Biblioteca William Minor
Biblioteca William Minor y Centro de Estudios has three library and study centers in Nicaragua.
BWM, Jinotepe - was established in 2013. It is part of the ministry complex, “El Trillo,” founded by Doug and Julie Effinger of Nica Impact. The complex is located near the center of the city, making the library and study center accessible to a large number of school age children and their families.
BWM Matagalpa, Tres Emes - was established in 2017 and is part of the "Hope Center" complex founded by Ferrell Burton of The Hope Project International. The Hope Center is located in one of the poorest barrios on the outskirts of Matagalpa called Tres Emes.
BWM Matagalpa, Sor Maria - Opened February 2019
Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the Americas, spends very little on education. With about 50 students per classroom and 5-hour school days, educational opportunities are limited, especially for the poor. Secondary school enrollment is less than 50% of those eligible. Poor families often choose to have their children earn money to meet family needs rather than to attend school.
Libraries are virtually non-existent outside of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. By some estimates, about 33% of Nicaraguans aged 15 and older are illiterate. The objective of Biblioteca Willam Minor is to increase literacy by making books available and by encouraging children to read.
Free ESL classes are offered at the Jinotepe library. Nicaraguans who speak English tend to earn more than those who don’t. Call centers pay bilingual employees almost twice what Spanish-only employees earn. Tourism-related employers prefer bilingual job candidates. Opportunities to learn English are generally unavailable to the poor. Providing ESL classes creates an opportunity for the poor to increase their earning potential.
Many Nicaraguan families do not have computers or internet access in their homes. Teachers, however, give students graded assignments that require computer/internet and sometimes Microsoft Office. Poor children who cannot afford to use “cyber-cafes” receive failing grades. This project will make computers and the internet available to all library members for free.