Cidar works hard each day alongside his sister, son, and other family members. His parents started a bakery decades ago, which they passed down to the next generation.

The skills Cidar has learned from his family’s business has not only helped him fund his family’s expenses, but it has given him a broader view of his community. He has learned the importance of building an economy, building relationships with people and growing his clientele, etc. It has created a strong foundation and vision in him to carry his community of El Zapote forward.

On any given day, in addition to operating the bakery, Cidar can be found in planning meetings to bring services to his community, visiting different houses to ensure everyone is participating in activities throughout the month, and encouraging everyone to work together for the greater good. Most importantly, Cidar is bringing his son Andy along with him and instilling strong leadership skills in the next generation.

We recently had a team visit El Zapote, and they traveled down a path back to Cidar’s house and bakery. While Cidar has a strong vision and leadership ability, he is usually quite shy. When the group visited his house, Cidar showed a new, vibrant side of his personality. He gave us a lesson in baking, showing us each step of the way. We even got to play Quality Control with a taste test!

Just before we left his home, with tears in his eyes Cidar shared that we were the first people to visit his home. It meant a great deal to him that the team took time out of their busy lives to travel to Nicaragua and specifically come to visit him.

Our work is incredible in so many ways. Especially because we get to let people know that while they may not be on a map, they are still seen, known, and loved. Cidar learned this first-hand, and he found a new confidence and strength because of it!

Megan Herrera, President