Atsiniki aims to truly impact the lives of our people in Estelí, Nicaragua on a day-to-day level. We know that our people make us who we are — they are responsible for the care and quality that goes into each and every one of our cigars. To enrich their quality of life, we offer benefits that few other Nicaraguan cigar makers offer. The more cigars we sell, the more lives we impact and change.
In Nicaragua, approximately 30% of the population lives on less than $2/day. In rural areas, 50% of households live in extreme poverty. Atsiniki revolves around our people — without them, we wouldn’t exist. We aim to break earnings barriers for each of our workers, easing the financial burden that so many other Nicaraguans are subject to. Our workers are paid well over what the average cigar factory worker makes.
Atsiniki believes that healthcare is not just a privilege, but a human right. Our aim is to positively transform our Estelí community — currently subject to a healthcare system that is overcrowded, poorly equipped, and underfunded — by increasing access to affordable healthcare. We offer monthly clinic services to our cigar makers and their families with medical staff present in the factory one day per month.
Cigar making is a very large industry in Estelí — around 35,000 people are estimated to work for the tobacco industry in northern Nicaragua. As with any industry, workers can be exploited for corporate gain. Atsiniki is working at the local level with other cigar companies to ensure fair conditions and wages for cigar makers. Stay tuned for more information about the formal program we’re establishing.