NicaPhoto Inc

We are seeking to complete the funding for Mireya's education as a Medical Professional in Nicaragua.

As a reminder, Mireya is currently working at NicaPhoto, as a Health Promotor and Educator and is attending a 2-year graduate program that offers a degree in Traditional and Complementary Medicine. After she completes this masters-level program, she will be able provide direct patient care in the underserved area where she was born and raised.

We have raised over 1/2 of our $1600 goal and are looking to complete our mission to help her fully fund her education! Please help us help Mireya. Thank you!

Here is an update from Mireya:

It has been a unique experience full of knowledge and curiosities of things I did not know before.

The Master's Degree in Traditional and Complementary Medicine has been very interesting because I have been able to understand and connect with nature and the different points of view that conventional medicine does not normally teach.

Traditional and Complementary Medicine teaches us how to treat pathology with different types of therapy such as acupuncture, herbal remedies, relaxing massages, among others.

I have been interested in all that I have learned as well as what is to come and I will continue to take advantage of all the knowledge gained at the [Medical University].

Thank you!

Mireya is an incredible example of determination, strength, and resilience, as well as love and dedication to her profession and community. She first became interested in nursing when she helped care for her mother after a serious traffic accident. However, the road to completion was not a straight path and half-way through her university studies she became pregnant and found herself with an entirely new set of responsibilities. Mireya knew she needed to make some changes to complete her degree. She came up with a plan that included leaving the scholarship program for a year to work in a textile factory, allowing her to save enough money to pay the fees associated with her degree and help support her family. Through this experience, Mireya developed an incredible strength of spirit, maturity, and work ethic. Overcoming these difficult circumstances has made her more empowered than before and her commitment to family, service and community is stronger than ever!

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In 2017, a Garden Rancho was erected at NicaPhoto to provide shade during a Builders Beyond Borders visit. What began as a simple structure quickly became something much more.

Over the past nine years, the Garden Rancho has grown into an integral part of NicaPhoto’s programming and daily life. Set apart from the main buildings and nestled within the garden, it has become a deeply valued space—used extensively for bio-intensive organic gardening trainings, educational workshops, and community gatherings. It is also one of our most sought-after locations for smaller, more intimate programs, including our Youth Leadership Groups and Girls Clubs, where privacy, safety, and reflection matter deeply.

After nine years of constant use, the roof is leaking, the posts are rotting, and repairs are no longer enough.

We are raising $15,000 to replace the rancho with a permanent Garden Gazebo—built to last on the same footprint.

The new Gazebo will be dedicated to Steve Lewine—a dear friend, incredible leader, and steadfast supporter of NicaPhoto. It will stand as an intimate space of shelter, learning, and connection—a place where future leaders are nurtured and Steve’s legacy lives on.

Please consider donating and sharing to help rebuild a space where community, connection, and leadership continue to grow.