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PADF and Banco Agrícola launch Program Manos Unidas por El Salvador for the Second Time
El Imparcial
March 11, 2005
Translated by PADF
Representatives from the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), Banco Agrícola de El Salvador, and leaders of several community and business organizations in Washington DC, celebrated this Thursday the beginning of a second round of Program “Manos Unidas por El Salvador”.
The activity, which took place in the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the United States capital, filled the participants with enthusiasm and expectations, as they hope to assist in the development and growth of the most vulnerable communities of El Salvador.
Program Manos Unidas is implemented in part with the funds that Banco Agrícola provides, as a result of the earning they generate when remittances are sent by Salvadorans to their families in the country, through one of their branches in Washington, Maryland, or Virginia.
An average of 25 cents per remittance sent through this financial institution, help to inject strength into these projects. The money is channeled through PADF and distributed to several organizations, which have presented project proposals designed to benefit the communities.
The program was launched in 2004 when the two institutions chose and supported development projects proposed by Salvadoran immigrant groups in their communities of origin in El Salvador.
The opportunity is open, until May 15, for any Salvadoran organization in the Washington, DC or Los Angeles metropolitan areas to submit proposals related to education in El Salvador, mentioned the representatives of PADF and Banco Agrícola. Interested groups may obtain applications from PADF at 1889 F St. NW, Washington D.C. 20006, Tel. (202) 458-3969.
“We hope that this year will be better than the last,” expressed Ernesto Magaña from Banco Agrícola. “Last year we received ten proposals from community groups, and this year we are hoping to receive many more since the Salvadoran community in Washington, DC and Los Angeles are more familiar with the program. They know that each time they send their remittances through Banagrícola, they are making a contribution to Manos Unidas. There is a lot of enthusiasm from the various groups and we know that this will promote education and development in El Salvador,” he added.
In 2004, Manos Unidas helped finance and implement six projects with participants from Salvadoran immigrant groups. These included the installation of a computer center in El Piche Community, the construction of classrooms and English laboratory in San Vicente, the construction of classrooms and principal’s office in Chiquirín, the implementation of a vocational mobile academy in Cacaopera, the installation of a mini library in El Tamarindo, an environmental laboratory and a tree nursery in Chinameca, and school assistance to more than 2,000 students in rural areas throughout El Salvador through Program ALCANCE, financed by USAID.
Elmer Arias, President of the Salvadoran Chamber of Commerce in Washington, thanked Banco Agrícola for their support, “It is the only bank that supports our projects” he mentioned while he lamented that other Salvadoran banking institutions with offices in the Washington metropolitan area failed to identify themselves with the needs of our country, despite the fact that they get great revenues from remittance transfers.
PADF firmly believes that Manos Unidas por El Salvador has been an effective model in collecting different actors such as corporations from the private sector and community organizations to promote economic and social development in El Salvador and Latin America.
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