El Salvador

El Salvador is located on the west coast of Central America and is comparable in size to the state of Massachusetts. It is the smallest and yet the most densely populated country in Central America. It borders the Pacific Ocean and lies between Guatemala and Honduras. El Salvador’s terrain is mostly mountainous with a narrow coastal belt and central plateau.

The population of El Salvador is 6,071,774 and 37.8% of those individuals live below the poverty line. Spanish is the official language of El Salvador. The country is known for its beautiful beaches, colonial structures and ruins, as well as its mountainous landscapes. The majority of Salvadorans are Roman Catholic, and many local holidays are dedicated to celebrating Saints. Most of the country is economically supported by remittances from the U.S. and by agriculture, with coffee as the main crop. Some of the other exports of El Salvador include sugar, clothing, gold, iron, and steel. The people of El Salvador are its best resource. They are direct, friendly and usually willing to chat or help you out if you are lost.

A very authentic Salvadoran dish is pupusa. Pupusas are a thick hand-made corn tortilla stuffed with one or more of the following: cheese, chicharrón (which is fried meat, usually pork or chicken), and refried beans. Pupusas revueltas are pupusas filled with beans, cheese and pork. Some restaurants offer pupusas stuffed with shrimp or spinach. The pupusa's exact origins are not known, although its presence in El Salvador is known to predate the arrival of Spaniards. A great dessert that is served in El Salvador is called Maria Luisa. It is a layered cake that is soaked in orange marmalade and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Tourism is an important part of the economy in El Salvador. El Salvador is considered a Surfer’s Paradise because it has some of the best waves in the world. Surfers visit many beaches, including La Libertad, Ruta Las Flores, Suchitoto and Playa Las Flores because many surfing spots there are not yet overcrowded. Also, the use of the United States dollar as Salvadoran currency and short direct flights from most cities in the United States are attractive to many tourists. Americanization of Salvadoran culture has led to other things that tourists might be surprised to see, such as the abundance of American-style malls, stores, and restaurants. Kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, and fishing are also popular activities among tourists that visit El Salvador.

Development in El Salvador

The HELP International program in El Salvador began in 2000 and is our longest running program. Participants live in the country's capital, San Salvador. Most of the volunteer work in El Salvador is centered on fighting urban poverty. Participants in El Salvador have been involved in projects ranging from orphanage work, serving in hospitals, teaching square-foot gardening, rebuilding homes in rural villages, holding business seminars, and teaching English. While Spanish fluency is preferred, participants do not have to speak Spanish to work in El Salvador.

See HELP in El Salvador

Follow the El Sal team blog

Learn more about HELP's Salvadoran partners

See prior teams' impact on HELP's YouTube channel

Special opportunity in El Salvador for Spanish speakers

What is the Hogar Del Niño Project?

The Hogar del Niño Project is a program of HELP International specifically focused on sending volunteers to work in the Hogar del Niño orphanage for persons with disabilities in El Salvador. The project is unique to HELP in that participants stay full time at the orphanage and are sent every three to four months throughout the entire year.