Santa Clara University

Placement Sites - Cobanal



Casa de la Solidaridad

Community: Cobanal, Colon

 

Colon is a community located in the department of la Libertad, about 15 kilometers from San Salvador. The zone is made up mostly of coffee farms. It is a community that is especially vulnerable to natural disasters. Because it is surrounded by large hills and a large river, there have been mudslides every year during the raining season. In the town, there are basic services such as health, education, electricity, telephones, running water, and transportation.  

Cobanal is a small village, located about 1⁄2 of a kilometer from Colon. At one time, Cobanal was a very large coffee farm, but now it is not economically feasible to continue farming the land.  Therefore, the people have not taken care of the coffee farms and have dedicated themselves to other types of work such as construction, working in maquilas (factories), and private business.  In Cobanal, there are about 150 families that were victims of the 2001 earthquake most of whom permanently live in what was intended to be temporary housing. 

Role of Casa Student:  Casa students spend a lot of time with a family in the community, where they have their meals and also offer an English / tutoring program for children in the community.  In addition, there is freedom and flexibility for activities that are offered depending on Casa students desires and interests (such as art, music, yoga, etc.).  Casa students also conduct a number of home visits to the homes of elderly members of the community and to mothers of the kids in the English classes.  Community members accompany Casa students on these visits.  In addition, students tutor Francisco Samuel, a youth in the community who is sight impaired.    
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Established 1851