There is a stigma attached to disabilities everywhere. Worldwide, 15% of people have some form of a disability and only 20% of people with disabilities are employed.
Tio Antonio Social Center is a non-political organization whose mission is to create employment opportunities for those who have disabilities or are in high-risk situations.
This is rare because there is a lack of representation for those with disabilities in the educational system and the workforce in Nicaragua. There, more than 90% of people with disabilities do not have job opportunities.
Antonio Prieto created the Tio Antonio Center in 2007 to provide visibility for those who otherwise left in the dark.
Tio Antonio creates opportunities for these individuals to better their personal development in Nicaragua. Not only does this create an income, it also allows for basic needs to be met when many would otherwise struggle to secure housing, food, and other necessities.
Tio Antonio’s, translated from Uncle Tony, includes workshops and classes to learn various crafts, as well as the Café de las Sonrisas. The Smile Cafe is the first cafeteria in the Americas, and the fourth in the world, managed entirely by deaf people.
Love for Nica is a social enterprise who partners with Tio Antonio’s, selling their high-quality, hand-made macrame and hammocks. We give back a percentage of profits to Tio Antonio’s and other organizations that are doing good in Nicaragua.
Love for Nica hopes that with your support, we can continue to spread good and give back to this beautiful country its people.
