CENTRAL AMERICA'S PAINFUL HISTORY:

If you want to fully understand most of the reasons for the poverty and crime in Central America and in El Salvador, this requires you to revisit history and familiarize yourself with the past colonizations of Central America by Spain from roughly 1521 up until independence in 1821. By the late 1800's a new economic colonizer, United Fruit, helped by the US government and its military, appeared and swindled most of the Indigenous Peoples and Mestizos ("mixed people") out of their native lands and their future economic sustainability by creating "Banana Republics" in Central America. These enormous land grabs turned the Indigenous Peoples and Mestizos from land owners/operators into peasant workers on lands which previously were owned by them. United Fruit attempted to mask its "identity and vile past" by creating multiple subsequent subsidiaries like Chiquita Banana. These prolific land grabs and genocides (1932 Peasant Genocide), caused the Indigenous and Mestizo Peoples of Central America to not have a chance at individual prosperity and hope. This perpetual 400 year marginalization and oppression by Spain then indirectly by the USA with its unscrupulous businessmen of United Fruit, caused the Central American People to lose all hope. Out of desperation, some resort to crime and violence, and many resort to mass illegal migration to the USA as their only coping mechanism.

OUR VISIT TO EL SALVADOR:

The Inti Raymi Fund visited El Salvador in early March 2019 in search of an effective project for the Inti Raymi Fund to support. Prior to our visit to the capital city of San Salvador, we heard a lot of "scary news" from our US president regarding the immigration situation along the US border and his proposed "Wall" to stop the "Caravan of criminals and gangs" many reportedly from El Salvador.

Despite this subjective sensationalized news, we were pleasantly surprised with intense natural beauty of the country, brilliant architectural colors along with the friendly faces we met along the way making our visit pleasant and memorable. We encourage you to visit El Salvador, despite all that you may have heard.

Using our handy downloaded Lonely Planet book as a reference guide, we noticed a small complimentary article about a non-profit organization helping out and doing great work in San Salvador. We decided to see for ourselves and visit this organization called the Center for Exchange and Solidarity ("CIS").

CIS ORGANIZATION'S FOUNDING:

CIS was founded in 1993 after the signing of the Peace Accords in El Salvador after their horrific civil war (1979-1992). Solidarity groups from the U.S., Canada, and Europe came together with Salvadoran popular organizations to develop a center to promote people-to-people relations after the war. The root causes of the war - economic and social injustice together with a lack of democratic openings to make change - were still present. It was agreed that continued international accompaniment and solidarity with grassroots movements for social and economic justice and participatory democracy would be needed to achieve structural changes in the post war period.

CIS MISSION:

To promote solidarity and cultural exchange across borders between the Salvadoran people and other peoples of the world to foment a culture of solidarity that implies accompaniment, respect for diversity, relationships based on equality and mutual support between people, with the objective of raising awareness, organizing and mobilizing grassroots efforts for justice and dignity

ACTIVITIES CIS IS INVOLVED WITH:

After years of dedicated community and national commitment, CIS is now involved with an enormously diverse list of activities including by not limited to: broad facilitation of intense volunteer based Spanish to English/English to Spanish classes, Women's Reproductive Human Rights Issues (wrongful incarceration issues surrounding obstetrics emergencies), Cultural Exchange Programs Coordination, Community Hygiene Improvement Programs, Home Improvement  Facilitation for lowest income communities living in metal shacks & dirt floors, Youth Leadership Development & Scholarships, At-Risk Community Services, Environmental, Educational Tutoring, Art & Mental Health Therapy, and a myriad of other activities.

WHAT THE INTI RAYMI FUND DID:

The leadership of CIS visited the Paso Puente, Tonacatepeque Municipality and discussed their basic humanitarian needs. A focus narrowed quickly to eight mothers within the community who were among the lowest income levels with the worst housing conditions within this community. These eight women and their respective families received equally $3,125 from the Inti Raymi Fund towards a new modest home constructed with a cement floor, masonry walls and structurally reinforced metal roofing. Our grant funds were roughly matched by a governmental poverty relief housing grant from FONAVIPO of $3,000 per family. This total $6,125 home, albeit modest to Western standards, is a huge leap forward for these eight families who now have a "can do" belief in the Solidarity Movement in El Salvador facilitated by the Inti Raymi Fund and CIS.

If our message resonates with you and you wish to share directly with them, visit in personal and or volunteer with the CIS non-profit organization in their communities, please contact them directly below (ask for Leslie Schuld):

In addition to our project above, the IRF gave our guide/driver $1,000 towards a new vehicle he was saving money towards so that he could own his own vehicle instead of renting for guiding services.