Altavista Youth and Children Receive 9 Playgrounds and a Sports Center

Charge d'Affaires Robert Blau addresses the audience during the inauguration.

The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Community-Based Crime and Violence Prevention Project, in coordination with the Altavista Inter-Institutional Work Group (IIWG), implementing partners RTI International and the Center for International Studies and Cooperation, and the mayors of Tonacatepeque, Ilopango and San Martín, inaugurated nine rehabilitated parks in the Altavista neighborhood on January 27.
 
Rehabilitated parks include the Altavista Sports Complex that was restored under the supervision of the Salvadoran Foundation for Development and Basic Housing jointly with local governments and the IIWG, formed by leaders and youth from the neighborhood and government representatives.

Benefitting 5,000 youth, children, parents and teachers, infrastructure rehabilitation cost approximately $625,000, of which USAID provided $419,000 and partners gave the remaining in cash and in-kind contribution.

The USAID project promotes joint actions from local governments, private sector, schools, families and youth to combat violence and crime in El Salvador.  To accomplish such goal, USAID and its partners work in seven of the most at-risk municipalities in the country:  San Salvador (Sixth District), Santa Tecla, Armenia, Izalco, Tonacatepeque, San Martín and Ilopango.