Our Homes: NPH El Salvador

El SalvadorEl Salvador Facts

Area:
8,124 square miles – about the same size as New Jersey

Population:
6,628,702 (2024 est.)

Languages:
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Issues:
A 12-year civil war ended in 1992; very high rate of violence and crime; deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution; hurricanes and earthquakes

NPH El Salvador at a Glance

Opened:
June 29, 1999

Location:
Casa Sagrada Familia (“Holy Family”) is near the border of Guatemala in Texistepeque, about 30 miles from San Salvador

NPH Operates:
Family-style home, school (grades K – 9), medical clinic, farm, vocational workshops

Community Programs include the Centro Bienestar Infantil (CBI) daycare center for children ages 1 to 7, and scholarships for children/youth in the area

2023 Impact

364 children and adults supported

111 local people employed

39 K – University graduates

Did you know?

  • Dora Serrano, NPH El Salvador’s National Director, is an Hermana Mayor (“Older Sister”), who was raised at the home.
  • Since opening in 1999, the main purpose of the home has changed in response to national legislation around child welfare. Once a home solely for orphaned and abandoned children, NPH El Salvador evolved to serve two different populations: children who live inside the home, and community students. These students receive scholarships spanning from early education to university, as well as meals and healthcare. They come from low income families that cannot afford to support their children’s education, which is the case for most Salvadorans.
  • Students in 8th and 9th grades attend vocational workshops in baking and/or sewing.
  • The Centro Bienestar Infantil (CBI) daycare center provides children aged 1 – 7 who live in vulnerable communities in Santa Ana, and the children of Hermanos Mayores (“Older Siblings”) who were raised at the NPH home, with preschool education, health care, meals, transportation, books, and materials.
  • The agriculture program provides nourishing food for children and staff, and also serves as a living-classroom. In 2022, the Casa Sagrada team built two greenhouses and prepared the soil to grow organic food. Also, the installation of an electric milking machine improved dairy and cheese production.
  • An alliance with the Renacer Foundation, focusing on employability and independence, provides formal employment opportunities, training, and psychological support to young people who have been in residential care.

More Information:

• Holiday Celebrations at NPH El Salvador
• Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Home Map (PDF)
• Visitor’s Guide (PDF)

Full Episode Recordings:

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How to Help:

• Sponsor a child
• Support the NPH El Salvador home with a Mi Casa! Sponsorship
• Donate now

Learn about the other NPH homes:

Bolivia | Dominican Republic | El Salvador | Guatemala | Haiti | Honduras | Mexico | Nicaragua | Peru