Opportunity for Change is Ripe in Papagayo
May 5th, 2025 | Noah Throw
At One Collective, we focus on bringing people together in community to create sustainable change. But what does it look like for a community leader—what we call a “catalyst”—to enter a community that’s ready for change? One Collective’s Nicaragua location—Papagayo—is an opportunity to explore the answer.
Papagayo offers something rare. It’s a place where agriculture isn’t just about production—it’s about transformation. It’s a space that goes beyond growing crops into uniting and growing a community.
A Tour Through Papagayo
Imagine yourself under the soft light of a Central American sun, making your way via truck up canopied trails in the hills of Los Rios, Nicaragua, and emerging into a tropical expanse.
A grassy field with a boundary of pineapple trees is in the foreground, and behind it lie low hills with a collage of Nicaraguan flora. A valley surrounds the whole property, casting echoes of birds and rustling leaves up into the hillsides.
The farm portion of Papagayo lies in the valley. But the structures on the hilltop are a retreat center. The central building is a large, thatched-roof center with smooth tile floors and no walls, providing a beautiful view of the surrounding land. Surrounded by a small, friendly fence, three different areas lead out of the center and toward new areas of the farm.
Past a charming billiards room, a full kitchen and screened-in dining hall sit next to each other to entertain guests.
Looking past them is a wide open field that’s often used for soccer games, and on the other side, lining the valley and looking out over a field of Pitaya, are two guest dorms. More dorms are set up a short walk behind the main community area. Bathrooms and showers are kept near the end of the tile walkway.
For those just visiting, that’s most of what they can see. But for permanent residents, there are private cabins and a main house on the other side of the property. The private cabins have a front porch with rocking chairs to look out on the field as the sun sets. And the main residence, enclosed in trees and surrounded by a view of the hills, feels like stepping into a personal tropical paradise. Moving through trees, across a porch, and into the house, you’re greeted by shared space and a spiral staircase that leads to the second-floor bedroom and office. The whole house is bathed in natural light and a temperate climate.
Joseph— farmer—leans on a glossy wooden post that holds up the open-air dining hall behind him, grinning wide to welcome you.
After running Papagayo for the past 5 years, this is one of his last days on the farm. Joseph is coming back to the United States. And Papagayo needs a new leader.
Surrounding the homes, dorms, and central area is the valley, the place for Papagayo’s crops. The cornerstone crop is the pink and leather-skinned Pitaya, singed with green horns—what elsewhere might be called “Dragon Fruit.” Over 1,000 Pitaya plants thrive in three acres on the edge of the property and spread out into the valley below. A short distance away, a quarter-acre is dedicated to growing another family of tropical fruit—white and Hawaiian pineapples. The final section of land is fallow—soil that the farmers allow to rest from growth, replenishing its natural organisms and minerals for the next season's crops to benefit from.
Engaging the Local Farming Community
Right now, Papagayo is working to use its farmland to help impact the community of Los Rios. One approach is to hire local workers from the Los Rios community, providing both employment and valuable skills. In addition, the farm rents out three acres to local farmers for beans and corn, which generates extra income while fostering community ties. Explains Joseph, “Employment is the number one way the farm impacts local families, offering consistent work to local farmers, and giving the farm an opportunity to impact the community in a practical and immediate way.”
Papagayo’s current operations provide a solid foundation, but Joseph and One Collective see the farm’s potential for much more. Beyond the immediate benefits, the farm could serve as a central hub for the Los Rios farming community. The farmers are already tight-knit and looking for ways to collaborate for profit and a healthier, more sustainable crop yield.
“Big changemakers in the area, from local community groups to churches and schools, would be eager to partner with someone who understands the value of community building,” Joseph shares. Papagayo has the capacity to bring together local farmers, families, schools, and churches in meaningful ways, expanding its positive impact.
Retreat to Papagayo
In addition to its agricultural work, Papagayo is currently serving as a retreat center, which is the farm’s primary source of income. With three guest bunkhouses, a full kitchen, and residential living spaces, it’s perfectly set up for church gatherings and retreats. The peaceful atmosphere and stunning natural beauty of the location make it an ideal place for rest, reflection, and spiritual growth.
Looking ahead, the farm aims to expand its retreat programs over the next 5–10 years, increasing the number of visitors it can accommodate and enhancing its ability to serve churches and community workers. The next leader could help Papagayo become a larger gathering space, not just for local churches, but for faith leaders across Nicaragua and even South America. It could become a place where individuals can rest, find community, and have meaningful conversations in the midst of nature’s beauty.
The Opportunity for Change
Papagayo’s future holds unlimited possibilities, but in the immediate future, the farm needs the right leadership to make it all possible. Transformation requires the right person to step in. There are many in Los Rios who are primed to be change-makers, and the catalyst here needs to help foster the role of Papagayo as a place of transformation for those who want it.
Leadership at Papagayo comes with challenges. For anyone from a developed nation, adapting to rural life will take time. “This is a place where,” Joseph says, “relationships are built at a slower pace, and it’s important to build trust through consistent touchpoints.” The facilities of Papagayo require upkeep, and somebody who steps into the role needs to care not just for the people at the farm, but the facilities that house and host people. The workers of Papagayo need a unique personality—humble enough to learn their ways, and confident enough to provide a steady hand in long-term leadership for the farm. And Papagayo needs a person to represent it in the Los Rios community.
For Papagayo to achieve its full potential, it needs a leader who has a heart for fostering community, is eager to learn from those already committed to the work, and feels a strong call to refine all the raw opportunities. Papagayo needs a leader who is bringing all the pieces together, and this is an opportunity for something brand new. The community is ripe for change. There’s no limit on how to use the farm's operations and the retreat space to make change in Los Rios.
If you believe in the power of community, the importance of sustainable agriculture, and the potential for spiritual growth, then spaces like Papagayo Farm are waiting for you. This is more than a mission trip—it’s an opportunity to make a lasting impact.
The seeds are planted, and the harvest is waiting. Reach out to One Collective to see how you can be a part of make lasting change at Papagayo.
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