Host Highlight: The Fabretto Foundation

The Fabretto Foundation (Fabretto) is a non-profit organization that provides educational and nutritional programs to children and families in the most disadvantaged areas of Nicaragua. Aligning with Partners of the Americas' Women & Youth F2F strategy in the country, Fabretto seeks to build the entrepreneurship and leadership skills of children and youth to improve their livelihoods and empower them to reach their full potential. The Foundation boasts seven community Education Centers and over 400 public schools throughout Nicaragua, with programs focused on three strategic areas: (1) Early Education, (2) Primary Education, and (3) Technical Vocational Education. Fabretto’s community-based approach allows parents and teachers to also benefit from their education and health programs, while providing them with a platform to become leaders in their communities. Teachers and tutors at each of the schools and centers receive training on innovative methodologies and tools to improve their teaching and classroom management. In addition, parents have the opportunity to participate in workshops on various topics to allow them to become more involved in their children’s education.

Among the programs that Fabretto implements is an innovative high school program called the Tutorial Learning System (SAT). Accredited by the Ministry of Education as an alternative secondary education program, SAT provides many rural youth, located in regions of the country where access to secondary education is limited, an opportunity to continue their education. The SAT curriculum is based on the practical methodology of "learning by doing," whereby students learn mathematics and science, while also growing crops and designing a business plan to sell their harvest. Through this approach, students gain key entrepreneurship skills and are encouraged to start their own small businesses. Many SAT graduates and other beneficiaries of Fabretto’s programs have gone on to establish their own cooperatives and small enterprises, including the artisanal jewelry cooperative, Nica HOPE. 

During the last four years, the Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program has sent a total of 18 volunteers to support Fabretto's commitment to empower both under-served women and youth in Nicaragua. Assignments have focused on helping Fabretto improve their programming through training on business and marketing, 4-H programs, soil conservation, and coffee production, among other topics. Volunteers have included Timothy Bowser, who in 2016 visited three of Fabretto’s schools to train students on the construction of a solar dehydrator that can be used to dry their fruit and make beef jerky as value-added products. That same year, F2F volunteer Dustin Homan trained Fabretto tutors on 4-H methodology that they could adopt into their current youth programs, particularly SAT. Other volunteers have included Bettina Barillas who in 2017 worked alongside Fabretto leadership to develop an improved strategic business & e-commerce plan with the goal of increasing sales of products developed by their affiliated cooperatives and farmers. Lastly, Arthur Bassett traveled to Nicaragua in March 2018 to assist Fabretto’s cooperatives in obtaining organic coffee certification. Arthur also conducted workshops for students on organic farming, including necessary materials, composting and soil management, and coffee cupping and drying. 

Throughout the start of this partnership, the F2F program has sought to advance the mission of the Fabretto Foundation, supporting its nearly 250 members. Through the help of volunteer assistance, it is expected that Fabretto will continue to improve and strengthen its operations, leading to continued success in the future.