A Community Explored : Healthcare on a Nicaraguan Coffee Farm

The production of coffee in Nicaragua provides 280,000 permanent agricultural jobs [1] and is considered an economic pillar for rural communities since 80% of these families depend on agriculture for their livelihood [2]. Close to half of Nicaragua’s population lives in rural areas; of that half, 63% live on less than US$1 per day [2]. Many of the poorest areas in the country are in the central northern region, in the departments of Estelí, Jinotega, Matagalpa, and Nueva Segovia [3]. Communities located in these coffee-dependent central regions encounter limited employment opportunities and inadequate infrastructure for electricity, water, sanitation and transportation [2]. People also have difficulties accessing an appropriate level of care due to inhospitable physical terrains and long distances to the closest medical facility.