Despite its coastal beauty and colonial architecture, Nicaragua’s oldest city, Granada, is mired in unemployment, poverty and violence. It is the poorest city in Central America where 80% of the population survives on less than $1 per day. The picturesque streets are littered with kids (“chavalos”) who have succumbed to crime and drug addiction. The drug of choice due to its affordability and accessibility: glue-sniffing. With no means of receiving an education, learning basic job skills or finding employment, these kids are left with no options and no hope. CAFÉ CHAVALOS: OVERCOMING THE STREETS follows Orlando, Oscar, Juan Carlos and Moises as they attempt to rehabilitate their lives through a program called Café Chavalos — a culinary school, restaurant and rehab center. In their young lives, they have endured drug use, gang violence, abuse and family suicides, but miraculously found hope through the program. They learn to cook, wait tables and run a business. However, during the course of their own journey, the Café runs into financial problems (funded by a non-profit group), loses their head Chef and is forced to close. How does that affect the boys? Will the café re-open? Can they persevere?
Cafe Chavalos
