Navigating Change
An update on CEPAD Nicaragua

In February 2025, Chris Rose, Amos Trust’s Director, visited Nicaragua to meet with the former CEPAD team and trustees. His visit aimed to express our ongoing support, gain a deeper understanding of Nicaragua’s political climate and plan our next steps.

1. Deregistration

Welcome: There is always such a warm welcome whenever we visit Nicaragua
— — — — — — —

On 19th August 2024, the Nicaraguan government announced the deregistration of 1,500 faith-based NGOs and churches, freezing all their assets.

It has since emerged that the government’s primary goal was not to close these churches and faith-based NGOs but to exert greater oversight — specifically regarding their funding sources, expenditure, and asset base. The immediate cessation of operations appears to have been a means to clear the way for new legislation, which will outline stricter regulations and create greater separation between faith-based projects and community-led social development programmes.

In response to allegations that some NGOs were involved in financing the 2018 protests, the government has been systematically closing and re-registering organisations. This latest wave is part of that broader crackdown.

2. CEPAD’s legal position

Empowering Communities: Amos’ work in Nicaragua focuses on community-led projects in rural parts of the country
— — — — — — —

CEPAD was founded in 1972 as an outworking of the Protestant churches’ commitment to social justice and community needs. Unlike many other NGOs, CEPAD’s former trustees and senior team prioritised full severance pay for staff and settled outstanding debts following the deregistration announcement.

The senior team initially sought to reconstitute CEPAD as a community-based social development organisation rather than a church-based NGO, believing this would provide greater autonomy and facilitate faster registration under the new legislation.

Meanwhile, the former trustees realised that faith groups and churches could, in fact, continue operating despite deregistration. Though their bank accounts were frozen, and they no longer officially existed, they were advised by government ministers that they could still meet, run activities, host international groups, and collect cash donations for operational costs.

Unlike many other NGOs, CEPAD’s former trustees and senior team prioritised full severance pay for staff and settled outstanding debts following the deregistration announcement.

Given CEPAD’s extensive operations across eight regions and its ownership of 30 properties, the trustees were only able to reopen activities that were self-sustaining, such as Radio CEPAD and the CEPANA training farm.

Reaffirming its identity as an expression of the Protestant churches’ commitment to social justice, the trustees, along with former Director Emily Reyes, chose to pursue re-registration as a faith-based organisation rather than a community NGO. Unfortunately, this decision led to a division — largely along gender lines — within the former senior team.

During Chris’s visit, it became clear that Amos Trust’s ongoing commitment should align with Emily and the former trustees. There is no clear timeline for the re-registration process, but it is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

3. Prestanica: Amos’ next steps with CEPAD

The Future: Emily Reyes — CEPAD’S Director would like to set up a new, smaller, women-led organisation focused on women’s empowerment and microloans
— — — — — — —

Emily Reyes and the former trustees are negotiating with the government on re-registration, regaining control of CEPAD’s bank account, and retaining as many of its properties as possible. They acknowledge that some assets will likely be lost but have identified key properties essential for their work.

They also aim to establish a new, smaller, women-led organisation focused on women’s empowerment and microloans. Initially, this initiative will serve women involved in CEPAD’s Matagalpa projects and two additional communities.

Prestanica, an offshoot microcredit project of CEPAD, provides loans to women who lack collateral for traditional bank loans. Operating through a Community Bank model, Prestanica secures investment and works with communities to establish local banks. Women participating in these banks receive training and collectively decide how loans are allocated.

Prestanica offers minimum loans of $200, repayable at 6.5% per month — a stark contrast to the market rate of 10% per day charged by moneylenders. In 2022, a US donor provided $50,000 to establish a Community Bank for CEPAD beneficiaries. Over the first two years, it achieved a 100% repayment rate.

Prestanica, an offshoot microcredit project of CEPAD, provides loans to women who lack collateral for traditional bank loans. Operating through a Community Bank model, Prestanica secures investment and works with communities to establish local banks.

Now, the former CEPAD team aims to create a new Community Bank to support 130 women from impoverished rural communities. To launch this initiative, Prestanica requires $50,000–$70,000, and Amos Trust has been asked to contribute.

Amos Trust holds funds originally designated for CEPAD’s climate adaptation programmes, which prioritised women’s empowerment and community resilience. We believe these objectives align with Prestanica’s mission, and we plan to invest these funds in the new Community Bank.

Initially, this investment will be structured as a five-year repayable loan, later converted into a gift upon CEPAD’s re-registration. Given the uncertainties surrounding the timeline for re-registration and bank account access, this approach ensures a lasting legacy of support.

4. Climate Fellowship

Climate Activists: Our second cohort of fellows includes 14 remarkable young women from Mexico, Guatemala, Panama and Nicaragua. The blue markers on the map denote the 2025 cohort and the purple is the cohort from 2024
— — — — — — —

Emily has also expressed her desire to continue engaging with Amos Trust’s Climate Fellowship programme for young female climate activists in Central America.

She was deeply inspired by the 12 climate start-ups led by young women in the programme’s first year and is eager to contribute to the growing network of young female climate activists in the region. We have invited her to participate in our May 2025 conference in the Yucatán for Year 1 and Year 2 fellows.

Our second cohort of fellows includes 14 remarkable young women from Mexico, Guatemala, Panama and Nicaragua. 

We are thrilled about Emily’s involvement, as it reinforces the strong connection between Amos Trust and CEPAD. The Climate Fellowship was, in many ways, born out of our collaboration with CEPAD and insights gained from a climate conference in Cambridge, where former CEPAD Directors Damaris and Gilberto participated.

Our second cohort of fellows includes 14 remarkable young women from Mexico, Guatemala, Panama and Nicaragua. Emily will be working closely with Laura, a Chorotega Indigenous woman from Sébaco, Nicaragua. Laura’s project focuses on designing a water purification system for her community, addressing contamination issues, and promoting gender equality by training women in system management and maintenance.

You can read more about the Climate Fellowship here. Our second cohort of fellows includes 14 remarkable young women from Mexico, Guatemala, Panama and Nicaragua. Emily will be working closely with Laura, a Chorotega Indigenous woman from Sébaco, Nicaragua. Laura’s project focuses on designing a water purification system for her community, addressing contamination issues, and promoting gender equality by training women in system management and maintenance.

All 26 courageous young women are leading the fight for climate justice. They are combating deforestation, pollution, and water scarcity while challenging inequality and protecting their communities from the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

We look forward to sharing their stories with you. Sign up to receive our regular Words of Hope Enews and we’ll keep you up to date.