continuing Education
Our bold oral health program is expanding across Nicaragua and needs talented young doctors and other professionals to power the operation into the future. To achieve this, Sonrisas Felices:
* Sponsors girls of low income families for university dental degrees
* Partners with existing dentists & private clinics in specialty fields such as orthodontics, endodontics, & pediatric dentistry
* Sponsors girls of low income families for university dental degrees
* Partners with existing dentists & private clinics in specialty fields such as orthodontics, endodontics, & pediatric dentistry
The shining stars currently participating in our scholarship program include:
Nohelia Narvaez:
Mathematics student,
Expected to graduate 2030
Mathematics student,
Expected to graduate 2030
We believe there is no more effective way to lift communities than through education for young women and girls, particularly in places where they often have limited opportunities to learn and explore a future outside the home. Since most families in Nicaragua are multi-generational households, lifting up one girl in a family elevates the entire household.
Here's what the Education Program entails: • Sonrisas Felices provides full-ride university scholarships.
• Scholarship funds cover tuition, housing, travel, books/materials, food, and digital devices.
• Programs are typically four to five years, depending on the student’s field of study.
• Scholarships range from $1200 - $3500 per year, depending on field of study and location of the school.
• Student applications & scholarship payment logistics are managed by Fundacion A. Jean Brugger; a foundation that supports educational programs in San Juan del Sur and is our partner in this endeavor.
• Students must be active in community service projects and achieve good grades to maintain their scholarship.
Testimonies
"Sonrisas Felices has been a valued partner since 2020, helping women pursue their dreams through higher education; the first Sonrisas student is already working as a teacher and two current students are studying dentistry, which fits perfectly into Sonrisas Felices's core work in the community."
KATIE BRUGGER, PRESIDENT, a. JEAN BRUGGER EDUCATION PROJECT