, but with villagers. Also appreciated that we worked side-by-side with villagers, and that there was local capacity building to sustain clean water and sanitation systems. Great all around experience.

My husband, Doug Beaman, and I went to Nicaragua with El Porvenir and helped to build a water well for a small village and an elementary school near El Saulse. We have talked to hundreds of people about the value of volunteering with the wonderful organization of El Porvenir to help the amazing people of Nicaragua. The people in the village worked so hard to build this well. We were happy that our team could fill in for about ten villagers who could continue with their regular farming and jobs on the days we worked. After graduating high school two years ago our grandson, Matt Beaman, who had heard our stories, also went with El Porvenir to do reforestation in Nicaragua. He loved it as much as we did! My favorite memory is of the poetry written by the Nicaraguan people in celebration of their new well!! Chyril Turner

My brother has been on the Board of El Porvenir for many years, I think from the beginning. I see his passion and dedication to bringing clean water to the people of Nicaragua. I hear the stories and saw the pictures of his trip to work on the wells. Because of my brother's belief in this work and in it's founder, Carol. I feel good about supporting El Porvenir. I feel it is very people centered in its mission and in its administration.

My trip to Nicaragua with El Porvenir was marvelous! It was exciting to see communities working together with third-world technology to improve their health, nutrition and the environment with very simple tools. Perhaps, we in the US could take some lessons from these dear people. I hope I can go again in some capacity.

In the 1980s, I worked with an international housing development organization. Friends who were working with the same organization in Nicaragua saw the need that wasn't being met for water and sanitation projects to go along with the housing development projects. El Porvenir was born, out of a community need and a clear vision, and has continued to make a difference in community after community. I know that when I make a donation, it is put to good use.

I found El Porvenir to be a top-notch organization. They were well organized, friendly and clear about their mission. I participated in a week-long build of a laundry station [a laundry tray/wash board with a small attached water reservoir] and an enclosed shower. Previous builds had produced an outhouse and a water well, both of which were well maintained. They had safe water to drink and cook.
The people who were receiving these items worked side by side with us, and much harder than we could physically. They had already dug a large hole to become a storage tank for the used water, so it would seep slowly through the soil back into the water table. Previously the families had used fields as toilets and washed clothes and their bodies in the local stream, which polluted the water. Our families had already started the next phase of El Porvenir's mission: planting 4000 to prevent erosion and hold the water in the ground instead of flooding away during heavy rains.

Having traveled with a group of 14 people from all across the U.S. to help in Nicaragua through El Porvenir, I have the highest regard for this NGO. It is significant they work with people in the rural areas of that amazing country to help those people better their lives. El Porvenir works in the best way to allow long term, lasting benefits for the people of Nicaragua. People of that country take ownership, maintenance, care, and passion for their own water supply, hygiene, reforestation, and cooperation. It's about neighbor helping neighbor. An amazing country to spend time in and learn about. Nicaraguans want the best possible for their families. Right now I am excited about going to work with El Porvenir for 9 days next month. I encourage more peope to go there.

A wonderful organization that has pioneered bringing clean drinking water on a sustainable basis to some of the most remote areas of Haiti. A rare combination of compassion and cost effectiveness!

Since I became aware of this organization, I have been incredibly impressed
And inspired by their work. They bring clean drinking water to do many in need.
I am eager to continue serif the work that they do and the see the lives
That they have impacted.

El Porvenir is a great non-profit that provides access to clean water and sanitation to many communities in Nicaragua. While the necessity of these fundamental facilities is obvious, what makes El Porvenir great is that it also provides education to the communities, ensures that they have or can save the capital to maintain and repair the facilities, and empowers members of the community to take charge of the projects. This not only increases the sustainability of the projects, but creates a great sense of value and self sufficiency in communities, this coupled with the health benefits and lifestyle improvements that access to clean water and basic sanitation provides can have a tremendous and long lasting impact.

I first volunteered for an El Porvenir work vacation via Elderhostel (now Road Scholar). We elders constructed a lavandero, a laundry station in a poor rural community. We learned a lot and had so much fun in the process that our group volunteered together for several more times. The great thing is that all projects are interrelated, and each step follows logically - latrine construction with uphill reforestation and the making of fuel-saving stoves; lavandero construction after well construction; graywater treatment after lavandero construction.... All projects are requested by the local people, and education is provided by El Porvenir. Much of the "advertising" of El Porvenir is word of mouth from members of communities who have benefitted.

H2O for Life engages youth across the country to investigate the global water crisis while taking action to raise funds to provide water, sanitation and hygiene education to schools in developing countries. El Porvenir is our NGO partner in Nicaragua. They provide a school to school connection with photos, project desriptions and stories about life in one school. Over the past 6 years, H2O for Life has donated more than $80,000 for projects through El Porvenir. I personally volunteered on a "work" team and know that the work being done is making a difference for schools and communities in Nicaragua.

They are one of our TOP NGO partners that we have worked with. We can't imagine doing our work without including El Porvenir as a top provider of schools.

As a Nicaraguan now living in the US, my family and I in Nicaragua have been personally impacted by the work carried out by El Porvenir. El Porvenir built the first water well in my town of Puertas Viejas. As a child, my brothers and I had to get up every morning at 4:00 am to get water and had to carry it in buckets on our heads from wherever we could find it for consumption and to do the housechores. Some times we had to drink the contaminated water from the lake or a nearby creek, but that was the only water that was available. When El Porvenir built the waterwell we finally had clean water to drink, bathe and do the house chores without us kids spending hrs and hrs carrying water to our homes. Instead, we could dedicate more time to our school work and to help our parents with other house chores.

My wife and I funded a project in Cana Brava, Nicaragua through El Porvenir. The purpose of the project was a way to honor our son. In March of 2013, we visited the site and were accompanied by their staff. We were very pleased with our project, their staff, and the community that welcomed us.

I would highly recommend anyone considering a water project, whether through a school, church, or personal reason to consider El Porvenir. They are very passionate about helping people.

We have contributed for many years.
El Porvenir helps rural communities in Nicaragua to build wells and latrines. Most of the labor is local, but EP also organized work trips from donor groups.
El Porvenir seems to be very cost effective. They are also very good about letting us know we are appreciated, even with phone calls.
Clean water is important to us, and we like to be part of an organization that brings clean water to those who need it.

Our church, St. Michael & All Angels, Portland, Oregon, has been sending work crews to Nicaragua for many years through the El Porvenir program. The teams have built technologically appropriate and sustainable water supply, sanitation, and wash facilities in rural villages that struggle to maintain clean water supplies. The personal transformation in the people who have done this work is evident and it furthers our personal commitment to ministry through actions to help people in need. I have been a donor and fund raiser for El Porvenir, including making them my charity of choice in fundraising in connection with a marathon.

Although it is small, El Porvenir is very effective. Each person that I have met on staff truly has a heart for the work that they do. Incredible organizations have incredible staff, board and volunteers. El Porvenir is incredible and the work that they do changes lives.

I learned of the effectiveness of this group and began contributing I went on one of the work group to learn the respect they have earned in Nic and with supportors. The are a committed org with very low admin costs resulting in more projects completed. Education in all phases of their work is impressive, sanitation, reforestation etc.

I volunteered with El Porvenir in 2001 was thoroughly impressed with the whole experience. It was great to get my hands dirty and feel a sense of camaraderie with the people I was working with - both Nicaraguan and American. The organization does great work and I am very happy that I was able to be associated with it.

The gift of clean water cannot be over appreciated for impoverished communities in Nicaragua. I support El Porvenir's vision and recognition of their niche to support with their expertise and expanding within the abilities and financial support available. El Porvenir works with the community to define their needs and meet them. Truly unique in the non-profit field.

I have been associated with El Hogar since its founding, have visited projects in Nicaragua, and have seen the marked positive impact their clean water projects have made for the people in the villages of Nicaragua. All non-profits should do such a stellar job, particularly in their involvement of the people being served by these cooperative projects.

Tell your story here and help others understand this charity. I helped construct the interior walls and top of a large tank for runoff waterl, dug by hand in hard packed clay, by two women in Boaca Viejo, Nicaragua. I helped their community build a lavandero, where they will be able to use clean well water for bathing and doing laundry. I learned new skills such as mixing concrete, cutting rebar, pouring concrete and applying mortar. I was able to work hard, side by side with the families who will be using the lavandero and feel that this experience gave me far more than I was able to give.

When others ask me what models they should study regarding community development in other countries, I tell them El Porvenir. They have the wisdom, the skill, the talent, the access to people with the technical knowledge and the country-based knowledge to figure out the best strategies that are going to have the most impact and lead to sustainable change. And, most important of all, they are truly "ground up" -- working with the community from beginning to end, responding to them, training them, being by their side, and avoiding solutions or decisions imposed or cooked up by "outsiders". The study/volunteer trip was an unforgettable experience.

My church participates in conjunction with a nearby church in working with El Porvenir in Nicaragua. El Porvenier is a small non-profit working with volunteers to build projects in villages. Our group will be working to build a well and other facilities for villagers who have to walk hours to bring back water to the village. The improvements built under the El Porvenir plan also improve sanitation and health for the villagers. Very exciting, and I can't wait to go.

El Porvenir provides volunteers with an opportunity to work in small villages, with the "mayor' and many of the village people in assessing the needs of the village, and then proceeding to solutions for them.
I worked in a village where there were no latrines. Each family in the village had dug a huge hole behind their houses. The El Porvenir came in with us, the volunteers, to enclose the latrines with brick, along with help from the villagers themselves. We worked very hard, made many friends, and participated in meetings of the whole village, at night, where the importance of using latrines, and then washing hands were dramatized by some of the villagers. Low tech responses to needs is key to El Porvenir's work, as is needs coming from the villages themselves. El Porvenir's primary goal is to supply clean water to remote villages.

I built stoves with a group of volunteers for a village supported by El Porvenir. We also toured a couple of cities while there. We met the staff and were deeply impressed by how well-run was our trip and the project. We were impressed by their follow-up education program, which helps to boost the long-term success of projects.

I weat to Nicaragua with Elderhostel to work for El Porvenir. My colleagues were wonderful, enthusiastic, intelligent, caring people. Our El Porvenir leaders were knowledgeable, flexible, understanding and fun.

The Nicaraguan people we met were warm and welcoming. I fell in love with the country and its people. I also felt that El Porvenir, for very little money, made a huge positive impact on people's everyday lives by helping to provide clean water. So simple, yet so vital.

I have been contributing to El Porvenir ever since and I will continue to do so as long as I am able.

We went to build a lavandero. When that didn't work out, we built stoves instead. We completely fell in love with all the people of "our" village who worked so diligently with us to accomplish as much as possible in the short time that we had together.

We are getting ready for our 5th El Porvenir adventure. The work done by this organization defines "grass roots" in that it provides an essential resource for those who need it most at the least cost. The Nicaraguan people maintain ownership of the projects--they direct and supervise with El Porvenir help. Having accessible clean water, toilets, space for privacy when bathing....all of these are important, especially to the women and children.

My husband and I went to Nicaragua with a volunteer group for a week and built a shelter for washing clothes and taking a shower. It was a wonderful experience working with the people of the village. El Porvenir does a fantastic job of identifying needs of a community and of the community working with El Porvenir to build what they need: clean water, latrines, washing stations, reforestation.

I worked with El Porvenir in 2008 assessing the water needs of small communities. The staff of El Porvenir in Nicaragua was a pleasure to work with and helped make my stay in Nicaragua memorable. They were instrumental in helping me learn about and enjoy the places and people of Nicaragua. The Denver staff has also been very helpful.

I went on the trip to celebrate my 50th birthday. It was one of the best vacations of my life. I loved the food, and got used to rice and beans each day. Mainly, I loved working with the children of the village. They competed with each other to gather stones, and wheeled the wheel barrel when my tired bones could not keep up. The countryside was so beautiful - like the shire in Lord of the Rings! Animals everywhere walking down the roads with their owners. The group of people I traveled with were among the nicest folks I've ever met. It is a great organization, and six years later I am still a regular donor to EL Porvenir. They have a bare bones budget, and if you donate, have no fear that your money will have an impact. I receive many requests for charity, but no charity is more worthy. The gift of clean water is so important, and the people of Niceragua are wonderful!

El Porvenir is a wonderful organization and I very much enjoyed my volunteer experience. Working together with friends, family, strangers from my own country was uplifting but it was nothing compared to working side by side with the people we were helping. The feeling of unity and camaraderie was amazing even with the language barrier, or perhaps because of it.

I chose El Porvenir for my first volunteer vacation because it seemed like a worthwhile organization, in part because they address such a basic need - clean water in Nicaragua. The importance they place on working in partnership with each community they help was also very important to me and I was impressed that the vast majority of their staff in Nicaragua are themselves Nicaraguan.

Having gone on a trip with them late in 2010, I was truly impressed. We worked in a village community, side by side with families there, building latrines. In fact, our labor contribution was almost superfluous - but the people were warm and generous and truly seemed to enjoy appreciate having us there, even if we were not the tireless workers that they were.

In addition to the work and the interactions with the people in the village, almost every day also had an educational or cultural component. We were given a tour of Managua; we visited a rural school and local clinic; we were given a lively lecture on the history of Nicaragua; live musicians had us up and dancing one night after dinner.

El Porvenir's work trips conclude with a recreational weekend. Although it was a little mentally jarring to go from a poor village to a nice hotel in Granada, I very much appreciated the opportunity it see a bit more of Nicaragua and to relax a little before returning home to work.

Finally, I can't say enough good things about El Porvenir's staff. Our group leader was tireless and his English was excellent. His partner didn't speak English as well but she also did a fantastic job (including, but not limited to, overseeing our simply yet very tasty meals). It was also very nice that El Porvenir has their own van and trucks so transportation was easy. I would unequivocally recommend El Porvenir to anyone considering a volunteer vacation.

I have traveled to Nicaragua to work on two El Porvenir volunteer brigades. Both experiences were very different, and very rewarding. The staff does an amazing job of looking after their "guests", while providing us with the resources to complete our projects. The best part of the whole experience is working side by side with the Nicaraguan people in their communities.

I have traveled extensively throughout Nicaragua and have seen some of El Porvenir's projects and was very impressed. I am an Environmental Biologist that helped take college students from the United States to see first hand the natural treasures of Nicaragua and El Porvenir's projects were a great teaching opportunity!

I traveled to Nicaragua as part of a Volunteer Brigade in November 2010, to help a small community outside El Sauce build a lavandero, a community washing and bathing facility. The experience was transformative for me. I had never been part of the reality of everyday life in a third world country before. This experience enabled me to understand in a new, visceral way how difficult life is for many people on this earth. The project was incredibly well organized, with wonderful leaders. We volunteers worked hard alongside adults and children from the small community, and we were able to finish the project by the end of the week. I saw firsthand that El Porvenir is truly a "self-help" organization. The community's latrines and well, built with assistance from El Porvenir, had already made a great improvement in the health and economic stability of this small community, and the completed lavandero was enabling them to take another step into a healthier, more economically secure future. We saw health education and reforestation taking place. This is an organization which does not waste money, and which truly makes a difference in the daily lives of poor people.

Although my El Porvenir experience was years ago, I recall it vividly. The trip was so well organized by the El Porvenir staff that the brigade volunteers were able to concentrate on completing worthwhile work while getting to know Nicaragua and its wonderful people. I came away feeling that my time and money were well spent and I had been able to make a difference.

Eight members of our church were part of a larger brigade that worked on lavenderos, dug a dry well and planted trees. Five members of the brigade were young people who were kept too busy to be bored and enjoyed an experience they will always remember.

I had been to Nicaragua previously with another organization. The trip was poorly run, but it did show us that clean water is a critical need in Nicaragua. On our return from that trip, we searched for an organization to address that need and feel blessed to have found El Porvenir. Our experience on our El Porvenir trip showed us that, indeed, this organization knows how to get the job done!

Our group of 4 volunteers assisted the work crew, local men working for free as part of the Casas Viejas community. All supplies and construction designs were provided by El Porvenir. The women and children pitched in as necessary, cooking, digging, carrying. With the support of the whole community this project was completed in a week, and culminated with a fiesta celebration attended by all including music, dancing, poetry, speeches and the children's dance of the pinata.
As a whole the village is happy, constructive, self-sustaining and non-political, though very poor when it comes to money and possessions. It's unfortunate that the government doesn't supply the basics of health and education for its people, but that's where El Porvenir kicks in. I'm secure in knowing that my time and money go to the people that need it when supporting El Porvenir, and its grass-roots goals of supplying the most important necessities in life - water and sanitation.

I've been to Nicaragua twice with El Porvenir and plan on returning again next year. The work they do there is amazing and I'm proud to be a supporter. El Porvenir gives great support to the work brigades, monitoring the food and water as well as supplying the best interpetors. We learned about the country's polictical and economical developement, we did some sightseeing and worked very hard. It's a beautiful country and Nica's are beautiful people who are very welcoming. I've been very pleased with my experiences with the organization and the country.

Six of us from our church Volunteers in Mission group travelled to Nicaragua and worked with El Porvenir in the La Reina District along with 6 others. We received a very good oversight of the Nicaraguan politics and the history and goals of El Porvenir before travelling to our work site.

I feel that helping the Nicaraguans gain use of clean water, and learning about sanitation is the very beginning for them to have easier and more productive lives. I like the fact that the people need to ask for help, and actively participate in all projects, and actually take leadership and therefore ownership of all projects.

Our experience was one with great organization, wonderful interpreters and facilitators and warm, caring people.

I have supported El Porvenir for close to 20 years, ever since I learned about its work with rural communities in Nicargua. I deeply believe in EP's work because (1) it involves the basic human needs of clean water and sanitation, (2) it uses a self-help approach, (3) its projects are sustainable , and (4) it operates on a very slim budget. EP's staff members live in the regions it serves and have a long term relationship with the communities. I have visited various of the communites and witnessed how deeply appreciative the people are of EP's help.

I know of El Porvenir from before it was born. In 1987 I volunteered in Nicaragua with Habitat for Humanity where I met Carole Harper. I volunteered with her again in 1089. since then, we have kept in touch and for that reason I know of the fine work of El Porvenir. I know she has retired from the organization and that she was confident she left it in good hands. I have received the newsletters over the years as well, both paper version and now by email. I have been in the communities where lives have been enriched by the water. I have returned to Nicaragua almost every year since the late 80's. I'm a Canadian so I have not been on a brigade, but I am aware of the positive contributions to the fabric of a country which is dear to me.
Sincerely meant,
Cheryl Lightowlers

I have been a member of the board since 2007, but I have known of El Porvenir since 2001. The organization's goal and approach is to be admired as it makes a concerted effort to involve local poor communities as key decision makers in improving the water and sanitation conditions. After 20 years, it is going strong in some of the poorest communities in Nicaragua. It is inspiring to go on any of the many work brigades and help a local community build a well, a wash-station or even latrines. No words can express the gratitude and appreciation that communities show toward work brigade participants and to El Porvenir; this is a true sign of benefitial impact of this worthy organization.

My work with organizations in Nicaragua allowed me to meet staff of El Porvenir about five years ago as we compared notes on efforts to bring water to the tiny houses of families living along a ridge served by a seven mile long mud/dust road. Most impressive was the staff’s personal dedication to the families they served. This was not some huge organization which swooped in and threw money at a project to help the “poor people in some impoverished land.”

Just a year ago my impressions were enhanced when I spent two days filming El Porvenir projects, on site in Nicaragua. I spent days riding with the project directors who worked directly with the families. They encouraged the people to tell their own stories of the changes in their lives.

They did not just have new latrines; they understood the detailed interaction of sanitation and its effects on the health, especially the health of their children. Not only the women, but also the men, understood the importance of stoves that used less firewood and even more important kept smoke from filling the house. We heard the thanks of women who washed clothes in a simple concrete sink near a well, instead of on a rock in a stream where they also bathed. Bath houses provided privacy close to the source of water and handled the run-off water without pollution.

They understood the importance of replanting trees to protect the land and the water supply and water allowed these tiny trees to flourish.

The sense of community evident in the villages where water systems now provided a faucet at each house, demonstrated the results of their work together to do the planning, the work involved in the self-help project, the classes in health and sanitation, and most of all the pride in their accomplishment.

El Porvenir has internalized all of the best practices of working with impoverished communities to achieve basic goals of heath and cooperation.

This is the most dedicated group of people to whom I have ever contributed. They have helped so many become self sufficient and done so at a very low cost.

Very professional, transparent organization with good donor and volunteer communications. Great objectives and implementation.

hi i am wilbert and the best experience i ever had is when i met El porvenir i never thought that the labor of el porvenir was so great full
and now i am part of this beautifull NGO. I have seen poor very poor people that don´t have safe drink water and the problem of sanitation, i sed my self o god i have never thought that exist this problem. what can i do to help these people, because i don´t have money and i am not rich enough but now i am working with El porvenir I´M the driver, I also work in logistic area and try to apply all my knowledge to help in whatever that i can help.

this is my way to help and put my grain of sand.
in this charitable work.

thank you for let me tale my experience with el porvenir and remenber

the communities need your grain of sand.
wilbert Acevedo

I had the honor to be able to go to EP two times already with other members of my Church, I am blessed enough to get to go this year also.
I feel what I give is nothing compare to what the people give to us. Its not only about the work it's also about getting to know new friends and learning about theirs lives. MK Clovis CA.

I have been on two work trips, in 2005 and 2009. Accommodations are basic in a very poor country like Nicaragua, but we were always well-fed and safely housed. Volunteers assist in building wells, latrines, or wash stations. Handyman skills are not required, and all tools and supplies are provided. I find the work to be enjoyable and personally rewarding. The groups I've been on were very friendly and enjoyed socializing at the hotel each evening. We work hard and accomplish a lot in just a week. A couple of additional days are spent sightseeing and doing cultural excursions. These too are fun and enlightening. I've seen the sea, lakes, volcanos, markets, museums, and more. I strongly support El Porvenir and have become a regular donor and board member as well.

I led a mission team for our church to work with El Porvenir last summer. It was a truly fantastic experience, and a very easy decision to lead another team to work with them again this summer. Key reasons:

1. Their development model works. Local communities come to them with a desire for a project and the El Porvenir and the community work in partnership every step of the way. The combination of community sweat equity + education + ongoing support means that the projects have a lasting impact on community health and pride. This is work that matters... and most projects are fully Nicaragua-owned.

2. Their brigade coordinator was extremely helpful as we got our team organized. They were responsive to our interests and needs, and put together a fantastic program tailored to our team.

3. They are fantastic hosts. The El Porvenir staff did everything possible to make the experience a positive one for our team. The focused on our health and safety. They ensured that we were able to have a positive experience at the worksite - that we knew what work needed to be done and trained us how to do it and also (and even more importantly) helped us connect with the community. They added educational components to help make the experience more meaningful, from a lecture on Nicaraguan history, to visiting a school to touring a local health clinic.

This was the first international mission experience our church had had in a long time. It was an extraordinarily easy to make the decision to lead another team next year. I hope I will have the opportunity to work for El Porvenir for many years to come.

I spent a week on a Brigade helping a small village build a lavandero, near the well that El Porvenir helped them to build. It was a life changing experience for me. I had traveled in under-developed countries before, but never had been able to personally get to know the people and see how they live in their homes. The need is so great there, the people so wonderful, and El Porvenir does an outstanding job of working volunteers. Though originally I had thought the Brigade was expensive for participant, I came home knowing it was some of the best spent money in my life.

Have been to Nicaragua 4 times to work on reforestation and sanitation projects. One of the highlites of my life. So much has to be done, but a lot statrs with clean water. It really makes a difference in peoples lives as seen by the helping hand they gave us and the smiles and tears at the completion of the work. Hope to go back again.
Calvin

Nicaragua is said to be the 2nd poorest country in the hemisphere. After a nine day vol experience at a remote village with homes made of thin adobe near Dario, Nic, I dont believe it. Maybe they didnt have much money but the children were happy, bright and healthy. The cows were fat, horses and chickens were fit but the dogs showed their ribs. The people gave us four volunteers a fiesta after we helped them plumb and build a handwash station and erect three new latrines. About 150 of them gathered at the school to watch musicians, dancers and hear poetry. They gave speeches that made us feel appreciated and ripped apart a fat pinata full of candy. El Porvenir delivers over 90% of donations directly to the people. Ive seen their offices and there are no comfortable chairs.....Robert Burnett

I have worked on 3 different projects with El Porvenir in the past. The solutions that they help to bring to the communities is life-changing. Where there was no clean water, wells were built, re-forestation was undertaken, latrines were built, and facilities for washing and bathing were constructed. The villages now have an incredible different look. Clean & healthy is the order of the day. And there is a pride that the people have with themselves and there neighbors. This is a most important organization & the work they do is responsible financially and effective

I volunteered with El Porvenir last March in a rural town in Nicaragua. It was an unbelievable experience -- we helped to build a clean water facility for the village, which has made their lives so much easier! We also had the chance to play with the children in the town; I have never seen so many happy and beautiful and friendly children in my life! Thank you El Porvenir for this extraordinary opportunity.

I participated in a wonderful tour of Nicaraguan birds in 2009 sponsored by El Porvenir. Although the birds were spectacular and the tour guides were knowledgeable, I was equally impressed by our one-day visit to the countryside near Ciudad Dario. We witnessed the digging of a well by one community, and visited families who have new latrines. I love the stickers on the latrines and the list of rules inside, which includes, "Use your latrine every day." El Porvenir is a grass-roots organization which is providing clean water and improved health to remote communities in Nicaragua.

This program is connecting youth from the USA with villages in Nicaragua to build lavenderas and wash stations throughout small villages. They also bring adult brigades to build and interact with the local people, bridging cultures and creating the type of experiences for both countries that will last a lifetime. This is a hands-on project, no standing on the sidelines, as volunteers experience first-hand what it is like to live and work in a rural Nigaraguan village, and the local people learn what it is like to work alongside Americans who have a heart. My daughter will be going to work this summer and I am so grateful for this opportunity for her to learn the language by intensive school and by immersion, and to see how the majority of the world lives. There is no better education for a US teen than this. And the people of the village gain something that will help them be self-sufficient, so it's a win-win situation.

SOME ORGANIZATIONS TALK, WE CALL THEM BRIEFCASE NGOs. SOME ORGANIZATIONS ACT, BENEFIT THE PEOPLE, MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT'S HOW I DESCRIBE EL PROVENIR.

They accomplish quite a lot on a shoestring budget. I learned of them when the non-profit I volunteered at shared the same building as their headquarters. I gave them a donation on the spot. What's more critical than access to clean, potable water?

I worked with a ElPorvenir brigade in 2003 building a new well, washing stall and two "lavanderias"and it was an incredibly rewarding experience. Most Americans cannot imagine this small village whose only water for bathing and washing clothes was a polluted, dirty river. Fresh water for drinking and cooking had been brought by someone on horseback who carried a 5 gallon jug back from a source a few miles away. After our project was finished they had fresh clean water, a stall in which they could take a bucket of water and wash themselves and concrete wash tubs for washing clothes.
This project made life so much happier, easier and more dignified. It was a joy working alongside the villagers. ElPorvir accomplishes an amazing amount using every penny they receive.

I was in Nicaragua last summer with Seeds of Learning. We saw a lot of El Porvenir's work. In fact the latrine on our work site(now a school) was placed there by El Porvenir. We visited several wells the dug and saw people from the community utilizing them. They are a great group!

One of my greatest experiences where I realized how much appreciated El Porvenir's work is by the villagers, was when I helped build a latrine for a very elderly lady. She sat in a chair and watched us the whole time with the largest smile you have ever seen on her face showing only a few teeth. She had a small, one room, dirt floor, patched together house with a small back yard that had a barbed wire fence keeping the animals out. I tried to imagine what it was like for this woman to be ducking through a barbed wire fence for the last 60 years and using the field as her bathroom with no privacy. I wondered what was going through her mind as she saw that she was about to actually receive a latrine that she could enter, privately close the door and sit down, on the same side of the barbed wire fence that she had been squeezing through all these years. My experiences with El Porvenir are both Volunteer and Client Served. I volunteer at home in Denver, CO and I have been on many work brigades ranging from planting trees, building latrines, building stoves, well construction, and building a washing facility. All projects are focused on El Porvenir's goal of clean water for the people of Nicaragua. I have gotten to know all the different personnel of El Porvenir which is a grass roots organization that doesn't waste your money. They work hard, are dedicated and run with very little overhead as a percentage of their budget. I have also researched and participated in other organization's work brigades in the past and I can say for a fact that El Porvenir has a model that is making a difference for the rural poor people of Nicaragua that have genuine need. El Porvenir has offices (a one room small rural town office) in a bunch of rural poor towns that are surrounded by people with need. These are the rocky, dry areas of Nicaragua where the land is not very good and it is very hard to farm. The people come into the office and apply for a project and El Porvenir prioritizes the projects, performs the projects, trains the people, and follows up later. Many organizations simply leave town when they think their job is done. El Porvenir provides a motorcross style motorbike to the rural offices so the El Porvenir personnel can get to these people. The El Porvenir personnel are Nicaraguans as well, so El Porvenir is providing jobs as well to these rural poor towns. I can say in all honesty that if you want to help and give your support to the less fortunate people of the world, then El Porvenir is a great way to do it.

I first heard of El Porvenir many years ago when, I believe, the founders came to my town and spoke. I continue to be very impressed with their innovative approaches to bringing clean water to Nicaragua. The technology they use can be easily repaired, the community is involved in the process and the culture is taken into consideration. I think my money is used well.

In February, 2010, I visited a Nicaraguan village where life has been changed for the better by El Porvenir. Our group watched villagers digging a well to provide safe, clean water for themselves. In our visit and talk with them, we found them to be enthusiastic and excited about this "gift" of clean, safe water. We drove through groves of trees planted to replace those cut down for firewood. We saw sanitary latrines and spoke with one of the local "health educators" through an interpreter. We also visited the local El Porvenir headquarters and spoke with leaders, hearing of their work throughout this area. Amazing work is being done! I am pleased to support El Porvenir with my money and my words attesting to the organization's impact in Nicaragua helping that country's poorest and most needy people.

El Porvenir is an amazing organization that provides clean water for rural areas in Nicaragua. The staff behind El Porvenir have a genuine compassion and enthusiasm for the projects, people, and environment they contribute to. Not only do they provide clean water to these areas, they educate the residents in how to maintain and use the facilities in order to ensure long term benefits. Their mission, dedication, and honesty prove that El Porvenir is a more than worthwhile organization to contribute to.

El Porvenir is an outstanding organization. The leaders at El Porvenir have big hearts and expectations for the movement of giving rural Nicaraguan's clean drinking water, sanitation, and education in the realm of reforestation. The leaders are always thinking of new advancements to benefit the organizations growth and most importantly, their positive impact on rural Nicaraguan's and the passionate volunteers.

I had the opportunity to visit two projects last year in Nicaragua: community members physically digging a well and a latrine project which included careful directions and educational posters on sanitation. Familiy members shared with us the value of these projects. We also saw a reforestation project. El Porvenir requires communities and individuals to invest in the project, performing labor; it is not a matter of others coming in and doing for them. Access to clean water and measures to protect water are essential to prevent disease, as well as allow to support the economy. This is an excellent organization.

I have personally met with Rob Bell, the executive director of the organization, and he is an extremely dedicated and effective management professional. I have an extremely high level of confidence that the dollars that I have donated to the organization (which are in the thousands) are competently managed and invested. In addition, a close relative of mine has personally traveled to many of the sites in Nicaragua, and has vouched to me that the projects are very well executed.

The organization has very low overhead, and I know that the dollars I contribute are going directly into projects that Rob and his team are managing, and not to some administrative or fund raising organization. I also know that the projects that El Porvenir takes on have a very high impact on the beneficiaries, for a relatively small investment.

Bottom line: this is an excellent organization, and a great way to make a meaningful contribution to the well being of the population in Nicaragua. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

This organization is amazing. When I traveled to Nicaragua with a group from my college, Rob Bell gave a talk to us about water issues in Nicaragua. It was clear that the organization was acccoplishing so much in a sustainable way. I definitely hope to work with El Porvenir more in the future!

This organization is based on local community organization, putting money where the community leaders determine their needs. It allows volunteers to work right along side members of the community to accomplish the goals of the project. The main goal is to provide clean water and sanitary conditions in the rural communities. Volunteers can help with planting trees, digging wells, building fuel efficient stoves, clean latrines and laundry facilities. It is well organized and provides opportunities to develop friendship and understanding between people of different cultures.

I worked with El Porvenir during my May term study abroad. It was for a leadership class so we looked specifically into certain types of leadership on our month trip.
When working with this group I felt safe and felt as though our leaders were helpful and organized. I had a great experience working with them and with the people we were serving.
Just from the way we were greeted when we entered a village in an El Porvenir truck, I knew that this group makes a difference in the lives of those they serve.

Return to Camoapa
In November 2003 we flew from Miami to Managua, Nicaragua for a repeat of our work trip with El Porvenir. When we signed up we didn’t know if the team would be going to Camoapa. A few days before we left, it was confirmed. We were looking forward to seeing the locals we had met and worked with on the first trip.

This year our ten Elderhostel volunteers were again building latrines, but the families in this project area (called Matambo) were more widely dispersed. Often we had to walk a quarter mile to reach our worksite from where we parked the truck. The local families had dug the pits, which had to be at least 3 meters (10 ft) deep. We were lining the pits with cement blocks. Last year the latrines were lined with quarry stone, which came in 100 lb blocks. Where the pits encountered bedrock, the lining would start at the rock. Most of the actual masonry was done by one of the local foremen. We would help by moving materials, mixing mortar, and cutting blocks. The brickwork was extended about 12-15 inches above the ground. Then we would put in place a pre-cast floor and cement toilet box. After a day we would build an enclosure of wood and tin. The wood varied from rough sawn 2x2s to crudely formed sticks hacked out by machete. It was amazing to see everything fit together with a properly fitting door. Most workdays we had lunch at a farm owned by the mayor of Camoapa consisting of red beans, rice, cooked vegetables, and stewed tomatoes with onion. Other meals were at the same places as last year: breakfast at Hotel Las Estrellas, dinner at Rosamelia’s or El Bosquecito.
We had an opportunity to visit the project sites we had worked on in 2002 and were especially impressed with Salida Las Pencas. The footbridge over the creek had been replaced with a wide bridge and city water had been piped into a water station near the center of the string of houses. Most of the houses had been upgraded; the black plastic had been replaced with durable walls. Jorge had added a large living area to his house. We also met with Bismarck and his family. Many of the people in the neighborhood recognized us and greeted us warm-ly. We also talked with Donna Eva at the lavanderia site in Guayabita. I also met the aged Jose Lavila who lived along the ridge above the hotel, and Edward, a dairy farmer who had lived in Chicago.
We visited community agencies such as a child care center and the medical clinic, and met with the female mayor. When we left Camoapa, we again spent a few days visiting Granada, Volcán Mombacho, and Masaya.
We almost didn’t get to leave, however, because a section of a critical bridge had broken and was barely passible.
One of the successes of the trip was to clear up the mystery about the name of the wood I bought in Granada and carried home in 2002. Melvin, one of our coordinators, had done his college studies on native plants and trees in Central America, and he quickly identified the wood as “genízaro.” It appears to be related to acacia. I have started carving it into a Nicaraguan village scene. The grain is quite twisted and varied in hardness, so it is quite challenging.
Phyllis and I returned to Miami where we had left our RV, our two dogs and three cats, and started our long drive back to California.

Amazing organization making a dollar go a very long way.