At Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMM) we believe in "working together in a divided world." Our success is hinged upon partnering with other organizations to serve the poor. It's through these partnerships that we are able to bring justice to an unjust world. The following is a list of our current project partners.
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"VMM has provided the SHARE Foundation and its partner comunities with invaluable human resources needed to advance our work for long-term, sustainable solutions to poverty and under-development in El Salvador. The missioners VMM has brought to SHARE have been outstanding people both professionally as well as personally. Two, in fact, have moved on to direct our programs States-side and lead SHARE as an organization. Not only have these VMs left their imprint on SHARE's work for justice in El Salvador; they have also touched the lives of hundreds of people in the United States and in El Salvador through their warmth, commitment, spirituality, and strength of character. Thank you VMM!"
The SHARE Foundation helps to build economic, social and political justice and democracy in El Salvador by empowering civil society, especially women, and strengthening sustainable development alternatives. Since 1981, SHARE has worked with North American faith communities, Salvadorans in the U.S. and economically marginalized people in El Salvador to forge community to community links that cross the boundaries of gender, race, nationality, age and economic status in pursuit of
the vision of the martyrs of El Salvador for peace with justice.
To this end, SHARE accompanies the efforts of communities to create their own models for social and economic development, to reclaim basic human rights, fundamental civil liberties, and degraded environments. SHARE programs promote women’s empowerment, citizen participation, leadership development.
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Fundahmer Fundación Hermano Mercedes Ruiz is a grassroots organization promoting social, economic, and spiritual development among ecclesial base communities in El Salvador. Rooted in the Christian faith and principles of justice, FUNDAHMER works to promote the social, economic, and spiritual development of these communities, which number 45, with about 1,900 families. With community members, FUNDAHMER fosters sustainable and economically sound initiatives that improve the lives of the poor, providing them long-term solutions to present challenges.
Besides education and eradication of poverty and respect for the environment, programs include development of alternative sustainable agricultural methods; development of micro-enterprises such as bee keeping and fish/shrimp culture; creation of small businesses; community organization and advocacy training, including faith and value formation.
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Fundación Solar is developing an aqueduct project in San Marcos, the poorest area of Guatemala, which will bring clean water to 8 municipalities and 65 small communities. The project is designed to empower people, to help them to understand their rights, and develop community governance and consensus around maintaining the water project...
Fundación Solar (FS) is a private development organization in Guatemala City established in 1993. FS promotes renewable energy, provides environmental services and assists in the formulation of water and energy policy and legislation, and emphasizes gender equality and micro-enterprise development. Cooperating with public institutions (such as the Netherlands Organization for International Development Co-operation), private organizations and civil society, FS provides studies, consultation, design, and implementation of a range of sustainable energy technologies including wind, solar, and geothermal technologies, as well as wood saving stoves and micro-hydro projects.
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The overall objective of the health program of is to strengthen the health care services and community development, based on community organization and self-management. According to the worldview of the community, this project will contribute to improvement in the participation, the knowledge, the promotion, and the access to healthcare and the stimulation of local development in the region of the Boca Costa of San Martín Sacatepéquez, in a sustainable way. In addition, more specific objectives include:
To provide basic health care, the promotion of health, the prevention and management of diarrheic and acute respiratory diseases, and attention to pregnant women and infants, with the goal of establishing a system of epidemiological vigilance in order to combat the low nutrition and morbitdity rates common to 100% of the population. This will contribute to the system of national health informatino and to the system of monitoring and evaluating the model.
To recognize and strengthen the technical capabilities and the policies regarding local human resources in order to provide health services and influence community health care and development policies at the local and municipal levels.
To restore, promote and utilize indigenous medicine for the promotion of health and the healing of illnesses.
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The Centro Cultural Batahola in Managua, Nicaragua, is a technical training and holistic education facility for women and youth, founded in 1983 by Father Ángel Torrellas, OP, and Sister Margarita Navarro, CSJ. Over the past 24 years the Center has helped over 2,000 women and youth to defend their rights, find and develop new sources of income, and improve their living standards. The Center currently offers a varied program of basic adult education and vocational training that is approved by the National Technological Institute (INATEC) and coordinated with the Ministry of Education (MECD). Approximately 500 students enroll in 11 different technical and domestic arts courses each year.
The Center provides a rich environment conducive to learning, including a scholarship program to help young people continue their formal education and a 5,000-volume library. It also seeks to support the healthy development of young people through the arts, offering classes and performance opportunities in folkloric dance, music, painting and theatre. Since 1994, the Center has enabled more than 100 young people from poor families to finish their studies (primary through university levels) and become trained professionals. They have become lawyers, doctors, translators, social workers, journalists, business administrators, physical therapists, engineers, and musicians.
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Guadalupe Homes, located in the rural Indian community of Santa Apolonia in Guatemala, was founded in 1985 at the invitation of Bishop Eduardo Fuentes Duarte. Its initial purpose was to care for children who became homeless during the civil war in Guatemala. Each child has his or her own story, whether the result of violence, unjust social and economic systems, or of alcoholism, abandonment or malnutrition.
Today, 100 children are cared for at Guadalupe Homes, which is comprised of eight simple houses (hogares). The children live in family groups with tias (aunts) who care for them. The children attend local schools and receive extra tutoring. They receive technical training in one of the workshops - carpentry, shoe making or tailoring—learning skills to contribute to their communities and the needs of Guadalupe Homes. They also learn traditional farming methods and help to grow the food on the farm, and learn traditional crafts, along with the art of cooking and baking.
The goal of Guadalupe Homes is to heal the physical and emotional scars of the past, by providing a safe and loving home for the children, and offering them the academic education, technical training and the spiritual and family formation they need in order to be confident and independent adults.
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