http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 12 Issue 2 DOI 10.5195/jyyd.2017.454 | ISSN 2325-4017 (online) Creating Community Capacity through Youth Empowerment: A Case Study of Rural Nicaragua Carla Andrea Millares Forno Texas Tech University
[email protected] Amy E. Boren Texas Tech University
[email protected] Abstract Rural youth development in Nicaragua has experienced a rebirth with the rre-introduction of 4-H (4-S in Spanish) after nearly twotw decades in dormancy. This case study explored 4-S through the eyes of 94 young club members, aga es 9 to 13. Using sentence completion methods, youth provided insight into the activities they found most interestingn and important. Their reessponses were then compared with the socioeconomic and demographic realities of the youth. Findings reveal deep connections between youth and their communities and culture. Entrepreneurial activities, agriculture, and work were important to the young people, indicatingn a strong sense of responsibility for cocontributing to their familiees and communities. Understanding 4-S members’ interests and ideas can serve local leaders in developing activities that reflect members’ interrests and tap into their strengths. Key words: children, 4-S clubs, community development, empowerment Introduction Latin America as a region has drastically reduced its poverty levels over the last decade (Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), & World Food Programme (WFP), 2013); yet in spite of thiis surge in development, many individual countries in the region still struggle with high rates of poverty (FAO, IFAD, & WFP, 2015). One such country is Nicaragua, considered one of the poorest countries in the region with 37% of its population suffering from chronic poverty (Vakis, Riggolini, & Lucchetti, 2015).