Plan El Salvador Annual Progress Report 2010

A YEAR IN

EL SALVADOR

SUMMARY REPORT

2010

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GOOD REASONS

OUR PRIORITIES

why Plan works in El Salvador

in El Salvador

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Children at an early childhood care centre supported by Plan

Our priorities in El Salvador

• 23 per cent of people in rural areas cannot read or write

• Offering communities access to quality education, from preschool age to adulthood

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• A fifth of the rural population lacks decent sanitation

• A third of the pregnancies registered at the national maternity hospital in 2008 were for girls between 12 and 14 years old

• Safeguarding the rights of children and ensuring communities can protect them from harm • Making sure children play an active role in the progress of their communities

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• Supporting rural families to increase their household income

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BELIZE

‘At work we are capableGulf of performing of the activities well; weHonduras are even more responsible and keep better controls’

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Women are working in the production and marketing of honey with their Apicabañas

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El Salvador Facts Capital: San Salvador Population: 7.1 million Languages: Spanish, Nahua

(among some indigenous communities) Climate: El Salvador has a tropical climate with pronounced wet and dry seasons. Temperatures vary primarily with elevation and show little seasonal change.

Economy: According to the International Monetary Fund, El Salvador has the third largest economy in the region (behind Costa Rica and Panama) when comparing

nominal Gross Domestic Product and purchasing power GDP. El Salvador’s GDP per capita stands at US$6200, however, this developing country is among the ten poorest countries in Latin America. Most of El Salvador’s economy has been hampered by natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes.

The service sector is the largest component of GDP at 60.6 per cent, followed by the industrial sector at 28.8 per cent. Agriculture represents only 10.7 per cent of GDP.

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EL SALVADOR Country Office Program Units

GUATEMALA

HONDURAS

Lempa

Santa Ana La Libertad

Chalatenango Cabañas

San Salvador San Miguel

Pacific Ocean

Focus on:

better livelihoods for rural families More than 20 per cent of people in El Salvador’s rural areas cannot earn enough money to live on. They cannot afford to feed their children properly, or to pay for education or healthcare. Plan works with rural families to increase their household incomes and improve their financial

Sweet Success Like many working mothers, Blanca wonders how she manages to juggle her time.

‘I have to get up earlier to prepare the children to leave for school and also the meals for the day before I go to work,’ she says. ‘Then I have to come home to straighten up the house. It’s nice, but the workload is too much.’

Although Blanca complains, she knows a heavy workload is a sign of a healthy business. Her commitment is putting food on the table, keeping her children in school and giving them the prospect of a healthier, more secure future.

Blanca is a member of Apicabañas, an association of beekeepers and honey producers in Cabañas, north-central El Salvador. Of the 29 members, 14 are women. They are using their growing knowledge of beekeeping and business to reverse the misfortunes of their families and local community.

Cabañas is one of the poorest areas of El Salvador. Families here depend on farming to survive, but many do not produce enough to make a decent profit at the market. They struggle to give their children a nutritious diet, pay for school fees and buy medicines when they are ill.

Beekeeping, however, can bolster a poor family’s financial wellbeing. A beehive can produce an average of 35 bottles of honey a year, and each sells for A$3.50 or more, so a family with a few hives can gain a helpful addition to their income.

Women encouraged When Plan began to work with local communities in Cabañas on ways to increase their incomes, we agreed to give priority to the most vulnerable homes, particularly those with women at the head.

Local research suggested that beekeeping would be an excellent way to bring women into business and boost their finances. So, we set about reorganising Apicabañas, then a defunct

security. We help families develop small-scale agriculture and run or set up small businesses or find employment. We also work to create opportunities for families to use savings and credit services.

Young people are promoting child rights through ‘child media’ projects

The Bigger Picture beekeeping group, encouraging women to become involved and supporting the group to become a leading honey supplier in the area.

Plan offered Apicabañas training in beekeeping and business skills, and in managing the collective so it offers all members the best commercial rewards. We have also given them access to technology to make the venture a success.

The women have risen to the challenge. They take part in all aspects of honey production, from planning to marketing their product.

They are also at the heart of Apicabañas’ operations, making decisions, managing resources and ensuring the group is an accountable, credible organisation.

They believe they offer as much as their male colleagues, and perhaps more. Blanca says she is a better negotiator than her husband, securing higher prices for their honey. Fellow associate Aida adds: ‘At work we are capable of performing the activities well; we are even more responsible and keep better controls.’

Stronger together All the members of Apicabañas – both men and women – agree that being part of an association makes them stronger, giving them access to advice and support they would not otherwise have and earning them a higher profit.

Blanca explains: ‘When producing in association, we are more competitive. Inputs can be obtained [at] lower prices. The honey is sold to a single, defined supplier.’

• Raised the standard of healthcare for families by offering training to 894 health workers • Produced a guide for preschool education that will improve the quality of teaching and care for young children in over 5000 schools nationwide • Ensured more than 1000 families have nutritious food by helping them establish home gardens • Protected children from harm by helping to form a national network for prevention of harassment and sexual abuse Your support as a sponsor is crucial to achieving these results. With the resources provided by sponsors, Plan expertise and the collaboration of communities and local partners we are making a big difference to the lives of people in El Salvador. Thank you for your involvement!

To learn more about Plan’s work in El Salvador visit plan.org.au/ourwork/southernamerica/elsalvador

The women’s success has spread throughout the community and their example has given their children – particularly their daughters – ambitions for the future, too.

Gloria is Aida’s daughter. ‘I like to participate in the development of my community,’ she says.

‘Currently I study and in my home I also help my family with the work with the bees.’

Some names have been changed for child protection and privacy reasons.

Produced for El Salvador by Plan International Australia.

Plan is working with children, families and communities to find sustainable solutions to the challenges in El Salvador. We have only given you a small insight into Plan’s work in El Salvador with this report but over the past year we also:

‘Women are at the heart of Apicabañas’ operations, making decisions, managing resources and ensuring the group is an accountable, credible organisation.’