Quest for Peace Nicaragua

From February 14-21, Quixote Center traveled to Nicaragua to meet with partners and participating families of the Autonomous Community Electrification and Sanitation (ACES) project. We launched the new program in August 2025 to enable 40 members of the CacaoNica cooperative to get access to solar electrification systems and ecological latrines in partnership with Green Empowerment and PeaceWorks. 

This summer, Quixote Center launched a new program in Nicaragua to help cacao producers in Waslala improve their livelihoods and overall quality of life. 40 members from the CacaoNica cooperative are participating in a pilot project installing solar panels and latrines in their homes, changing the lives of 200 people.  

Tea made from flor de jamaica, or hibiscus, is a popular drink across Mexico and Central America, including Nicaragua. For Quixote Center staff, jamaica has often been a lifesaving thirst-quencher during our travels. Refresco de jamaica—or agua de jamaica as it’s often called in Mexico—is a perfectly refreshing way to close out the summer.

Back in June, Senators Rubio and Kaine introduced legislation to extend and expand sanctions directed at the Government of Nicaragua. The bill builds upon the NICA Act of 2018, passed under the Trump Administration, and RENACER of 2021, a Biden Administration-supported bill.

Nothing brings me back to my tía’s kitchen like the smell of rice and beans stir-fried together with a slice of white cheese on the side. Roughly translated to “speckled rooster,” gallo pinto is one of the most quintessential Nicaraguan dishes.