About Manos amigas

OUR COMMITMENT

To develop the skills of families in need necessary for gainful employment, suitable housing, while providing accessible healthcare.

For all families to provide for themselves and contribute to sustainable communities.

Manos Amigas is born in El Salvador after the earthquakes of 2001.
In November of that year Manos Amigas is officially recognized as a nonprofit organization and begins helping the towns of Santa Lucia Los Palones in Panchimalco.
Manos Amigas begins creating local crafts with designs utilizing the Morro fruit by local artist, Negra (Margarita) Alvarez.
A group of local craftswomen is formed. This group will found the Manos Amigas Workshop.
Manos Amigas opens a medical clinic.
First visit to COSOCIAL, a nonprofit in Madrid, Spain that partners with Manos Amigas in building houses for those in need.

The local municipality of San Luis Talpa loans a lot in the town of Miraflores III, in the department of La Paz where Manos Amigas moves its workshop.
The housing project starts in Santa Lucia Los Palones, completing 160 homes.
With aid from a donor, Manos Amigas builds a new and improved workshop.
The workshop reopens, employing local women from the area.
In 2005, the clinic is relocated to Miraflores.

The workshop is expanded and industrial machinery is acquired to cut and treat the Morro and compressed wood.
300 homes are built.
Due to the damage from tropical storms, COSOCIAL and ASI (Industrial association of El Salvador) partner with Manos Amigas to give provisions to affected people.
The Manos Amigas clinic partners with Santa Cristina, a local school, to offer primary medical services free of charge.

Manos Amigas opens a store in the El Salvador Intl. Airport.
Manos Amigas begins offering employment skills courses for those in need.
A water well opens for the community of Sueño Imposible, in the municipality of San Luis Talpa.
Mitigation work is done for landslides in the creeks by the Manos Amigas workshop.
Manos Amigas begins bringing doctors from New York for annual medical visits.
Manos Amigas repairs the septic tanks and bathrooms at Santa Cristina school in San Luis Talpa.
To date, 561 permanent houses have been built.

Alliance with Foundation Una Mano Amiga to strengthen the Nutrition program and support the Miraflores community.
Home improvement project, financed by private donor. Strengthening of the Miraflores Crafts Workshop with equipment, machinery, tools and supplies.
Incorporation of new donors to give continuity to the programs. Participation in fairs and events for the commercialization of artisan products.
Obtaining a license to use the Country Brand «El Salvador, great as its people.»
Store relocation and remodeling at El Salvador International Airport
Alliance with a private company for the manufacture of products in the Miraflores community
Development of new markets and diversification of products made at the Miraflores Workshop.
Start of the project Generando Oportunidades, with entrepreneurs of artisan products.
Incorporation of donor companies for the provision of medicines at the Miraflores clinic
Financing of the proyect ‘Empoderamiento económico y social de Jóvenes del Municipio de San Luis Talpa, Departamento de La Paz’, with financing from the León City Council and the Cauce Foundation.
Emergency Response for COVID- 19 and Tormenta Amanda with actions to support food security in vulnerable communities with the delivery of around 3,600 food packages and 3.00 lunches.
Inter-institutional coordination to support the emergency, with social aid organizations.

Delivery of seed capital to 4 people to promote entrepreneurial initiatives
Start of training in the textile sector where 25 people from vulnerable communities benefit to promote future ventures.