San José de Pire, Nicaragua
Click on Programs to learn more about their work in this community
General Information
| Population* | 538 |
| Number of Houses | 100 |
| Avg # of people per home | 5 |
| Number & Percentage of Children |
0-5: 48 children 6-14: 82 children |
| Electricity | Yes, government-supplied |
| Municipality | Condega |
| Department | Estelí |
| Health Center | Yes |
| Distance from compounds | Approx. 1.5 hours |
| Road conditions | Good |
* Population does not reflect how many patients will be seen on Medical
Brigades as many people from surrounding communities come seeking
Medical Brigades medical attention.
Top Three Needs Expressed
The top needs expressed in the community are a new water system, sanitary units (Latrines), and medications for the health center.
All of the children in the community attend primary school Monday through Friday. The first two years of secondary school are also available, offered on Saturdays. The community lacks infrastructure for the secondary school, so the classes are often held outside. Adolescents must travel to a different community to finish secondary school.
San José de Pire has a public water system that was constructed by the government after Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The system is in poor condition and only serves 20 out of the 100 homes in the community. The current system, as common in Nicaragua, uses a gravity based dispersion method. In addition to the 20 water taps at homes, there are some public water taps and 5 public wells. Although the community members can access water, the system is highly contaminated. The farmland surrounding the community is sprayed with fertilizers and pesticides that seep into the water system. Although the water is contaminated, it is the only water that the community members have access to, so they have no choice but to use it for drinking, cooking, and cleaning.
Pictured from left to right: Existing water tank to serve the entire community; One of five public wells in the community.
Residents of San José de Pire have access to limited healthcare from the community health center. The health center staff consists of 2 nurses and 1 doctor. This center serves 7 other communities in addition to San José de Pire. People from the surrounding communities walk an average of one hour to come to the health center, with some people walking as much as 2 hours. For more information regarding health in San José de Pire, click on the medical brigades logo which will take you to the Community’s Medical Profile.
The main source of income for the community members is agricultural work. Farming corn, beans, cattle, and cutting coffee are the most common jobs. Unfortunately, San José de Pire currently has an 80% unemployment rate because of the bad drought that much of Northern Nicaragua has been experiencing. Many of the men are leaving their homes in search for work. The majority of women in the community stay at home to take care of the children and to cook and clean. The average family income is between 2,000 and 2,500 Córdobas per month. This equates to approximately $73 to $90 USD monthly.
Poor corn harvest this year Extremely dry farmland because of the drought
