The whole community was traumatised when Christian, the son of our treasurer, a very young man and married just a few months, committed suicide. I knew him very well. He was one of the boys who went to the high school on one of our scholarships. and he was very quiet and anxious to please. The event was a great shock to everyone and, if and when I return, I shall miss his friendly face in his dad’s shop.

The community as usual gathered round and particularly the young people. A message from Rosi reads “Victor is coming round a bit, after the trauma of losing his son. Christian’s memorial service was on the 17^th April. Norma attended with Alicia Flores, a Balsamo benefactor, and another colleague. It was a beautiful event. The young people had prepared a liturgy with photos and songs etc. A lovely farewell that expressed affection, solidarity and companionship.”

Comment – Lessons to be learned?

It appears that there have been a few suicides in the region among people, mostly men around the same age as Christian. This generation faces enormous social and cultural change, with many new psychological pressures. As recently as when we first knew them life in El Tular was largely limited to the culture and expectations of the tight peasant community with no horizons beyond the boundaries of the village, and an occasional visit for a special few to the market town. There was education for some, but only to the age of 12, and illiteracy for the majority, followed by an unvarying life of sowing maize and beans, gathering wood and water to survive and worshipping God on a Sunday.

And suddenly there was radio and recently television. Organisations like ourselves have improved education, producing amazing results among high IQs hidden for generations, opening access to the city and, through advertising and the media, to the world. And within it there is the hidden promise of liberation from the years of unremitting toil.

But there is no experience of the hardships and dangers of this world, and the commercialised universities promise the naive lives of ease and wealth, to those who complete their three-year courses in computation etc.

And there are very discernible benefits. A family that has just one member in a decent job undergoes a major shift in its economic wellbeing, especially when the young people, without exception in my experience, share their good fortune with their parents and siblings at home.

But there is austerity and unemployment too, much worse than ours, and no state benefits whatsoever.

In a way the peasant tradition can be a great safety net for the young Salvadoran unemployed, because their survival has never depended on paid employment, and life in the community will always make sure they don’t starve. But after three years of dreaming of a different world, it is not easy to go back to the grinding labour of sowing a crop on unproductive land, or gathering wood from a mile away to light the stove for the daily tortilla. Nobody is going to abandon you. But if the price of community is to return to the daily grind and survival diet, it can feel very disappointing. We have tried to address this situation in a couple of ways.

The Monthly Students’ Meeting

In consultation with us our partners in Bálsamo have organised monthly meetings on a Sunday, led by the students and graduates themselves from the things they have learned in college, to look at some of the issues facing their world. (It’s worth noting that their education has all depended on our scholarship programme.)

From Rosi’s monthly report:

“On the basis of a programme of themes suggested by the students (it includes those already graduated) we have already had sessions on two topics. The first was led by Margarita, Concepción and Laura who qualified in nursing at the Dr. Andrés Bello University.

In addition to the graduates, students from the baccalaureate course and others studying in Sonsonate participated. Everybody joined in the teamwork activities associated with the presentation. There was a great sense of solidarity at this Sunday meeting. At the end the group all came together in front of the Church for a photo to demonstrate the unity we need to maintain in our community.

It is so Gratifying to see that young people have responded to the invitation to get together and share their recently acquired knowledge. At the next meeting we shall look at the possibility of a plan for some collective commercial enterprise with the intention of providing an additional incentive for getting together and committing to one another.”

Other Developments

The jewellery group is functioning , as is the bakery. They are only baking three days a week, but the group is holding together and marketing their products in the area of Los Pintines.

During the Months of January and February Balsamo awarded a “Diploma in Marketing” to 42 people from different associations. El Tular was represented by:- Gerber Daniel Perez. Cristina Antonia Pintin, Juana Guadalupe Pintin (Bakery) Josselin Veronica, Monica Andreina Flores (Jewellery) Ana Isabel Perez, Judith Veronica Hernandez and Pedrina Carias (Women’s Small Businesses).

One clear result of the Diploma has been the change in attitude of the participants. At the initiation of the training you could see a reluctance to get involved. “It’s too hard for us” was the general response of the group, and they didn’t even say their names audibly. Now there is a sense of confident, comfortable, willing engagement and togetherness. We have managed to widen the awareness of the people to the point where they can encompass concepts which had always been hitherto incomprehensible.

We thank you sincerely for all your continued interest.