The Nicaragua Club is currently the only service learning trip on campus that goes outside of the country. While in Nicaragua, club members stay with host families on average for seven days where they work to improve the day to day lives of locals.

The first stop is La Primavera, located in Managua, the country’s capital and largest city. While in La Primavera we work with a group called “Women In Action” to assist with repairs on homes. Women In Action is a group comprised of 40 women who organize health, education, and income programs in one of the poorest areas of La Primavera.

Next, we travel to La Paz, a rural area North of Managua. While in La Paz we focus on agricultural work. A typical day consists of working with host families to plant coffee seedlings, working on bio-gas systems, and solar food dehydration systems. Bio-gas systems are used as a renewable energy source by the breakdown of raw materials. Last year the club planted over 500 coffee seedlings!

This May the club will be celebrating its 21st year! I feel very honored to be president of the club as it has made my experience at PSU very memorable. My trip to Nicaragua has made a huge impact on my life. It taught me to be thankful for everything I have and to give to those who may not be as fortunate as I am. While it is not always easy to raise the money, it is all worth it once we arrive in Nicaragua. The families we encounter and work with make just as big of an impact on us as we do on them.

Kassie Dumont ’19 is a Junior at Plymouth State. Along with being the president of the Nicaragua Club she is also the treasurer for the class of 2019. Kassie is a Psychology major with an option in mental health and a minor in child welfare and family studies. Along with working as a Community Advisor for Residential Life, she also works at the after school programs in Plymouth and Campton and as a nanny a few days a week. The Nicaragua club is a huge part of her life and she is very excited to return and see her host families!