El Salvador Información en Español Save the Children has worked in El Salvador’s rural communities since 1979.  During this time, the country has experienced dramatic changes, including 12 years of civil war, a reconstruction period and natural disasters. Our programs have helped children and their families in many ways, from health and education initiatives to rights-based advocacy in the areas of gender, prevention of violence and rapid response and reconstruction in times of emergencies.  Challenges for Children El Salvador is plagued by violence and the presence of youth gangs. Migration to urban areas is high, resulting in an extremely mobile population and youth who lack the motivation to stay or invest in their community. There is a high dropout rate among disadvantaged children who start primary school unprepared and a growing child-trafficking crisis. In addition, children and families who were affected by Hurricane Stan and the Ilamatepec volcano still struggle to recover. Numbers at a Glance On average, there are 10 murders daily in El Salvador: Only 25 percent of children in rural areas complete the fifth grade. The greatest drop out rate occurs in the first grade — close to 16 percent. Only 44 percent of children have access to early childhood development programs. 27 out of 100 adolescent girls under the age of 19 are themselves mothers.  Our Response Life-Cycle Programming: Save the Children’s programs combine health and education initiatives to address specific needs through a life-cycle approach. Our Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs in three of the most impoverished regions of the country — Cuscatlán, Cabañas, and Sonsonate — help ensure that young children are well nourished, healthy, socially supported, emotionally engaged and encouraged to learn. Following up on these solid ECD foundations, Save the Children’s transitions programs prepare older children for school and schools for children. Youth Programs: Save the Children helps young people identify and develop individual life projects. We provide training and technical assistance in vocational preparedness. Through our work, youth develop the confidence to see beyond their daily challenges. They have a greater focus in their life and, with our help, can establish income-generating businesses. Protection: El Salvador is a country prone to natural disasters and social conflict. Save the Children works to reduce the impact of these emergencies. We partner with community organizations to provide resources to families and communities so they can better prepare for and respond to natural disasters as they arise. To protect against social conflict and violence, Save the Children works with government and non-government organizations to protect the rights of children, adolescents and women. Population: 6,948,073 Population Growth Rate (annual %): 1.7 National Poverty Rate (%): 48 Life Expectancy at Birth (years): 72 Infant Mortality Rate (per 1,000 live births): 23 Children Under-5 Mortality Rate (per 1,000 live births): 27 Lifetime Risk of Maternal Mortality (1 in number stated): 180 Adult Male Literacy Rate (% of males 15+): 83 Adult Female Literacy Rate (% of females 15+): 78 Population with access to an improved water source (%): 84 Sources: CIA World Factbook, World Bank, UNDP Emergency Response: Save the Children responds to a wide range of emergencies. We responded quickly to the devastation of Hurricane Stan and the Ilamatepec volcano by providing water, blankets, diapers, children's clothing, toys and other non-food items to 3,000 children and adults in Sonsonate and Cuscatlán.  We also created “safe spaces” to help children regain a sense of normalcy through participation in recreational, educational and psychosocial activities such as role playing, art, sports, music and dance.  To improve food security and incomes, we provided poor farming families with seeds and tools.  Plans for the Future Save the Children continually works to strengthen its current programs and services in El Salvador by improving the quality of these initiatives, raising community awareness of our education, health and protection programs and increasing children’s and families' access to our programs. Life in El Salvador — Early Childhood Development Many rural children in El Salvador face difficult circumstances that often prevent them from developing to their full potential. Since schools can be far away, children must walk great distances to reach them, sometime through potentially hazardous terrain. This often results in absenteeism or children dropping out of school. Manuel, 4, lives with his parents and 11 brothers and sisters in rural El Salvador, where most of Save the Children's sponsorship-supported programs take place. He participates in our Early Childhood Development (ECD) program. Manuel's mother says he enjoys going to the ECD center.  He likes it so much that he even asks to be taken there on weekends or during holiday breaks!  Manuel's two favorite program activities are coloring and playing with building blocks.  He also enjoys being read stories; he particularly likes "The Empty Piñata," which teaches math concepts, and "The Hammock at the Cow's Yard," which addresses the values of inclusion, fairness and friendship. Manuel's sister, Teresa, who also attended the ECD program, learned the importance of washing her hands before each meal.  Her mother tells us that she learned the healthy habit of washing hands so well that she often reminds others to wash their hands before eating.