The Refuge Project is dedicated to rescuing and restoring the children of Nicaragua who suffer abuse, child labor, prostitution, or live life without hope. We are also dedicated to preventing this type of exploitation from happening to others.

In Managua alone there are at least eleven brothels that offer the services of children. These brothels keep the children locked away during the day so they are unable to escape. Unfortunately, the brothels aren’t the only ones offering sexual services of children in Nicaragua.

80% of the money coming in to child prostitutes under the age of 16 goes to their family.

This means that often the children are not even safe at home. Not only is child prostitution an issue, but forced child labor is also rampant in Nicaragua. Children are being sold, kidnapped, and/or forced into domestic labor, or working on the streets as a beggar, window washer, or vendor. This forced labor prevents the children from attending school and having the opportunity for a normal adult life.

The Refuge Project has two main purposes;
the first: to rescue and restore, the second: to prevent.

RESCUE
We want to rescue as many children and youth from forced labor, prostitution, abuse, and abandonment as possible. We are doing this by providing a home for children where they will be provided with a safe environment where their physical needs will also be met. We're starting with a home for boys since we are not aware of any other home like this for boys in Nicaragua.

Each home has a host family and hosts up to 10 boys. In the future we will also provide homes for girls.

RESTORE
The Refuge Project doesn't just want to remove children from bad situations, we also want to provide an environment and the tools needed to restore the children's emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

We will meet the physical needs of the children by providing a safe and secure home for the children, as well as by providing medical treatment, education, clothing, toiletries, healthy food, and exercise.

The psychological needs of the children will be attended to by a national staff psychologist. In addition to this, training will be provided to all workers and volunteers who come in contact with the children to encourage an environment that promotes their emotional and mental well-being.

We will attend to the spiritual needs of the children through times of spiritual development. We will also partner with local churches to help the children re-enter society. All personnel and volunteers who work with the children will be encouraged to promote the spiritual well-being of the children.

PREVENT
Although it is very important to rescue and restore, it is not enough since it does not prevent other children from being violated. Because of this, we will work with the government and other non-government organizations to fight the action of human trafficking in Nicaragua.

Please note that this campaign has finished.