Women of Vision Houston
A World Vision Program
Each Chapter of Women of Vision supports a minimum of one domestic project and one international project of its choice:
International Project
We chose El Salvador for our international project for a number of reasons: several of our chapter members speak Spanish; after 20 years of civil war so close to our homes, we have learned through our Salvadoran neighbors in Houston the economic struggles that Salvadorans still face; and we wanted to choose a location that we could visit for 5 - 7 days and still have an impact. We have made a long-term commitment to El Salvador and hope that, as our chapter grows, we will be able to consider supporting a project aiding women and children in another country, where women and girls are facing difficult challenges in achieving education and life opportunities.
2010-2011 Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
Much of El Salvador’s population lives in rural areas that are lacking in sanitary facilities. We are in the first of a five year project that seeks to provide clean water, improved sanitation and hygiene to selected community development areas. The program includes water management training, environmental protection studies and small-scale irrigation.
2010-2011 Building a Culture of Peace.
El Salvador has become one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America, primarily because of gang violence. At the root of this are unresolved issues dealing with poverty, social insecurity, low levels of schooling, and migration. The country has a high homicide rate of 40 per 100,000 people, and approximately 40 percent of all homicides involve gang members. We are in the first of a three-year project that is targeting 210 young people between the ages of 12 and 19, and 180 adults through peace building training, cultural activities, and drama workshops.
2006-2009 Micro-lending
The average Salvadoran micro loan is $480, and through individual loans this size and even smaller, thousands of Salvadoran women and men have started, expanded and sustained successful small busin
esses that have enabled their families to achieve economic independence, educate their children, and promise a brighter future for the next generation. Click here to read more about Microenterprise Development in El Salvador.
The young woman pictured to the right was a recipient of a l
oan to start a book store, and later a grocery, and a water distribution business.
2003-2005 Project Sonrisas
Project Sonrisas, which provided reconstructive surgery to poor children.
To contact Women of Vision Houston email info@wovhouston.org.
