Compassion’s ministry in El Salvador began in 1977 with the Child Sponsorship Program. Currently, nearly 50,000 children participate in 214 child development centers throughout the country.
El Salvador, about the size of Massachusetts, is a densely populated country of 7.1 million. More than a third of the population is younger than 15 — and more than a third of these youths can’t attend school because they work to help their families make ends meet.
El Salvador gained independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. In more recent years, El Salvador experienced a 12-year civil war ending in 1992 that cost 75,000 lives. Since then, political and military reforms have stabilized the country.
Located between Guatemala and Honduras, El Salvador is the smallest Central American country and the only one without a coastline on the Caribbean Sea. Like other countries in Central America, El Salvador is also susceptible to hurricanes.
At least four out of every 10 persons live in poverty, which especially affects rural areas. Among the country’s poor, more than 700,000 survive on less than the equivalent of $1.25 per day.
El Salvador (meaning The Savior) is named for Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. But tragically, because of the proliferation of gangs, the country is one of the most violent in Central America. In fact, El Salvador has the highest murder rate in the region.
El Salvador is mired in poverty partly because of the general population’s low education level. In fact, few Salvadorans have the opportunity to obtain a secondary education. That’s why nearly 20 percent of males and 25 percent of females age 15 and older can’t read or write.
Source: www.cia.gov
Quick Facts
- El Salvador is Spanish for ‘The Savior’ or Jesus Christ.
- In 2001, El Salvador adopted the US dollar as its currency in favor of the previously used Salvadoran colón.
- El Salvador has one of the highest murder rates in the world and is considered an epicenter of gang-related crime in South America.
- The country’s position on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ makes it prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.