WHO WE ARE

Mission: We use education, leadership training, and mentorship to empower Nicaraguan children and young adults to become leaders in their families and communities. 

Vision: Our vision is for all children and young adults in Managua, Nicaragua, to have the opportunity to become educated, confident, and selfless leaders.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

• We believe that every child is special and has the right to follow his or her dreams.
• We believe that every child is loved by God.
• We believe that positive, loving relationships have the power to transform a child’s life.
• We believe that education is critical to ensuring a child’s future success.

Learn about the goals of VISEDAL through this video, created by Daniel Schutrum-Boward.

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WHAT WE DO

Through our child sponsorship program, VISEDAL children receive everything they need to succeed in school and life, including clothing, scholarships, food stipends, medical care, supplemental English lessons, Christian spiritual guidance, and mentoring from our program coordinators.

WHAT SETS US APART

• We are dedicated to relationships. Our program coordinators develop strong, lasting relationships with the children and provide guidance to ensure they are on the path toward success. 
• We connect our children with their sponsors. VISEDAL sponsors receive periodic updates on their children from our program coordinators and can communicate with their children via email. In addition, VISEDAL leads volunteer groups to Managua twice a year to encourage the children and celebrate their accomplishments.
• We teach our children the importance of service. We instill a desire in our children to give back to Nicaragua. Our program coordinators promote social responsibility, and we engage in community service with the children during our volunteer trips.

OUR HISTORY

VISEDAL grew out of the relationships that Founder and President Dylan Waugh established with several children who spent their days washing car windshields and begging for money in Managua, Nicaragua.

In October 2007, Dylan was walking down a busy street in downtown Managua when three of those children asked him for money. Having a free afternoon, Dylan treated the children to lunch. Over the next few months he had lunch with these children along with their family members and friends nearly every weekday, getting to know them and gaining an understanding of the hardships they faced. Dylan and the children spent hours together doing what kids love—eating, laughing, drawing, and playing games.

Looking for a long-term way to help the children, Dylan established VISEDAL and recruited sponsors in the United States to provide funding to help the children get off the streets and back into school. He established a child sponsorship program that provides everything that the children need to be successful academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

In VISEDAL’s first year, 2008, 14 children successfully fulfilled their academic requirements and moved on to the next grade. This is particularly notable because only about half of all students in Nicaragua finish elementary school (UNICEF). With the help of Vice President Brad Johnson, a friend of Dylan's, the program has grown to support 23 children. 

Our Nondiscrimination Policy

VISEDAL recognizes the inherent value in every person and does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, or disability. We seek to foster a community of understanding, respect, and sensitivity as we encourage each scholar to reach his or her potential.

Contact us:  Dylan Waugh – dylan@visedal.org      Brad Johnson – brad@visedal.org      Mailing Address:  1906 Edgewood Rd. Parkville, MD 21234