We sat in the packed auditorium, watching graduates of the National Literacy Program walk across the stage, proudly displaying their new diplomas.  It was clear that these diplomas were far more than just a piece of paper.
“My name is Rosa Elena Hidalgo…I would like to thank the Ministry of Education, the mayor’s office, and the teachers. Thanks to their effort, we adults are learning to read and write since, as children, for various reasons, we didn’t. Today, our dreams are coming true.”

I felt goose bumps during every speech, listening to women and men describe how different their lives would be now that they could read and write.  From the spiritual to the everyday – from being able to read the Bibles to getting on the right bus – literacy can make a huge difference.

As a member of the first international delegation to support the national literacy program, I want to ask you to support CISPES with a generous donation today. We have less than a week left to meet our goal of $5,000 for a matching grant!

Working with the Ministry of Education was a life-changing experience – but not just for me personally. I realized that as a Salvadoreña in the US, I have the responsibility to share with others our experiences and how our small pulgarcito is still thriving and surviving, al estilo Salvadoreño.

Most of us here in the US aren’t hearing about what’s really happening in El Salvador today, or if we do, it’s only bad news. Before getting involved with CISPES, I had no idea that the new government had launched a national literacy campaign or that over 100,000 adults like Rosa Elena had already graduated!

That’s why our work is so important right now. With the support of CISPES’ national organizers, our chapter members are sharing our experiences in every way we can – organizing presentations, publishing articles (check this one out!), talking to our families, and recruiting our fellow students to join the next brigade.

The training and support we’ve received from CISPES has been essential for us, especially as student activists – thank you for your support to make it possible! Your on-line donation will be doubled – but only before October 9th. Thank you!

En solidaridad,

Tamara Gonzalez, UC Santa Cruz

P.S. Your support for CISPES today will allow us to turn our experiences into action! We’re over half-way toward our goal of $5,000!