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The Technical Assistance Program, originally founded by Arquitectos y Planificadores en Ayuda a Nicaragua (APSNICA), a U.S. non-profit organization, is now operated by FUNDECI. A major goal of FUNDECI is to promote a relationship of mutual respect between the people of the U.S. and those of Nicaragua. FUNDECI is a private non-profit, non-partisan association, founded in 1972 to help relieve the housing crisis in the aftermath of the ‘72 earthquake. When the Revolution occurred in 1979 the members of FUNDECI joined the revolutionary government in such positions as Foreign Relations Minister in the United States and members of the national bank, Banco de la Vivienda. FUNDECI was then reactivated as a non-government organization in the 1990s in response to the tremendous need among Nicaraguan grassroots communities for help in defending and expanding some of the democratic gains of the Revolution. FUNDECI's main objective is strengthening community organizations so that they can meet the needs of the people in poverty stricken areas. In addition to providing resources such as equipment, materials and labor, FUNDECI seeks to empower the Nicaraguan people, especially women, through leadership programs, skills training, and assistance in housing, public health, education and legal aid. An important component of FUNDECI's work is to provide community organizations with the technical knowledge necessary for the implementation of local development projects. The Technical Assistance Program helps achieve this goal. The Technical Assistance Program operates out of the FUNDECI office in Managua, which is responsible for providing technical assistance, recruiting volunteers and facilitating volunteers' work in Nicaragua. FUNDECI also provides a channel for on-going support after the volunteer's work in Nicaragua is completed.