CLWR funds Nicaraguan medical and dental clinic, scholarships

Mission centre medical clinic in Nicaragua.

WINNIPEG – Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) has announced $36,500 in funding for two Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) programs in Nicaragua this year.

The announcement was made as Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua (ILSN) prepares for its first biennial convention and includes new money for a medical and dental clinic and increases in school scholarships.

The medical clinic, which began operations in May 2009, is open every Thursday beginning at 8 a.m. and remains open until all patients have been seen.
The clinic is staffed by a doctor and a dentist, who see an average of 40-45 patients each week, and provides common medications because many patients are too poor to purchase them.

CLWR will continue to support the Christian Children Education Program.
The program, conducted in all 23 congregations of ILSN, provides an average of 25 scholarships in each community to the neediest children.

The scholarships include the required school uniforms, shoes, backpacks and school supplies.

Each child is also enrolled in the tutoring and Christian-education class held five days a week when children are not in school (Children attend school in the morning or in the afternoon.)

These classes, held in the churches and led by teachers and deaconesses, provide tutoring and homework support for the children in math, Spanish and other subjects. A portion of the time is also set aside for Christian education and cultural activities.

More than 750 children are enrolled in the program. CLWR has provided support for about 250 children.

Since 1999, CLWR has partnered with LCC to support community development projects.

Robert Granke, executive director of CLWR, visited congregations of the ILSN in November. You can read more about his visit at www.lccontheroad.ca, The Canadian Lutheran or in the forthcoming issue of CLWR’s Partnership newsletter due out in early February.

(With files from the CLWR and LCC news.)

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