Community Projects and Charity

GIVING BACK TO GIGANTE

The great surf and beautiful environment might mask the poverty and education issues in Gigante when you visit. If you live here it becomes very apparent as you get to know the great people and families that make up the town of Gigante. Several contributing factors account for the hard conditions the locals face in Gigante.

Wars, hurricanes and irresponsible elected officials have devastated the Nicaraguan economy in the past. The hard working people here have been battling against odds to survive for years, although you'd never know it from their attitudes and smiles.

While the village does have electricity, until recently they had only one government-provided public water well. The local school had only one teacher covering grades 1 through 3. The closest clinic with a doctor is over 10 miles away. The dirt road to the village is graded only once a year by the government, and in the rainy season the village has at times been stranded for weeks on end.

The locals here have supported themselves for years by fishing in the once bountiful waters, just taking enough from the ocean to get by. Over-fishing and dredging from giant (and illegal) offshore fishing operations have decimated the fish population. This is not something that just happens in Gigante. This is a worldwide problem caused by careless foreigners who operate their businesses with impunity. They are able to do this due to the lack of enforcement off the coasts and lack of funding and manpower.

With the surge of surfers, tourists and investors bringing money into the area, Gigante is now in the process of great economic change. Responsible, community-centered and sustainable development is necessary and important for Gigante. Whether you’re visiting or making your home here, we hope you'll help give back to this community.

Keith and Maria, along with many other responsible neighbors are doing what they can to make sure the people of Gigante are not left behind in all the changes that are taking place. Thanks to the generosity of local developers and philanthropists buying homes in the area, donations to charity organizations have resulted in providing critical support to this infrastructure that the government cannot or will not provide. Developers have brought in running potable water, maintained the roads to the village, hired teachers so that the local children can complete the 6th grade, donated a building to serve as charity headquarters, a clinic for volunteer doctors, and a place for a police presence in the area.

So if you're coming to Gigante, please take some time to bring something to the people here. Education materials, over-the-counter medical supplies (especially for children) and clothing in good condition (of any size) are all great things to bring. Please contact us if you'd like to help, we'll post any new community happenings in the new section.