Center for Democratic Participation and Development (CENZONTLE)

CENZONTLE is a rural development program in Nicaragua that helps agricultural cooperatives survive the dire economic crisis, which Nicaragua is currently experiencing. Its longer-term objective is capacity building and empowerment of cooperative members in order to achieve sustained economic growth and to build enduring local democratic structures. It has an integrated approach to development encompassing five major areas of work: credit, feasibility studies, legal aid, marketing, and training/adult education.