Celebrating a now 10-year partnership between Operation USA and the village of Santa Rosa since the devastation wrought by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, a group of staff including CEO Richard Walden joined the annual holiday celebration Operation USA hosts in the village each year. Highlights included a graduation ceremony for the village's pre-school and primary school students, as well as a visit from the 'circus' - complete with snow cones.
Walden visited projects underway, which included renovations to the village library - which houses both books and toys, alongside communal computers.
Additionally, the village now boasts a just-completed children's kitchen and cafeteria. Designed as a location to provide necessary school lunches and supplemental feeding for children under five, the cafeteria also includes a mural by renowned Nicaraguan muralist Julie Aguirre. This is Aguirre's second mural in Santa Rosa completed through the Village Mural Project, created to honor the Nicaraguan tradition of mural painting and celebrate elements of village life.
"This 'exceptional' designation from Charity Navigator differentiates
Operation USA from its peers and
demonstrates to the public
it is worthy of their trust." ~Trent Stamp, President
Charity Navigator
