La Flor means "the flower" and the beauty of the area is true to the name. La Flor is a small community of farming and coffee-picking families, all of whom live on less than $2 per day. Situated at the top of a mountain in Nicaragua’s cloud forest, there is no vehicle access, making life in La Flor a challenge.
Every trip to the market or the doctor or anywhere means a half-mile walk up and down a steep, rocky hillside, across a suspension bridge to the highway bus stop carrying crops for market or bricks for building or groceries for the family on your back!
In 2010, birthing a community store, "Tienda La Flor", was the partner-project of founding partner, Ktizo Church of Phoenix. They donated inventory for one year and worked with the community to create an accounting and inventory system. Then they built the building together.
Today, the store's revolving fund keeps inventory in place, and they are making plans to expand what they sell.
The small profit from the store pays for a variety of community projects, like painting the school. It took less than a year for Tienda La Flor to become completely self-sustaining — a remarkable feat among Nicaragua's poorest communities.
La Flor is thrilled with their partnership, excited about the changes in their community, and very, very proud to be a budding as a "flower" of sustainability in Nicaragua!
