In Central America people buy a piñata for their birthday. A piñata is a paper doll with a lot of candy inside.  People dance on music and try to hit the piñata until the candy rolls on the floor.

The 22nd of September was Eelco’s birthday so I was looking for one. Yelba, the cook in Hospedaje Cocibolca, knew a very special place where I could buy one. AMAN, just around the corner of the San Francisco Convento, is a house where people with different capabilities learn how to be an artist by making piñatas, rings, necklaces and paintings. With this they build up their self esteem and find their place in society.

AMAN, not in the guidebooks,  is definitely worth a visit. Visit them as a volunteer helping them making the piñatas or buy their products as a souvenir. Take a look in AMAN photoalbum for the pictures.  Click Read More for the Spanish text for the names of the founders of the project and the people working there.

AMAN (Asociación de Minusválidos Artesanos de Nicaragua)

AMAN desarrolla sus proyectos en el edificio “Casa Maria Mater” que pertenece al Padre Sergio Hernández y el cual nos cede el local de forma gratuita.
AMAN es coordinado por Corin Perdomo, española, y Ernesto Dávila, Elvis, Vallecillo, Alvaro Rivera y la colaboración especial de Edwing Paladino.
Nuestros objetivos es la de crear talleres alternativos para las personas con capacidades diferentes (discapacidad).