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“Salvadoreños Asociados de Maryland” brings aid to the Youngest
The Project “Raíces y Acuarelas” (Roots and Watercolors) takes funds and school supply to rural areas of the Central American Country
El Tiempo Latino
January 21, 2005
Translation by PADF
While other Hispanic community organizations in the metropolitan region are planning their annual projects in January, for Salvadoreños Asociados de Maryland (SAMD) it is time to distribute what was collected last year.
This is a tradition that the organization which works out of Gaithersburg, in Montgomery County, started four years ago through the Project “Raíces y Acuarelas”, which collects funds and then takes school supply to children in three (West, East, and North) of the four geographical areas into which the country is divided.
“Although the first year we started with a modest number of children, the number has been increasing, and this year we have distributed 5,000 packets,” pointed out Luis Romero, president of SAMD.
“The number of packets could have been greater because the donations we received have overcome our expectations, which we will invest in other projects that favor the same communities,” he added.
One of the greatest contributions has been from Clark and Franchina Construction Company, as well as the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) who along with Banagrícola sponsor de the program “Manos Unidas por El Salvador”, which trains Salvadorans living in the United States and in their own country. These institutions have offices in the Washington metropolitan area.
“Through Manos Unidas we support those projects that have as an objective education and the creation of educational opportunitie, as well as projects that provide models for future growth,” pointed out Dale Crowell, PADF coordinator in Washington, during he distribution of a donation to SAMD, who traveled recently to this country to distribute school supply.
From Gaithersburg, with Love from El Salvador
El Tiempo Latino
January 21, 2005
Translation by PADF
Thousands of schools supply packets were donated in rural areas in several departments of the country.
More than 5,000 Salvadoran children received school supply- before more than 1.8 million students began the school year in that country on Monday of this week- as part of the project “Raíces y Acuarelas” implemented by the organization Salvadoreños Asociados de Maryland (SAMD) which works out of Gaithersburg.
The project is supported by the Pan American Development Foundation and Banagrícola.
An integrated delegation by Luis Romero, president; Imelda Escobar, vicepresident and Sarita Gordon, a friend and collaborator of SAMD traveled last week to continue the mission that was begun January 5 by Danny Martínez.
“This is the first time that I visit El Salvador and I feel enthusiastic not only about visiting the country, but also because I will be able to participate in an initiative that will benefit children,” mentioned Gordon before leaving. Gordon is from Ecuador, but has joined the organization formed by Salvadorans.
Danny Martínez, treasurer of SAMD, also recognizes that he enjoyed the educational mission, despite the effort that it required.
“The job was quite tiring, but it provides a satisfaction that can’t be repaid with money,” pointed out Martínez, who came back last weekend.
The cooperative Codimarc, which works out of San Pedro Masahuat in the department of La Paz, collaborated in the distribution of the school supply. Martínez was very careful, he explains, when distributing to the young ones.
“This is not charity; the aid comes as a thanks to the generous Salvadorans and friends of our country who live in Maryland and other nearby states,” was the message that, according to Martínez, he was trying to explain each time that he met with the joyful beneficiaries, many of them sons and daughters of the families that make up the cooperative and who have ties to CONFRAS, an entity that looks after the proper development of these organized groups.
Martínez explained that “after a year of arduous work, it is refreshing to be able to see the smiles on the children’s faces.”
The distributions began January 6 in a school in San Isidro Lempa in the department of La Libertad, which was benefited with a computer lot donated through SAMD in 2004, as part of the project “Hecha tu imaginación a Volar” (Let your imagination Soar).
SAMD highlights the work done by Alba Luz Moreno, member of FECORAO, one of the many cooperatives that make up CONFRAS, who has been a pillar in the distributions during the last four years.
The only requirement that SAMD asks of the children is that they, along with their parents, participate in seminars about how to protect the environment in which they live.
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