24 minutes of vocational training for one person in Nicaragua

Nicaragua has been attracting attention for years with negative headlines: corruption is increasing, press freedom is decreasing - the West is responding with sanctions, foreign companies are moving away and tourism is crumbling. As a result, Nicaragua's economic output fell by almost 9% between 2017 and 2020 (Worldbank, 2021) and in 2018 alone, it is estimated that more than 400,000 people lost their jobs following political unrest (ACAPS, 2019). Competition for jobs in the country is increasing and wages are falling. This is pushing many people to the brink of existence, especially in rural areas: in 2021, 45% of Nicaraguans in work did not earn enough money to make a living (INIDE, 2021) - let alone finance qualified training for themselves or family members that could bring better career opportunities. This is because training is not paid in Nicaragua; on the contrary, there are costs for school fees, travel and books. After graduating from school, many Nicarugans therefore work unskilled for little money and sometimes under poor conditions in the informal sector instead of learning a profession. This cycle of job shortages, wage dumping and the resulting closed educational paths, which blocks Nicaraguan families' chance of financial security, is counteracted here: firstly, by financing qualified vocational training in the agricultural, service and craft sectors. Secondly, by giving trainees more independence from the current job market with an intensive mentoring program for starting a business. Because with sustainable self-employment, long-term financial security is possible here.