Child Protection El Salvador Project #68402

A Future Beyond Poverty & Gangs

by Empower International

Project Report | Aug 12, 2026
New Boys Have Joined Our Projects in Honduras and El Salvador

By Paul Somerville | Directer

We have had two boys join our home in San Pedro Sula, Honduras and one boy join our work in Soyapango, El Salvador.

El SALVADOR

Every morning, 14-year-old Brian (not his real name) wakes up at 4:00 a.m. to begin his journey to school. starting at 5:00 a.m. For Brian, a Grade 9 student in Soyapango, education is the gateway to a better life—and he refuses to let past circumstances define his future.

Growing up has not been easy. When he was very young, his father abandoned the family due to gang-related activities, leaving the country (possibly to escape incarceration). The fallout from his father's past eventually forced Brian and his mother to flee their home for their own safety. While they were away from their home, they lost almost everything they owned, forcing them to start over from scratch with next to nothing. Even today, daily life holds significant challenges; without reliable running water at home, Brian and his mother must trek to a local pump at night just to gather water for the next day. Yet, Brian's spirit remains unbroken.

He is an outstanding student who consistently earns marks above 90%. Even when his mother’s unstable income forced him to briefly drop out during the eighth grade, his drive never wavered. He returned to the classroom with a clear vision: to succeed academically so he could care for his mother when she is older.. Brian was recommended directly to EMPOWER by his school administration, which commended his honesty, responsibility, and exemplary behaviour. Given his strong character, academic drive, and proven ability to overcome adversity, EMPOWER views Brian as a high-potential candidate who will thrive within our project. We are thrilled to welcome him into our boys' program and walk alongside this high-potential young man as he builds the future he deserves.

HONDURAS

When the gang visits your house for a second time, pointing at you, telling your parents and saying that they want you to join their gang, you had better take it seriously. It was an emergency, but fortunately, a place was available for him at EMPOWER's safe house, while his parents had to flee their home or else face extreme gang reprisals. He is doing well in our house, firmly surrounded by good and supportive friends and adults, nutritious food and good-quality education. Thanks for your help.

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Apr 21, 2026
New School Year

By Paul Somerville | Directer

In Soyapango, El Salvador, we have 10 boys within the project. Now that we have a little extra funding, we have an English teacher coming in to teach from a structured curriculum. This has been positive. Also, as the boys slowly open up about the traumas that they have faced living within gang zones, we have seen some of them beginning to emerge. Three of the boys received academic prizes for coming first, second and third in their respective classes. Our project coordinator - who himself came from a gang family - now has his wife working alongside him. We love this because the boys now have the opportunity to first-hand observe a balanced, mature marital relationship free from violence, threats and cheating. This is something they've not experienced within their own families.

Meanwhile, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, one of our older boys decided to give up on education and find a job. Are we disappointed? Yes. Has he somewhat stymied his future potential? Again, yes. He was doing particularly well at school too. But the other boys are carrying on, and some are approaching their final years of high school.

We have taken on two new boys into the home. One of them has experienced so much grief for one so young, while the other boy had the gang calling on his family and demanding that he join them. Instead, the boy came to us, while his family fled their home to live in a different zone within the city to escape gang retribution.

Please continue to support this work. Our Central American leaders are doing a fantastic job.

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Jan 3, 2026
2025 Was a Great Year

By Paul Somerville | Directer

Mum and her son - one of our boys (averaging 95%)

It has been a tremendous year for us in 2025. Our boys attend a private school, which is more expensive for us than a government school; we can be confident that they are being taught well and challenged both in terms of behaviour and academic advancement.

As you may know, we are working to develop young men who will go on to become leaders within their communities. Hence, we stress academic achievement and character development. The school that the boys attend also encourage these values. Five of our nine boys achieved grades in the 90th percentile - for me this is quite unbelievable, but the guys have worked really hard with their dream of becoming significant adults within Honduras. Their grades were as follows 96%, 95%, 98%, 91% and 93%. These grades will provide them with the opportunity to advance into University/ College study in the future.

One of our boys had illegally crossed the US border from Mexico at about the age of 13 years and ended up in a youth immigration detention center in Texas before being moved to Michigan. His grade of 91% is a massive result considering that he has missed at least two years of school and has faced so much personal trauma, including death threats.

We are so proud of our guys, and especially so when we consider the incredibly violent and dangerous backgrounds from which they have come. And once again, I would say that their results are astonishing considering the trauma that so many of them have faced.

I think too that these results are evidence of the quality family that cares for our young people.

The other good news is that we have expanded the footprint of our house in Honduras, allowing us to take on at least another 12 boys. Before the start of the next school year in 2026, we will be scouting around looking for another 6 boys who are at risk of joining gangs or who have faced gang violence. These will be boys who nevertheless have a desire to get ahead in life.

Our project is not for everybody because our young people have had to leave home to come to live with us (although they do return home at least once a month). They are boys who understand the value of an education and can think long-term about the benefits thereof.

Thank you so much for your support.

Our leaders visiting one of the boy's families.

Links:

https://www.empowerala.org/honduras

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