Chacraseca is a 30-square mile farming community just east of León, near the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Most of the 8,000 residents in Chacraseca are subsistence farmers, averaging less than $2 per day per family in income. Life is lived constantly on the edge, but rather than despair, the community has chosen to organize to work together to realize their dreams for a better life for all.
The "Asociación de Comite Pastoral para el Desarrollo" (ACOPADES) is a community-based organization in Chacraseca and is a critical, long-term JustHope partner. ACOPADES has worked for more than 20 years in community development. They manage the potable water system, farmers bono, scholarships for students, green stove projects and advocate with various governmental and non-governmental bodies on behalf of the community. They have a Board of Directors that is elected every two years and a leadership council comprised of leaders from each sector of the community. ACOPADES oversees water, agricultural, medical and education activities in the community, and are involved in most of JustHope's programs in Chacraseca serving as both a voice of and link to the broader community. ACOPADES holds weekly meetings on Tuesdays at the Peace House, which are open to the public and attended by a JustHope representative in the spirit of cooperation and solidarity. ACOPADES also has trained "delegates of the word" who assist with the spiritual nurture of the community, and a retreat center — Casa de Paz — which hosts community training events, spiritual retreats, and cultural exchanges, as well as housing JustHope partner groups during their visits.
Over the last 20 years, water has been an increasing problem in Chacraseca. In 1999, the community organizied itself to address this critical problem. Read more about JustHope's collaboration with Chacraseca in it's Todos No Algunos Water Project.