Los Angelitos El Salvador

Established in 2004, our current project implementing partner, Asociación Los Angelitos has been committed to working directly with families in rural areas living in poverty to extreme poverty, and who do not have access to state-provided services. Currently supporting 600 families and 200 young people with disabilities, they provide access to education and physical therapy sessions, promote relationship and capacity building, and decrease biases seen towards peoples with disabilities in the country. Asociación Los Angelitos organizes through public and political advocacy and collective action to promote the rights of people with disabilities, as they challenge governments to provide those with disabilities equal opportunity within society. They strive for a country that is inclusive and compassionate and does not view individuals with disabilities as a burden to society.

The key focus areas for this project are

(1) Organizing through public and political advocacy and collective action to promote the rights of people with disabilities, and

(2) prioritizing the habilitation and rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities.

This will be achieved through key activities, including but not limited to facilitating job skills development, supporting youth in obtaining employment, increasing access to forms of education, promoting autonomy and increasing decision-making skills, formulating training plans for families and caregivers to understand the legal rights of their child with a disability, and increasing relationship building through community events.

Asociación Los Angelitos will help young people with disabilities gain the confidence to tell their testimonies, with the goal of invoking change at a government and institutional level.