Community: Calle Real
Praxis Site: Community Dolores Medina
Calle Real is located between the cities of Apopa and Ciudad Delgado north of San Salvador. Situated between two rivers, it is about 8 kilometers long and no more than 1 1/2 kilometers wide. Until 1980 it was a rural, agricultural community but due to rural to urban migration to escape the armed conflict of the 1980s it went from 5,000 to over 30,000 in just a few short years.
The project site is located in the Community of Dolores Medina. The community was founded in 1986 by 43 families who had been displaced by the war and were in the refugee camp at Calle Real. The Passionist Sisters who were in the parish of Nuestra Señora de Lourdes helped the families clean off a garbage dump which was to be the eventual site of the community. The families came from all over the country. Initially the refugee families worked together to build homes, dig wells and develop cooperative works such as sewing factory, carpentry shop and construction. These projects were abandoned due to multiple problems in the mid 1990s and conflicts with the local parish.
As a result, many of the young men immigrated to the United States in the late 1990s, leaving behind a majority of female headed households. There are over 250 people living in the community with 70 percent under 25 years of age. Many of the women work in the markets in Apopa or San Salvador and in maquila factories. The men work in construction. During the past few years gangs have also come into the surrounding area. Most of the families are at or just below the poverty line and several lie in extreme poverty.
In June 2006 the community began to reorganize and formed a youth group for peace and solidarity, a support group for women in the community (including a micro-financing program). In addition, they are trying to buy a small piece of land for a community agriculture project.
Role of Casa Students: Students teach English to children from the community of all ages (ranging from preschool to youth who have had to leave their studies). Students eat lunch with and conduct home visits with a new family each day. This enables students the opportunity to form relationships with most community members while learning about the realities in which they live (post-war trauma, immigration, gang activity, and violence) and the effects that these issues have on family life.
Note: The youth group meets on Saturday evenings and is a great way to connect with youth who are working or studying during the week.
E-mail this page