USAID-Glasswing Alliance Targets School-Based Violence

USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Latin America and Caribbean Bureau, Mark Lopes addresses the audience.

n November 19, USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Latin America and Caribbean Bureau, Mark Lopes, joined the Programs Director of Glasswing International, Celina de Sola; the General Manager of Transactel, Guillermo Valiente; the Vice-President of Operations for Hanesbands El Salvador, Edwin Zamora; in signing a public-private alliance aimed at “Building Communities to Foster Youth Development.”

The $500,000 project is being funded by a grant of $250,000 from USAID together with matching funds from private sector partners, including Transactel and Hanesbrands El Salvador, and is designed to connect private businesses with Salvadoran youth in communities that remain vulnerable to crime and violence.  Though the alliance, volunteers from participating businesses will donate their time and talent in teaching classes such as art, English, and public speaking to local schoolchildren, while working with school administrators to improve deteriorated infrastructure, and to train principals, teachers, and parental committees in fundraising and school management.

Initial funds will be used to support programs in four public schools located in San Salvador, San Juan Opico and Santa Tecla, which together will benefit more than 4,000 students, parents, and community members.  According to Lopes, “this initiative is a concrete example of how the private sector, civil society, and international donors can combine their resources, efforts, and creativity to contribute to breaking the spiral of violence that plagues El Salvador.”

For more information on USAID’s programs in El Salvador, visit: http://www.usaid.gov/sv.