Transform Education in El Salvador

The following is a report written by Daphne Hofschulte, a supporter of PEOF and Amún Shéa School since 2008, and a member of the PEOF Board of Directors since 2021.

It was my pleasure to return to sunny and beautiful El Salvador in December.  My visit to the Amún Shéa school was different this year because students were already on vacation.  It was too quiet! 

I participated in strategy planning meetings with Melida Bonilla, PEOF Executive Director, and Michelle Martin Romero, PEOF President.  Michelle was on site for the 15th anniversary celebration in November, and it was fortunate that our visits overlapped.

Teachers, several of whom were new, were closing out their duties for the year and generously gave their time to meet and talk about their situations.   It was beautiful to hear their goals and dedication, and they provided valuable insight into the strengths and challenges of the school.  A common thread of concern was how to best work with students who come to the school without adequate academic background. 

As an organization, it is clear that PEOF must look seriously at long-range funding plans to sustain Foundation projects, especially the school.  Inflation affects every line item of our budget, including the salary needs of administration and staff.

We devoted time to planning with the English teacher how to establish and carry out an academic English curriculum for the school.  Plans toward this goal have begun.

Significant progress has been made to create a student-friendly library.

The CIAC regional science center has new and exciting student-centered projects.

Agricultural projects are doing well with the assistance of a grant from the Inter-American Foundation. There is still work to be done with the fish ponds and the relocation of the greenhouses.  These projects need “capital improvement” funds.

In summary, I encourage all to visit the Amún Shéa site and see for yourselves the wonderful work of this PEOF community-based educational opportunity.

Thank you for supporting PEOF as we work to transform education in El Salvador! Please consider donating today. 

Fifteen years ago, Perkin Educational Opportunities Foundation, Inc. opened the doors of Amún Shéa School as a community-led solution in response to the lack of quality education opportunities in rural Northern Morazán, El Salvador.  

A significant part of this solution is creating an environment that values peacemaking and teaches peace culture.

Let us be clear: At Amún Shéa, we run towards peace. We never run from it. Our staff works hard to create and maintain a school environment filled with peace. This includes instilling a culture of peace. We know that to promote an environment of peace and non-violence, it is important to recognize and practice the principles and values that guide us to act with respect for the integrity of people and their rights. We are running towards peace and joy like our life depends on it...because it does. In a world ridden with violence, we choose peace. In a society where pain is the only thing on the TV screen, we choose hope. We are committed to showing and teaching a better way: the Amún Shéa way.

Please be sure to check out Amún Shéa's Facebook page to hear and see students' messages about peace from the September 21st International Day of Peace events. 

Links:

• Amun Shea Facebook page