My Experience in Nicaragua- MEDLIFE

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”― Eleanor Roosevelt

Hey! I was in Nicaragua recently and let me tell you: it was beautiful. They have gorgeous handicrafts, great food, lakes, and incredible views. My reasons for going was not about the tourist aspect; instead, it was to help others as a volunteer with MEDLIFE. Medlife is a non-profit organization that helps low income families with medicine, education, and development. MEDLIFE started in Ecuador and now operates in Tanzania, Peru, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. Nicaragua was our destination for various reasons this past semester. One was that this was MEDLIFE’s first time in Nicaragua and the other being that they had recently suffered an earthquake. For us, it seemed more than necessary to go.

The experience was life changing. It involved activities such as: visiting towns, interacting with the civilians, shadowing doctors, educating, and even teaching kids how to brush their teeth. What the reality tour MEDLIFE presents was eye opening since we see what is still happening. Tipitapa is a town in western Nicaragua which has the largest dumpster in Central America. About 650 families live there, 250 of which live inside the dump. The residents from this community have to live off any plastic they get a hold of; they begin to collect it when they are about six years of age. If they are lucky enough and find metal it will help them attain a little more money.

To this day, public health is null and the education is very limited in Nicaragua. If you ever get the chance do any type of mission/volunteer trips, don’t hesitate and just do it. Spending time with the kids taught me that it doesn’t take a lot to make someone happy. I’m very grateful for being part of this unforgettable experience. Thank you Nicaragua and MEDLIFE for making this happen.