Apoyar helps a group of young  mothers and their children survive, thrive and build futures --against extreme odds --by providing basic necessities such as monthly food baskets, diapers or clothing, or school expenses in order to help mothers and their children. All of the participants come from families with extremely limited resources.

Apoyar organizes monthly activities so that the participants can develop a sense of community and gain skills and healthy perspectives to move forward with their lives.  Apoyar has also supported the families with basic needs such as roof repairs to keep out heavy rains.

Will you donate to help build futures?

Some of the young people who benefit from Apoyar (with pseudonyms):

Jennifer:

Jennifer, now 17, was raped at the age of 11 by a 71-year-old neighbor.  She's an enthusiastic student and, with the help of Apoyar, she has stayed in school and will begin high school soon.  Her daughter just started kindergarten.  In addition to support with food and school expenses, Apoyar helped her family add a room to their modest wood and sheet metal home so that Jennifer and her daughter have their own room.  

Tania:

T is a 24-year-old woman with an intellectual disability who functions at a lower level than her age would indicate.  As an adolescent she was raped by a 60-year-old man and had a daughter who is now seven. Tania's mother has assumed much of the care of the child.  

Natalia:

Natalia suffered sexual assault and became a mother at the age of 17.  Her daughter is now 6 years old. She finished high school, specializing in computer technology, and wanted to go to college, but did not have the resources.  Her mother cares for her daughter, who is in school, while Natalia works in cafes and factories to provide income for her family.

Katia:

Katia is 15 years old and was born to her own mother as a result of rape.  During the pandemic, her mother was murdered by unknown assassins. Then, at the age of 13, Katia was sexually assaulted by two people.  She receives various mental health services to help her cope with these traumas.  The support from Apoyar allows her get to know others who can connect with her realities.  

F:

F is a trans man who displays enormous resilience and strength.  In 2009 he was the victim of "corrective rape" because of his sexual orientation and gender identity.  He became pregnant and is the father of a 15-year-old son.  They live in a marginalized area of San Salvador where they are subjected to gang violence as well as violence related to the Salvadoran state of emergency. He graduated from high school with superior grades and test scores and won a college scholarship.  However, with the pandemic his scholarship was suspended, along with his dreams of becoming a lawyer. 

In spite of these huge challenges, F is a respected leader in the trans and LGBTQ+ communities. 

How Apoyar functions:

Apoyar has a volunteer leadership team of three women who assume most of the responsibilities, which include:

• Manage donations and conduct a monthly review of their bank account and expenses.  

• Conduct a monthly review and update of the situation of each participant.  

• Review each participants' monetary allocation.  Apoyar provides a monthly grocery basket for the family based on the economic need and the number of people in the household.  The amounts range from $50 to $100 per month.  Some participants also receive a small amount to help with educational expenses.  Clothing and shoes have been provided at times.

• When finances allow, organize monthly gatherings for the participants so they can develop a greater support network among themselves.  

The current number of women and girls participating ranges from seven to ten. Participants also have an average of  about four additional family members who also benefit. So, approximately fifty individuals benefit each month in different ways.

Looking to the future, the leadership team wants to raise funds to pay a person to make monthly visits with each participant.  Visits would include conversations about their life hopes and plans, including their educational aspirations and needs.  They would also include sexual education and sexuality, and other topics that help prevent future violence in their lives.

Other future goals include increasing the number of young women and girls and their families who can participate.  Another goal is to cover medical needs.

The current annual budget, when the fund-raising reaches its goals, is a total of $7940.  That covers grocery baskets, educational expenses, group activities, and basic transportation costs.  

However, reaching fund-raising goals on a regular basis is a challenge. We are seeking one-time and ongoing donors to help stabilize and increase the annual budget in order to reach current and future goals.

All donations made through Project El Salvador (using the Donate button in the top left sidebar) are tax-deductible per IRS regulations, and 100% of donations received will go directly to Apoyar. (No transaction fees!)

NOTE: Please indicate that your donation is for APOYAR!

Checks can also be mailed to:

Project El Salvador

P.O. Box 300105

Denver, CO 80203-0105

Thank you for whatever you can do!