Nicaragua
In Nicaragua, Oxfam's focus is on rural development and food security, active citizenship and emergency relief and disaster risk reduction
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Dealing with disasters
The largest country in Central America, Nicaragua has to deal with more than its fair share of natural disasters:
- Nicaragua ranks second in the world's countries worst affected by hurricanes and tropical storms
- It is among the top 30 most affected by earthquakes
How Oxfam is helping
Oxfam's disaster risk reduction programme trains communities in the west and along the Caribbean coast to be prepared for, and better cope with, the impact of natural disasters.
During Hurricane Felix, an early warning system helped indigenous communities to co-ordinate with authorities and have enough time to evacuate. 
Carlos Ling, Oxfam's Humanitarian Co-ordinator in Nicaragua
Laying the foundations for a better future
The Caribbean coastal regions are home to 12 per cent of Nicaragua's population, and comprise 56 per cent of the country's land. Yet, despite being rich in natural resources, 60 per cent of the region's population live in poverty.
How Oxfam is helping
We provide support to small-scale producers to help them develop their skills and sell their products in national and international markets.
We never thought about selling cashew seeds. Our intention was only to reforest the land. Today we do, and we have higher incomes.
Marlon Carrasco, organic cashew producer
Other development work
- Partnering the Common Governability Fund
- Promoting citizen participation and providing leadership training
- Helping minority communities have a say in government development plans
Hurricane Felix 2007
Hurricane Felix hit the Nicaraguan coast on 4 September 2007, bringing heavy rains and winds of up to 180 km/h. Tens of thousands of homes have been lost or damaged and the North East of Nicaragua completely cut off.
Find out about Oxfam's response to the 2007 hurricanes in the Caribbean
Being prepared
Oxfam works with traditional indigenous and local organisations on the Caribbean coast such as Acción Médica Cristiana (Christian Medical Action) and Centro Humboldt (Humboldt Centre) to introduce a system for monitoring rising river levels, rain and winds in order to provide early warnings to communities to evacuate in case of flooding.
