Previous trips to El Salvador
Groups of 2 or 3 Wellsprings supporters have visited the village of El Tular, and the capital San Salvador every few years. Read about the most recent trip in August 2017.
Visit to El Tular, August 2017
My name is Rosie Banham and I became involved with the charity ‘Wellsprings El Tular’ last October when I was lucky enough to meet Allan, Judit and Fredy during their visit from El Salvador to England. In August I had the fantastic opportunity to visit El Tular, accompanied by Frances Morris who had taken part in the previous trip and who thankfully speaks excellent Spanish!
We received a very warm welcome everywhere we went. Firstly, from Allan and his colleagues in the NGO ‘Balsamo’, based in San Salvador. Balsamo helps El Tular with various projects and forms a vital link for our communications with the community, as well as providing reports on activities and progress. Allan is currently looking into the feasibility of the village having an internet mast (at El Tular’s request).
Equally pleased to see us were the villagers in El Tular. We received amazing hospitality, staying with Judit and her family, who gave us accommodation in their house (I was pleased this was not in a hammock!) and fed us very well, and it wasn’t all tortillas!
We were invited to meet various community groups and it was interesting to learn of their progress as well as their challenges. Everywhere we went we received heartfelt thanks for the generosity of Wellsprings supporters and personal stories about the difference this has made to their lives, particularly through the educational opportunities given to their children. We were also very moved to hear from the mother of Ivan Flores, a disabled young boy who is being helped with funding for his medication and hospital consultations.
The women’s group now consists of 42 members and the meeting was lively! Some had received training in animal husbandry, including Judit, who raises chickens, rabbits, a goat and a few fish. This is helping to vary their diet and produce an alternative source of income. Others had set up a stall to sell pupusas (filled tortillas) on Saturday evenings outside church.
We were delighted to join the young people for an English class led by Humberto and impressed by the high standards of the students. Humberto is a previous success story who, having received funding to help his own education, now works in the city, but returns to the village at weekends to teach the young people English.
All the villagers we met sent their very best wishes and thanks for the continued support of their friends in the UK. Over the years the support of Wellsprings has made such a difference in their personal and village life.
Previous trips to El Salvador
August 2017 Rosie and Frances
August 2015 Frances, David and Anne
August 2012 Brian and Muriel
2011 5 trustees, Howard and Truda
2009/10 Brian and Andrew (St Margaret's, Hollinwood)
2009 10 delegates, including Jenny, Christopher, Anne, David (St Margaret's, Hollinwood)
2008 Brian
2007 Brian (his 14th visit!)