Against violence, the support of sponsorships to the youth of El Salvador
06/27/2011
In El Salvador the phenomenon of violence is more and more worrisome.
Recent years have seen the birth, on the outskirts of the cities, of Maras, real street gangs that have developed on the field and, through numerous acts of violence and a network of extortion, have extended their power over entire neighborhoods.
These bands have also followers among teenagers in search of an identity and reference points.
In this scenario, the Community of Sant'Egidio, present in El Salvador since 1987, has since 2002 initiated a program of sponsorships, which now supports about 500 families on the outskirts of the capital and other parts of the country.
Periodic distributions and the help of the program are essential for Salvadoran families because they provide them food regularly and allow children to attend school.
But the commitment of the sponsorships is not directed only to provide material support: There are meetings with families, health education classes, neighborhood festivals, cultural tours to improve the lives of children in all its aspects, and provide a alternative model, positive and peaceful, in order to educate well many young people.
