Masatepe, Nicaragua - Sustainable Farming
OVERVIEW
The Opportunity
Nicaragua is a country of remarkable beauty, resilience, and faith. Yet despite its rich culture and strong communities, it remains one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere. Many families continue to face the effects of poverty, limited economic opportunity, and generations of political instability.
In the community of Masatepe, these challenges often impact children most directly. Many young students arrive at school without adequate nutrition, making it difficult to concentrate, learn, and fully participate in the classroom. For years, teachers witnessed children struggling with headaches, stomach aches, low energy, and poor attendance due to nutritional deficiencies.
Local leaders recognized that improving education outcomes would require addressing one of the most basic human needs: access to nutritious food.
A Trusted Local Partnership
For many years, local leaders, churches, and community partners have worked together to bring hope and transformation to Masatepe. Their vision has always been holistic—addressing not only spiritual needs but also the physical, emotional, and economic challenges facing families.
Through a partnership with OneEgg and local community leaders, a simple yet powerful solution emerged: providing a daily egg to children attending local preschools.
What began as a response to childhood malnutrition has grown into a sustainable community initiative that continues to serve hundreds of children every year.
Today, the program is hosted at Luke's Inn Farm, a property originally developed with the vision of becoming a holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation center serving individuals and families seeking restoration and recovery. While that broader vision remains important, the farm has become home to a thriving egg production program that is already creating measurable impact throughout the community.
How the Egg Program Works
In partnership with OneEgg, the Luke's Inn Farm maintains poultry operations that provide fresh eggs to local preschools throughout the Masatepe area.
Each school day, eggs are distributed to participating schools where children receive a protein-rich breakfast before beginning their lessons.
The program focuses on one simple belief: a well-nourished child is better equipped to learn, grow, and thrive.
The farm-based model creates a sustainable local source of nutrition while building long-term capacity within the community.
Why This Matters
For many children, the egg they receive at school may be the most significant source of protein they consume that day.
Teachers have reported noticeable improvements in:
Student attendance
Classroom participation
Attention and concentration
Energy levels throughout the school day
Overall student well-being
Parents have also become more motivated to ensure their children attend school consistently, knowing they will receive a healthy breakfast.
By addressing nutritional deficiencies, the program helps create a stronger foundation for both learning and healthy childhood development.
A Decade of Impact
Over the past ten years, the Egg Program has become a trusted source of support for children and families across the Masatepe region.
Impact Since 2016
322,965 eggs donated
1,718 children served
8 schools reached
What began as a small initiative has grown into a long-term investment in the health and future of local children.
Sustainable Growth
The program's growth has been made possible through continued investment in poultry infrastructure and local leadership.
After the initial farm was established, additional chicken coops were constructed to expand production capacity and support the growing demand from local schools. This allowed the program to significantly increase the number of eggs available for distribution while maintaining a sustainable local operation.
The ongoing vision is to continue strengthening the farm's capacity so that more children can benefit from improved nutrition and educational opportunity.
Luke's Inn: A Place of Restoration
Beyond its role in supporting the Egg Program, Luke's Inn Farm represents a broader vision for community transformation.
The property was established with the intention of becoming a holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation center located on the outskirts of Masatepe. The vision is to create a place where individuals struggling with addiction can find healing, restoration, meaningful work, and community support.
The Egg Program serves as one example of how the property is already creating positive impact while laying the foundation for future ministry and community development initiatives.
Looking Ahead
The Luke's Inn Egg Program demonstrates how a simple intervention can create lasting change.
By providing nutritious food to children, supporting local schools, and utilizing a community-based agricultural model, the program addresses immediate needs while investing in the future of the next generation.
We are encouraged by the faithful leadership behind this initiative and excited to see how Luke's Inn continues to serve as a place of hope, restoration, and transformation for the people of Masatepe.
Through trusted local partnerships and a commitment to holistic community development, this work is helping children learn, families thrive, and communities flourish.
Learn more about our work in Nicaragua here and “Luke’s Inn” here.
Click here to learn more about One Egg
INVESTMENT SUMMARY: Growth-Stage investment
This Investment is structured as a Recoverable Grant following a revenue-based financing model which will recycle the full investment via revenue-share by the year 2025.
Tranche 1 (October 2020) funds expansion of pig operations via adding 6 adult sows & infrastructure.
Tranche 2 (TBD) funds expansion of chickens from 2,000 birds to 3,000 birds.
Tranche 3 (D) funds expansion of chickens from 3,000 birds to 4,000 birds.
Key Metrics for Growth and Impact:
Business expansion to reach capacity within the current confines of the farm.
Provide income for key local change-makers
5 full-time jobs sustained ; multiplier effect of 4x equates to 20 livelihoods provided by these jobs.
10+ men empowered to undergo addiction recovery on-site
Over 400 children receiving eggs in class, amounting to an astonishing 80,000+ eggs per school year.
Despite the beauty of both the geography and the people here, Nicaragua holds claim to the title of being the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Poverty is severe with 50% living on under a $2/day and 20% living on under $1/day. The Nicaraguan people have been oppressed by corruption, politics, and war for decades, but nonetheless, it is clear that God has been at work here longer than any of us.