Fund COVID-19 Response in Vulnerable Communities

Oscar quickly closes the gate behind him as he enters. The chickens crowd around him, eager to get their breakfast. They have all gotten so big. Not long ago, he was waiting for his young, new hens to hatch three little eggs.

Oscar isn’t the only one in his community with a new daily routine. There are two more new chicken coop owners and seven first-time vegetable farmers. Surviving the past year and a half has been tough, but working together has kept their community resilient.

When the curfews began in El Salvador last year, Oscar and his neighbors weren’t sure how they were going to survive. Like most rural communities, government assistance never reached them. They were not allowed to visit the market or work. Traveling to fish or tend the cornfields could get them arrested. The families with established farms lost their harvests to massive flooding.

Then the Mangrove Association arrived. They came bearing emergency food supplies, hygiene kits, and agricultural packages, and relief washed over dozens of families. This community on the brink of despair suddenly had hope.

Rather than fade, that hope grew stronger. People had an increased capacity to share and work together. Seasoned farmers were helping new home gardeners. Extra eggs and corn were given to elders and families that needed them most. Working closely with the Mangrove Association, they were able to better support each other. Sharing, communicating, and growing together - Oscar’s community has survived.

Your support has created an impact on dozens of communities like Oscar’s. Thank you for your dedication to supporting sustainable grassroots work in Central America.