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Frequently Asked Questions about the Cultural Center



Where is Batahola Norte? Who does the Center serve?

Batahola Norte is located on the western end of Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua. Managua is a city of just over 3 million persons. Batahola Norte is a young community, estimated to have more than 15,000 residents. The neighborhood is located very near the United States Embassy. Its neighboring barrios—which the Center serves with access to classes and scholarship—are Dinamarca, Edgar Lang, Reparto España, Monseñor Lezcano, and Reparto Miraflores, plus others at greater distance. Center clients range in age from primary school—in the library, chorus and orchestra, plus access to sports and cultural programs—to the adults of all ages who are welcome to take any course offered. Average students are young adult women, usually single parents, trying to improve their lives and the lives of their children. Most are urban, but several come in at great effort from the countryside for the quality classes and affirmation they receive at the Center. Hundreds of families and through them thousands of persons are touched by the Center annually.

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What do you mean by “Cultural Center?”

The Center, a compound of several cinder-block and pre-fabricated buildings, open air patios and beautiful tropical gardens, exists to affirm the culture and self-determination of the people of Batahola Norte and beyond Batahola to other barrios (neighborhoods) and into the countryside.

The Center is a gathering place for education, arts, community events, sports and for celebration and open religious ceremony.

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Is it a religious organization?

The physical facilities of the Cultural Center are owned by the Dominicans of Central America. In a nation that is 70% Roman Catholic, the Cultural Center staff and students are primarily Catholic. All courses of study are secular and open to any person regardless of creed. The Center is closely involved with many other religious faiths.

Mass is celebrated weekly.

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How big is the Cultural Center?

The grounds and adjacent structures are just at one acre. Packed with many small interwoven buildings, every inch is put to solid use. The full- and part-time teaching and administrative staff are 32 persons. More than 500 students attend classes each week. The chorus and orchestra have a total of 70 members. Sunday Mass is attended by nearly 200 persons.

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Why can’t the people there pay their own way?

Nicaragua suffers from a poor import-export ratio and has not been able to secure a profitable place in the world’s free markets. Unemployment is estimated to be as high as 75 percent if informal sector jobs such as street vendor are not included. The struggle to educate the population is hampered by structural adjustments.

If a family is struggling to feed itself, education and any hope of a better tomorrow are postponed day after day after day. The Center—where each day is a new dawn—seeks to end these postponements by putting each person’s development at the forefront, while also meeting needs for a whole and holistic life.

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How it the Center funded? Who monitors the money?

The Center is totally funded through grants and private donations from honored and reputable sources. The need for funds is constant. Today, with The Friends of Batahola, contributing is easier because of our tax-deductible status.

Please feel free to check with these supporters to establish the Cultural Center’s credentials:


The Administrative Team of the Cultural Center records all income and expenditures. The Cultural Center of Batahola Board of Directors in Nicaragua monitors these records. These are open books and are audited annually by independent auditors.

The Friends of Batahola have incorporated as a not-for-profit education organization to help raise some of the funds needed for the Cultural Center of Batahola. The Board of Directors of the Friends of Batahola is responsible for disbursing these funds as available and as needed and for monitoring use of funds. Representatives from The Friends journey—at their own expense—every 12-18 months to visit the Cultural Center.

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Is Nicaragua safe and is it a stable place for funds?

Included among the many nations throughout Latin America that carry a substantial and distracting international debt, and also have many employment, hunger and education crises, Nicaragua has held five peaceful elections since the end of the Somoza dictatorship in 1979. The Army is greatly reduced in scope and power since the 1980s. There are currently no political prisoners in Nicaragua and freedom of speech appears to be increasingly secure. Nicaragua is considered by far the safest country in Central America.

Banks have failed, though. For that reason, the Friends of Batahola deposits its funds in a North American Bank until the money is needed in Batahola. We use two banks in Managua to hold funds once transferred. This lessens the size of any account, thus helping protect the funds.

Transfers occur quarterly.

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What are the biggest issues facing Nicaragua today? How does the Center affect the issues?

Persons working in social and economic development have noted the many layers of need Nicaragua faces. In terms of needs for future development, these persons indicate severe need for 1) developing a true representative participatory democracy where all are heard and respected; 2) instilling a sense of government accountability and open door policies; 3) supporting Nicaraguan-owned and domestically produced agriculture and industry; and 4) achieving a balance of power within the state—especially an independent judiciary. Over all of these is the pressing poverty.

The Batahola Cultural Center staff and board—and Friends of Batahola—believe that the best way to encounter and alter these immense needs is to provide education that empowers and affirms the dignity of each human person.

Given a voice, Nicaraguans are fully capable of mapping the road ahead.

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Who teaches these classes?

Instructors are often former students who were able, with scholarships, to continue their post secondary education, sometimes at the university level. Teachers of the basic adult education are often university scholarship students. Eleven instructors have degrees or are university-trained. The Coordinator is a graduate of Wellesley College and has over 12 years of experience in international development and nonprofit management. Because of the quality of instruction, the Center is able to offer national certificates to its students upon completing any of several courses of study.

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