Welcome to the UCSD Project Nicaragua Chapter:

The UCSD chapter of Project Nicaragua was founded about a year after the UCLA chapter when Assistant Executive Director Stanley Park in January 2006. Under his direction, a team of three students traveled to Managua, Nicaragua in September 2006 to help create a relationship with La Mascota Pediatric Hospital, conduct research on spina bifida, and donate medical supplies that had been provided by our Chairman of the Board and Executive Advisor, Dr. Jorge Lazareff, to El Lenin Fonseca Hospital. Since its founding, nearly four years ago, the chapter has established connections with the International Neurosurgical Children’s Association and AMOS Health and Hope.Project Nicaragua’s connection with AMOS Health and Hope has been used to conduct research about the prevalent rate of parasites in school aged children in San Jose de Los Remates, Boaco, Nicaragua and build clinics in El Bejuco. There are current plans to work with AMOS on a water filter project that would include the adoption of a rural community near Managua. In addition to receiving ten thousand dollars from the Strauss Foundation, the UCSD chapter has been the 2008-2009 recipients of the Chapin Cole and Melissa Higgins Lifelong Service Award, 2009-2010 Alumni Engagement Award, and 2011-2012 UCSD Grants for Change. This chapter is currently advised by Doctor George Chiang, MD from the Rady Children’s Hospital. It has sent eight undergraduate teams in March 15–22, 2007; July 18–28, 2007; September 1–12, 2007; March 21–28, 2009; December 14–21, 2009; December 14–21, 2010; September 15-21, 2011; December 11-23, 2011.

This chapter recently sent a team to Chichigalpa, Nicaragua in September 2011 for the inauguration of the Libros para los Niños: Literacy Campaign. During this timeframe the team organized free workshops that were meant to teach local children English through music, reading, and science projects. The main goal of the trip was to inspire children in rural communities to enjoy learning and remain in school. The trip was a great success, as each day new children joined the workshops. Project Nicaragua donated bilingual education books to the children that participated in this project.