Abundant in rivers, lakes, and fertile, tropical farmland, El Salvador’s wealth of natural beauty traverses a vast central plateau bordered by Pacific coastal plains to the south and rugged mountains to the north. For centuries, several Mesoamerican nations called this land home, including the Lenca, Olmec, Maya, and Pipil/Cutcatlec.
High unemployment rates, rising inflation, organized crime, and a soaring birthrate leave many Salvadorans in a desperate state.
However, this smallest and most densely populated Central American nation is particularly susceptible to natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and it has been plagued by chronic political and economic instability for more than a century. High unemployment rates, rising inflation, organized crime, and a soaring birthrate leave many Salvadorans in a desperate state. El Salvador’s poverty is a problem that prevents many from getting a proper education, adequate healthcare, drinkable water, and sanitation services. It also affects children’s growth.
Challenges for Children in El Salvador
In El Salvador, children’s very lives and futures are at risk, as they struggle with poverty and lack of educational resources. Right now, children in El Salvador need your help.
- 25% of children under the age of 5 live in extreme poverty
- 36% of the rural population lives in poverty
- Half of all the country’s children and teenagers live on less than US $1.25 per day
- Almost 25% of school-aged children do not attend school, and roughly 10% work as child laborers
- Almost 20% of males and 25 % of females aged 15 or above cannot read or write
- El Salvador has one of the highest rates of crime and murder in the world, and gang violence and extortion disturb the economy, leading to widespread poverty
Our Work in El Salvador
Thanks to caring people like you, Children Incorporated has helped thousands of impoverished children in El Salvador since 1964.
We work with our volunteer coordinators in local communities to provide health and nutrition, education, hygiene items, clothes, shoes, and other essentials that help children and families rise above the poverty in which they live.
Our strategy is to focus on individual children through our sponsorship program, ensuring they are receiving exactly what they need on a regular basis.
Your support makes all our work possible to help children in crisis in El Salvador.
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How do I sponsor a child in El Salvador?
You can sponsor a child in El Salvador in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in El Salvador that is available for sponsorship.
Sources:
https://databank.worldbank.org/data/download/poverty/987B9C90-CB9F-4D93-AE8C-750588BF00QA/AM2020/Global_POVEQ_SLV.pdf
https://www.statista.com/statistics/790764/poverty-rate-el-salvador/