Thumbnail

Seeds of Learning

Why choose Seeds of Learning?

Read More
Founded
1991

Reviews

Default avatar
Alex
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

This is absolutely a life-changing experience!

Read More
Default avatar
Windsor
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Seeds of learning

This program is amazing for teens as well as adults. It is wonderful for teens to see what life is like outside their hometowns, and for adults to work along side these kids, creating schools, friendships with the towns people and such a sense of accomplishment.

We were invited by a local man to hike his property, where he had established a successful flower growing operation, through the aid of a small loan. He employed his family and others from the community. Seeing the pride in his face was amazing, and we felt so privileged to be allowed to hike his fields and see his accomplishments.

What would you improve about this program?
Seeds of Learning has found a great balance between working on schools and discovering the larger community where we stayed. We visited people who have created small businesses as making ceramics, chocolate making, and coffee farming.

I prefer the smaller groups as sometimes, the larger groups don't have enough work to do on the school,. We can always do crafts with the school kids. But the physical part of building a school is rewarding as well, and if there are too many people in the group, it can be a bit difficult

Default avatar
Suzanne
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life changing experience

Read More Read my full story
Default avatar
Andrea
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Seeds of Learning Service Programs

Seeds of Learning is an excellent non-profit program that helps to build schools and community resource centers in high needs communities of Nicaragua. The program is unique because the community members themselves are deeply invested in the projects and the volunteers have the privilege of working along side them and having valuable intercultural exchanges. Seeds of Learning also helps communities gain skills that will benefit their community long term. For example, in El Triunfo, Nicaragua community members are learning to make adobe bricks from local resources so they do not need to buy bricks to build their new community resource center.

What would you improve about this program?
When booking flgihts for volunteers, ensure more time to get through customs and immigration on the way home.

Programs

Displaying 1 - 1 of 1

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Suzanne Maggio

I'm a Boston College grad, a career social worker, a college instructor, a passionate traveler and a mother of two awesome sons. I'm the granddaughter of an Italian immigrant and hold dual citizenship with Italy. My favorite travel memories include walking through the Bouqueria in Barcelona, eating prosciutto and mozzarella sandwiches in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence and watching the New Year's Eve fireworks over the Colosseum in Rome.
Thumbnail

Why did you pick this program?

I heard about Seeds of Learning from a good friend. She'd just returned from taking her high school students to El Salvador and her energy was contagious. I knew immediately that I had to go too. I'd done service learning trips when I was in college and I knew how life changing it could be. I met with the leaders of our local high school, and when I told them about the opportunity, they were all in.

What is the most important thing you learned abroad?

There's so much benefit to travel abroad. You expand your perspective. You see how other people do things. How they think. How they live. But going to El Salvador and Nicaragua with Seeds of Learning was life changing. It helped me refocus my priorities and follow my passion.

What do you tell your friends who are thinking about going abroad?

Don't wait. Do it. Do it often. It's important to experience life outside our borders. Travel will change you. I tell my students this on a regular basis.

What was the hardest part about going abroad?

Coming home. Truthfully. Re entry is hard, especially when you've been somewhere for a longer period of time. You've changed, but the place you come back to has stayed the same.

What's your favorite story to tell about your time abroad?

There are so many. The stories I find myself telling people are mostly descriptive, images that stuck with me. Like what it was like to walk into a house in a rural village in Nicaragua, the dirt floors, the wood slat beds, the smoke stained walls. A little pink backpack hangs on the wall. The food is simple. Rice. Beans. A tortilla made by hand that morning. The smiles on the faces of the children as they welcome us to the worksite each morning.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Just do it! You won't be sorry.

What made this trip meaningful to you, or how did this trip change your perceptions or future path?

I traveled a lot when I was young. I was fortunate to go to Europe several times as a kid and study abroad in college, but I hadn't really traveled out of the country since then. I'd been busy working and raising a family. That first trip with Seeds of Learning to El Salvador reawakened the passion I had for travel and for seeing the world. It refocused me. Help remind me what was important. I've since gone on two more trips with them, these times to Nicaragua and I've been back to Europe as well.