Latin America
Belize
Demonstrating a strong mixture of classic Latin American spice and Caribbean beats, Belize is home to an environment unparalleled on the American continent. With families as impoverished here as elsewhere in the world, HELP participants have been busy making a name for the new program based out of small-town San Ignacio close to the Guatemala border. A short bus ride from the Caribbean or to some of the world's most well-known Mayan ruins, participants in Belize are never disappointed with their experiences.
El Salvador
Currently the longest running program with HELP, participants in El Salvador base operations out of one of the largest cities in Latin America and are able to undertake projects in a variety of settings. After a recent civil war, and high dependency on outside markets, Salvadorans are plighted by poverty in many ways. Partners in El Salvador range from high ranking adminstrators in government sanctioned hospitals and youth centers to informal community leaders in small communities far outside the city, bringing diversity to the HELP program.
Nicaragua
With crime rates on the rise in El Salvador, 2012 marks a big change for HELP. With El Salvador being our longest running program it is hard to move locations, but for the safety of our participants the team will be relocating to nearby Nicaragua, operating out of Managua, the nation's capital, much like the San Salvador program in El Salvador. Teams are expected to take up right where El Salvador teams left off, only in a more suitable location.
Peru
As one of HELP's newest programs, Peru has been an adventure from the start. Working in informal communities and close to the Pacific ocean has brought interesting and new experiences to HELP participants. Amazon jungles, Incan highlands and Colonial cities are all within Peru's boundaries. Piura, in Peru's northern coastal region, suffers from its own brand of poverty, where our program is currently located.
