Dear Friends,

After our two-week mid-year break, we were delighted to welcome our students back for the second semester. We missed them!

Our school community has also grown, with eleven new students joining us, bringing our enrollment to 110. Their enthusiasm has made for a wonderful start to the term.

We’re also continuing our Mid-Year Food Appeal through Labor Day. Thank you to everyone who has supported this effort so far—your generosity is making a real difference. You’ll find a progress update below.

Your support empowers our staff, students, and their families, and we’re grateful to be part of such a caring and generous community.

With gratitude,

Chuck

It’s good to be back!

The two-week break gave everyone a chance to rest and recharge, and we hope it was a good contrast to school.

At the same time, there’s something renewing about returning to the routines we’ve created and love. It’s a place where students can learn, grow, laugh with friends, and be surrounded by a caring community and positive influences.

Welcome back—we’re so glad you’re here!

  • Teacher in a red shirt leads a group of children in an arm-raising activity in a bright blue classroom with tiled floor and desks nearby
  • Teacher kneels on the tiled floor guiding a group of children as they play a large snake-and-ladder style math game laid out on a white poster.
  • Teacher in a red shirt holds two CDs up toward a young student in a bright classroom while other kids write at desks in front of a blue wall with a tree mural and a whiteboard.
  • Teacher helps a student at a green classroom wall, pointing to a whiteboard with words and a purple diagram.
  • Woman in a red shirt assists a young girl as she works on a laptop at a blue-walled computer station.

A new resource room

This is “because we can” spirit in action.

Some wonderful expats living in Nicaragua visited our school. In conversation, we mentioned our desire to create a computer lab where students could strengthen the skills they struggle with and build confidence at their own pace.

Then someone simply said, “Get the total cost, and let me know.”

Six months later, that dream is a reality.

We’re incredibly grateful to have this resource for our students. The idea came from our teachers, who saw the need firsthand, and we know this lab will make a lasting difference for many.

¡Gracias!

  • Teacher helps a boy as they use a tablet at a desk in a bright blue room.
  • Smiling boy in a white tank top giving a thumbs up while using a laptop on a white table in a blue room
  • Young boy typing on a small Dell laptop, engaged with an educational math game on the screen.
  • Children sit at individual desks in a bright blue computer lab, each using a laptop with wired headphones nearby (classroom learning).

Giving back…the doctor is IN!

José Santos Rocha (now Dr. Rocha) has completed medical school and will officially graduate in December.

Since the founding of Neighbors to Nicaragua, we have supported his education, and his outstanding academic performance reflects his dedication.

In return, he now volunteers three afternoons a week, seeing patients in our modest room we’ve set aside for him.

His service has been a tremendous gift to our community. Thank you Mariam for the signage and for spreading the word.

Thank you, Dr. Rocha…and congratulations!

  • Infographic health flyer advertising free consultations for children and adults, with hours (Mon, Wed, Fri 1:00–4:00 p.m.), service icons (free care, for children and adults, humane treatment), and an important notice that no medications are provided.
  • Male healthcare worker in light blue scrubs with stethoscope, taking a selfie in a bright room.
  • Male doctor in blue scrubs with a stethoscope consults a female patient at a wooden desk in a clinic.
  • Smiling male medical professional in lavender scrubs holds a young girl on an examination table (clinic setting).

Who’ll stop the rain?

Every month, N-2-N sets aside a dedicated budget to help meet urgent needs within our community. Requests vary widely—from medical expenses and food assistance to home repairs and vehicle repairs—but each one represents an opportunity to make a meaningful difference.

Last month, Manuela (pictured below), who lovingly cares for her 20-year-old granddaughter, Kelly, who has a disability, reached out for help repairing her small home. With the rainy season underway, frequent downpours had caused the wooden walls of her home to rot, allowing rain to pour directly inside.

Thanks to your support, Marvin purchased the needed lumber and arranged for it to be delivered. Manuela’s home is now one step closer to being safe and protected from the rains.

Manuela sends her heartfelt thanks to everyone who helps make this ministry possible!

  • Weathered wooden shack with a corrugated metal roof, open doorway, and a small garden fence nearby under a sunny sky.
  • Boy and an older woman stand in a rustic woodworking shed beside rough-cut planks and a small old TV on a table covered with a colorful cloth.
  • Girl in a red polka dot shirt sits in a plastic chair inside a rough wooden shed, a chicken nearby on the dirt floor.

PROGRESS REPORT NO. 1:
Garcia family’s home

Each week brings more progress, and we’re excited to share another update!

As of yesterday, the water line is being installed, bringing Edwin, Esmerelda, and their two children one step closer to their new home.

Our hope is that by October 1st, they’ll be sleeping under their own roof.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support and encourage this journey.

We’ll keep you posted as construction moves forward!

  • Boy with a shovel stands on a dusty rural road as a trench for a water pipe is dug along the path under a bright blue sky.
  • Two boys on a dusty rural road beside a deep trench laid with a long plastic pipe; one shirtless boy stands in the trench while another in a red shirt works farther back amid green vegetation.
  • Unfinished concrete block building with a metal roof, open doorway and a small window, surrounded by construction rubble.
  • Interior of a cluttered unfinished workshop with bikes and assorted building materials on a dirt floor.

PROGRESS REPORT NO. 2:
Our Mid-Year Appeal

Thank you to everyone who has responded so generously to the first of our two 2026 fundraising appeals. We’re pleased to share that we’ve reached the halfway point of our campaign, raising $6,520.00 todate.

Our mid-year campaign continues through Labor Day, and we’ll provide a final update in our September newsletter.

Thank you, as always, for your generosity and continued support!

Banner for Neighbors to Nicaragua campaign showing two children with backpacks walking on a sidewalk, with'Lighting the Way' slogan on a green panel.

Monthly Sponsorship Report

As of now, we have 85 generous sponsorships contributing $70/month ($840/year) — to support of our 110 amazing students.

✅ OUR CURRENT SPONSORSHIP RATE IS down from 79% to 77% due to our increased enrollment. Our thanks to our sponsors.

Our goal at Neighbors to Nicaragua is to have the same or greater number of sponsors as we have students, ensuring each child receives a daily meal and a quality education.

🙏 A heartfelt thank you to all our current sponsors, our partners — and to those considering joining this life-changing mission.

Together, we’re making a difference!

Group of smiling children standing behind a yellow table filled with bowls, cups, and a large pot in a colorful cooking classroom/space.”