Perkins Educational Opportunities Foundation MORAZAN, EL SALVADOR
Quick Overview The Perkin Educational Opportunities Foundation (PEOF) was founded in 2007 with a multipronged mission geared towards the development of a brighter future in Morazán, El Salvador. Their mission is focused on 1) a change of attitude, 2) the development of capacities and 3) the creation of opportunity. Good health is a critical component of each segment within their mission. PEOF recognizes how imperative good health is to community development, and thus, aligns and designs all projects and their sub components accordingly.
WWW.PEOFOUNDATION.ORG
Country: El Salvador ! El Salvador was part of the larger Spanish colony of the General Captaincy of Guatemala until winning independence in 1821. It became a part of the Mexican Empire until 1823 and then broke off into the United Provinces of Central America until 1841. As El Salvador grew into its own country, it began with a long line of presidents that came out of the local oligarchy that grew out of the coffee trade. Infrastructure, such as roads and ports, as well as things such as the national guard were all built in order to support the coffee industry. These oligarch’s held the presidency until general elections were opened up for the first time in 1931. Pres. Arturo Araujo was only in office for 9 months before a coup d’etat was organized and he was overthrown in a military revolution. Vice president Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez was head of the government until general elections were opened up in 1934 and then resigned so he could run (as the only candidate). Pres. Martinez mysteriously stayed in power until 1944,
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
winning re-election for 4 terms and then resigning because of general strikes. At the beginning of Martinez’s presidency, in 1932, there was one of the first major large scale peasant uprisings which was brutally repressed with the massacre of tens of thousands of peasants. This became known as La Matanza. Until the late 1970’s, general elections were won by either the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) or the National Conciliation Party (NCP).
El Salvador Statistic
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Population: 6,163,000 GDP (per capita): $7,20 0 Below Poverty Level: 38 % Infant Mortality: 27/100 0 Life Expectancy: 73.44 yea rs Literacy Rate: 81.1% In October of 1979, a coup d’etat brought the Revolutionary Government Junta of El Salvador into power, which initiated some leftist reforms such as nationalization of most private companies and some private land. Because of internal divisions and opposition from the
oligarchy, leftist guerrilla movements began forming throughout the countryside. The Salvadoran Civil War lasted from 1980 to 1992 and was between the national government and a coalition of leftist and communist guerrilla groups. Approximately 75,000 people were killed over the 12 year period. The remaining factions broke up and actually became political parties that would participate in the relatively democratic process that existed after the civil war. In the 1990’s the Salvadoran economy began flourish. Ever since the end of the Civil War, the FMLN would slowly gain seats in the government and in 2009 they won their first presidency with Mauricio Funes. Although the peace process after the war went relatively smoothly, many of the fringe groups in the revolutionary movement have turned into street gangs. Gang violence, human trafficking, and drug trafficking have grown steadily with strong ties between Salvadoran based gangs in the U.S. and the gangs in El Salvador itself. The health care system in El Salvador is very fragmented. There are a number of institutions set up to address the problem of health care by the government, but they aren’t cohesive and over 40% of the population still has limitations on their access to health care. In 2008, the infant mortality rate was 16 per 1000 births and anemia and malnutrition are very common among children through out the country and obesity can be common among adults. Spousal abuse is very common and violent action has occurred at least once in 1 out of 2 marriages. In 2001 there were several earthquakes that struck El Salvador that added to any social confusion or anxiety felt by the populace. Alcohol and drug abuse is also on the rise as well as depression, suicide, anxiety, and psychosis. It is estimated that 1 in 5 Salvadorans have Past Traumatic Stress Disorder and thanks to the War and environment, many feel they have no control.
Organization: Perkins Education Opportunities Foundation The Perkin Educational Opportunities Foundation (PEOF) [ Fundación Perkin para Fomentar Oportunidades Educativas] is a nonprofit organization, registered in both El Salvador and the U.S. PEOF is centered in one of the areas most impacted by
Perkins Educational Opportunities Foundation Overarching Goals 2014 Our mission is focused on 1) a change of attitude, 2) the development of capacities and 3) the creation of opportunity. We believe that a change in attitude from hopeless to hopeful is critical for any progress within our community to occur. Although our community has suffered greatly over the past years, we recognize that we cannot let our past dictate our future. Instead, we are committed to utilizing memories of the past to strengthen our hope and motivate us to demand and ensure a brighter future for our children. In addition, we realize that the development of capacities that are pertinent and applicable is imperative for success; while the creation of opportunity through entrepreneurship formation and business building is critical. Through adherence to this mission, we strive to eradicate illegal immigration to the U.S. and other countries as the only option of livelihood. We hope to stop the brain drain and develop a lifestyle with hope, with options and with a future in Morazán.
the Salvadoran Civil War: Northern Morazán. Northern Morazán, bordered by Honduras on three sides and the Torola River to the south, is home to 33,000 people and has traditionally been marked with the highest poverty levels in the country. Renowned as a major theatre of the Salvadoran Civil War, the region suffered untold loss of life, displacement of 100% of the civilian population and complete destruction of social and productive infrastructure. PEOF was founded in 2007 with a multi-pronged mission geared towards the development of a brighter future in Morazán. prevention and treatment services, community outreach and education, water and sanitation, and programmes in empowerment, microfinance and psycho-social support, KCBHCP uses an integrated community-based, integrated health care approach to help solve the health, education and economic problems facing the people of Mukono South. PROGRAMS: Our primary project is the Amún Shéa, Center for Integrated Development, an educational center (school) with a dynamic Problem-Based Learning (PBL) program developed to confront the root causes of poverty in Morazán. Amún Shéa, which appropriately means “Land of seedlings” in the region’s indigenous Lenca Potón, was developed in 2008 and began with 52 students (K-3rd grade) enrolled. Today, Amún Shéa serves more than 100 students who come from the municipalities of Osicala, Perquin, Jocoaitique, Meanguera, San Fernando, Torola and Arambala.
The center currently hosts grades Kindergarten (parvularia) to eighth grade and is projected to include grades ninth through twelfth, university level studies and specialization in environmental and production industries as well as scientific research, focused on the developmental need of the region. Uniquely, our students, teachers and other staff serve as community leaders within Northern Morazán and this is evident throughout the region. The Amún Shéa staff currently consists of 18 individuals in total. This includes 1 administrator, 12 teachers (K-8, music, English, and agriculture), 1 custodial worker, 1 maintenance worker and 3 cafeteria workers. The annual school session begins in January and ends in October, with graduation ceremonies in November. Amún Shéa was created to embody our organization’s mission committed to community development, health and investment. Amún Shéa is unique in its teaching methodology and philosophy as both are student-centered and focused on problem-based learning. Our students study and investigate real issues within the community and search for answers and solutions. Thus far, this approach has been successful and transformative. For example, an investigative study conducted by the 2011 sixth grade class led to improvements in the municipal potable water system in Perquín, resulting in better quality water for the 3,158 persons dependent on the system. In addition, specific elements of our learning
program have been adopted as official policy by the Salvadoran Ministry of Education to be implemented in the public-school system in Morazán. Proper nutrition during the developmental stages in childhood is of extreme importance. Insufficiency in amount and unbalance in variety are a reality in poverty stricken regions, one that literally stunts all development. Great care is taken to address this crucial issue with the Amún Shéa Nutrition Program, which provides a mid-morning snack and a full and balanced lunch to students, many of whom receive only one meal of the basic tortilla and bean diet at home. Students also have the option to purchase breakfast and additional snacks throughout the day. At the end of each term (5 terms per school year), the students (accompanied by staff) present their accomplishments to parents and other community members through a schoolwide achievement fair. This is always an opportunity to not only provide parents with an update on their child’s progress, but it also allows the entire community to learn from our students’ successes, while fostering support of Amún Shéa’s efforts. For example, during the 2012 school year, the sixth graders developed an innovative campaign aimed at reducing trash within the community. Through a presentation, students spoke to families and other community members about the importance of eating fresh foods instead of wrapped, processed foods as an effort to reduce garbage. Students emphasized how eating fresh fruits and vegetables supports the health of our bodies and the health of our environments. These
same students led the entire school in a community-wide clean-up event. Amún Shéa is a learning program with a solid base of experience, a committed community of support, a shared vision of development and a proven positive impact in northern Morazán. The development of a new approach to education, linking it with real-life socioeconomic realities, will result in a model for all of Latin America. In October 2012, our third and sixth grade students participated in El Salvador’s national examination on language and math. We are confident that our students performed exceedingly well; however, examination scores have yet to be released. Another example of our commitment to community investment rests in our recent partnership with a public school in la Joya de Talchiga (an impoverished village in the Arambala municipality). Amún Shéa students, staff and families led a successful communitywide clothing and food collection to benefit the students and families within Talchiga. In addition to the donation, Amún Shéa students shared in a day of festivities and fun with the students of Talchiga. This is an important initiative for all those involved and goes far beyond the tangible donations. We hope that through this initiative our students and families will learn and experience the importance in giving; as our center’s principal explains, “Those that give, receive.”
What makes PEOF unique? “We believe, as you do, that the students are the agents of change, and we’ve seen that in students as young as 2nd and 3rd grade. We had a 6th grade class two years ago that changed the municipal policies of the water system because of a study they did. We’re unique in the area because we’re focused on the people who do development - not the development itself.”
GROW IDEAS “Each proposed project focuses on nutrition, capacity building, hygiene, communicable disease prevention or a combination of these topics. 1) Vegetable greenhouse to reduce Nutrition Program costs 2) Fish (tilapia) production to reduce Nutrition Program costs 3) Hygiene Promotion campaign , including the socialization and development of sustainable, health-promoting habits related to hygiene.”
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country resources World Health Organization (WHO) Cooperation Strategy http://www.who.int/countryfocus/cooperation_strategy/ccsbrief_slv_en.pdf CIA World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/es.html International Human Development Indicators http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/SLV.html WHO, Latin America http://new.paho.org/els/ Health Disparities in El Salvador, Article http://commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1185&context=honors&seiredir=1#search=%22el%20salvador%20war%20health%22