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The people of Joya

Grande taught me

so much; they

helped me realize

just howunconnected I was

to the people around

me and how

judgmental I waseveryday.

From them I

learned the

importance of

family and how to

open up myself to

others.

Nicole Du Brebeuf

Jesuit

But you are here, and we are not alone

Don Patricio, President of Joya Grande, referring to

CEIBAs support during Tropical Storm Agatha. Finally, it will demand the committed participation of numerous actorsacross the thresholds of space, class, and time. It has already begun

through the processes of constructive expression and interaction takingplace through Fundacin CEIBA and only time will tell whether the seeds

of constructive change will grow into a new narrative for the people of

Santiago Texacuangos. Jenna Knapp

\

WHO WE ARE

CEIBA (Construyendo Espacios

Integrales para el Bienestar

Ambiental), Constructing Integrated

Spaces for Environmental Well-being

Vision:

Be a foundation that promotes

sustainable community organization

that manages the natural resources,

well being, and social development of

Santiago Texacuangos.

Mission:

Gives community members the tools

to organize themselves in order to

generate:environmental

consciousness, alternatives sources of

income, food sovereignty, risk

management, mental health, and

gender equality.

Our Staff:

Rafael Flores: Painter/Entreprenuer/ Html-er.

Dany Portillo: Sociological Culturalist

Mercedes Monge: Social Worker

Jonathan Velasquez: Poet/Lawyer/Accountant

Beth Tellman: Coordinator/ Gringo Relations

Vladimir Jimenez: Organic Agronomist

TROPICAL STORM AGATHA MAY 29-31 2010

CEIBA Bustles Before the Storm

This time, we were ready. Mercedes stays on top of allhurricane and weather reports; because she knows

prevention is key.

Beth Tellman

http://friendsofsantamaria.blogspot.com/,

www.ceibaelsalvador.org

Newsletter

JUNE 2010

Colectivo CEIBA

Friends of Santiago Texacuangos Constructing Integral Spaces for Environmental Well-Being

(Formerly Known as FRIENDS OF SANTIAGO TEXACUANGOS)

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ORGANIC AGRICULTURE unfortunately lost its first crop of tomatoes

and onions due to rains in Agatha. Fortunately, Vladimir, our agronomist,

has back ups of carrots, cabbage, and other vegetables, working with a

different seed or crop every few weeks to promote diversification and

reduce risk of loss (in storms like Agatha, for example). This month,

Vladimir will help communities plant communal corn plots, to experiment

with the heirloom corn their grandparents used to sow, but which has

been lost over the years (Vladimir had to go to a national seed bank to

obtain samples)! These experimental plots will be used for seed saving

and climate adaptability to try and understand WHICH corn grows best in

the Lake Ilopango Basin. Its not your average corn that grows well in

white volcanic soil, but that all weve got!

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION is focusing on disaster

preparedness and relief. Most importantly, Mercedes has

forged links with the Civil Protection Agency (El Salvadors

FEMA) and CEIBA is the NGO representative for the municipal

Civil Protection Committee. She has formed Civil Protection

Communal Committees in the 3 communities we work in as

replicable models for the rest of Santiago Texacuangos. Eachcommunity is divided up into sectors with one leader. This

central group of leaders divide disaster responsibilities to act

as firstresponders for health, evacuation, shelter preparation,

donation acceptance etc. Mercedes is helping direct the Food

forWork Program (a UN program where each participating

family must work 80 hours to receive monthly rations) into a

foodfor soil conservation project for each community,

planning reforestation and terracing projects to prevent future

landslides.

PROJECT UPDATES AND

PLANS FOR THE

ART THERAPY/TRAUMA THERAPY: May 15 marked the

close of trauma therapy for children 612 undertaken with

Anmutspical. The participation of 80+ children in Joya Grande

was a success, and parents have commented on increased

tranquility and playfulness of their children. Each child was

gifted with a set of fingerpaints, colored pencils, and paper,

and encouraged to use art to make themselves a safe space

next time they feel afraid of the rain. Rafa continues his

painting therapy school, with plans to develop artistic skills into

marketable products like stationary. We are planning a muralthe 2nd week in august to commemorate lives lost during the

disaster. Rafa has also been busy creating a Spanish website

check out www.ceibaelsalvador.org.

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Page 3

SOCIOCULTURALANIMATION

Dany continues to work with youth, transitioning from individual reflection/

emotional health to having each youth study the sociology of his or her family.

As youth understand each other and their community, they are coming up with

creative solutions to identified problems. In Joya Grande for example, youth

organized a literacy project, and CEIBA connected them to Salvadoran Ministryof Education. 7 young people (ages 1624) are being trained in the Cuban

method, and will then have access to FREE education materials to try and

increase literacy rates in their home communities.

FUTURE PLANS AND SUPPORT

CEIBA has teamed up with the US Army Civil Affairs Division to identify priority projects for communities.

Tours with Capitan Pearman June 1617 in El Sauce, Joya Grande, and Santa Maria will hopefully yield

material donations so communities can rebuild schools, walls, and footbridges. CEIBA also teamed up withNGOs FUNDESYRAM and PROCOMES to apply for USAID funds June 18th to integrate agriculture and

nutrition, install early warning disaster systems, fully equip emergency committees, implement trauma

therapy for the elderly, and more for 20102012 (fingers crossed that grant is accepted!).

Beth Tellman, CEIBAs coordinator, will be in El Salvador for the next two years as well thanks to support

from VMM (Volunteer Missionary Movement a Christian Organization which supports volunteers in social

justice projects in Latin America and Africa). Email vmm@vmmusa.org for more information on how to

donate to VMM and help Beth reach her goal of $7,000 to stay in El Salvador (visit http://www.vmmusa.org/

donatenow.html to donate via paypal). She will also be fundraising in the Indianapolis area Aug. 23 Sept.

8th. Email us if you would like to have Beth come and speak about her research and/or experiences!

Item Cost

Gas $1,187.00

Salaries for 5 Staff $ 7,505.00

Technology ( boombox, external harddrive,computer)

$ 348.96

Workshop Materials $ 897.02

Communications $ 655.00

Vehicle Maintenance $ 1,029.50

Emergency Food and Water $ 4,850.00Emergency Equipment ( flashlights, ropes,poncho, radios, tarp)

$ 3,948.50

Volunteers $ 502.25

Transportation (gas for cars not Beths) $ 500.00

Paperwork (copies, printing, office stuff) $ 90.00

website $ 50.00

Others (paypal transfers) $ 228.04

Total Spent (November 9 June 30) $ 21,791.27

Total Cash Available $ 13,777.00

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DID CEIBA PREVENT LANDSLIDES WITH BLACK AND BLUE TARPS?

Throughout the month of April 2010,

CEIBA raised $300 and received a

donation of black tarp from CatholicRelief Services (valued at $600) to try

and mitigate immediate risk before the onset of the

rainy season for the high-risk community of Los

Cruces and selected homes in El Sauce and Loma

Linda. The function of tarps is to cover hillsides

eroded from Ida susceptible to landslide by keeping

them dry and diverting water, thus reducing weight

from rain saturation, and subsequently risk of

landslides. This is a quick fix and the reality is that

families must either be relocated or find funding for expensive engineering projects ($50,000) that would

change the slope of the hillside. Plastic only protects the hillside for 1-2 rainy seasons until holes begin to

form, but buys CEIBA enough time to support communities and local governments in figuring out long term

solutions. But did the tarps actually work? So far, yes. Visits to beneficiary homes after Tropical Storm

Agatha at the end of May confirmed that in Los

Cruces, small landslides occurred on either side of

the community (the tarp-less part) where banana

plants were uprooted and slid down the hill. There

was no sign of erosion near houses, which was well

covered with tarp. CEIBA was convinced enough

with results to invest in $300 more in tarps for the

community of Shaltipa, which experienced serious

erosion after Agatha. Plastic is a cheap band-aid,

but a functional band-aid CEIBA can afford for

now. We are supporting initial talks with Ministry

of Housing and communities of Joya Grande and

Los Cruces to talk about relocation projects, which at best would occur 2013, and at worst, will never happen.

Meanwhile, plastic on steepest slopes and terracing where possible are necessary measures CEIBA is taking

to mitigate risk.

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REFLECTIONS FROM BREBEUF JESUIT HIGHSCHOOL (INDIANAPOLIS, IN)

IMMERSION TRIP IN JOYA GRANDE MARCH 2010

Friday, March 26th

In only a few short days I felt welcomed enough to

call the community my home, and that is something

extremely special for me. It's like El Salvador is my

roots, and something will always be pulling me back

there. I think that the reason I loved my experience

at Joya Grande so much is the emphasis on the

family and the community. Everyone there lived for

others first, never themselves. That's part of the

reason I felt so welcomed and loved there, and thereason why it has become a homeI wanted to take

the burden off of the people and carry it for them,

but it was also frightening because the fear of not

living up to that responsibility loomed in the back of

my mind. That idea is going to keep haunting me

until I find a way to make their impression of me

worthwhile; I will continue working to help them in

any way possible, because who would dare let their

family down?

Megan Ludwig Brebeuf Jesuit 12

When I told people that I was going to El Salvador overSpring Break, everyone told me that they were glad Iwas "doing community service" or "helping out thepoor," and when I explained to them that the trip wasn'ta service trip people kind of looked at me like "why areyou going then?" Reverse mission isn't about us goingover to another country to help them, it's about themhelping us. The community of Joya Grande was where Ifelt the true essence of reverse mission impacting methe most of all. The people of Joya Grande taught me somuch; they helped me realize just how unconnected Iwas to the people around me and how judgmental I waseveryday. From them I learned the importance offamily and how to open up myself to others. Theytaught me that wealth is not just monetary or material, but that wealth can also come from buildinrelationships. When I came back to the US, one of myfriends asked me, "So did you guys do service projectsin El Salvador?" and I have been reflecting on it eversince. Volunteering in the past has always left me witha feeling of accomplishment. However, now I realizethat service isn't just a one-time thing that you do onweekends; it's ongoing and never ending. In thisessence, I think my trip to El Salvador has planted theseeds for me to begin serving others, and it has mademe learn that the work I do is never really finished. Sonext time someone asks me if I did any service in ElSalvador I'll say, "No, I didn't help the people in ElSalvador, the people I met in El Salvador helped me." Itwas truly a life changing and heartbreaking experience

for me and I'm so grateful for that.

- Nicole Du Brebeuf Jesuit

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TROPICAL STORM AGATHA MAY 29-31 2010

CEIBA Bustles Before the Storm : This time, we were ready. Mercedes stays on top of all hurricane andweather reports; because she knows prevention is key. As early as Wed. May 26, CEIBA began organizingresponse to a possible disaster as rain poured on El Salvador for 6 days, dropping over 600mm of precipitation.

Thurs. May 27th, the decision was made to spend $300 in emergency preparation, hoping to receive donationsto recoup costs.

We purchased short-distance radios for sector leaders in Joya Grande, one long-wave radio for Mercedes, andropes, raincoats, and flashlights for first responders. CEIBA went to Joya Grande May 27 th to make anemergency evacuation plan. Fri. May 28th, Civil Protection had raised the warning alert from green to yellowas the low-pressure system gained strength. Sat. May 29th, the storm system gained strength and headedtowards the Guatemalan coast, with the name Tropical Storm Agatha. Noon of that day, alert was raised to

orange, and CEIBA was asked by Civil Protection to help evacuate Joya Grande.

Evacuating Joya Grande- what President Funes Didnt Know: CEIBA purchased more emergency

equipment to evacuate Joya Grande Saturday afternoon with government authorities, while Mercedes helpedwith logistics for a municipal shelter. 30 families- 108 women and children- were driven out of the communityright as water pipes broke, and flooding isolated all access roads to Joya Grande for the next 3 days. There wasno other way out- and no helicopters could land due to increase intensity of rain. We watched in apprehensionas orange alert changed to red, along with a declaration from President Funes who called for mandatoryevacuation of Joya Grande, among other communities around the country (San Ramon, Bajo Lempa, andmore). Spending a frustrating evening on the phone with Mercedes and terrified community members in JoyaGrande, we tried to piece together how the PRESIDENT could mandate evacuation WITHOUT SENDINGANYONE TO HELP EVACUATE! If not us, who? Armed with donations from CRS, key donors, and 12

volunteers, we set out to help evacuate Joya Grande Sunday May 30.

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By the time we reached Apulo (other side of lake Ilopango) to send Joya Grande gas and oil for evacuation by boat, along with other emergency supplies, the Red Cross had evacuated another 10 families. CEIBA sen

supplies to gracious community leaders, whose water system would remain broken for 10 days.

Evaluating Damages, Needs, and the Shelter:Santiago Texacuangos had little damage in Agatha. Except for26 families, who were left out of the Red Crosss plans. Donations were invested in aid for these families inJoya Grande who lost houses in Ida and were living in metal shacks (which re semble ovens) 1 kilometer from

the community. Thanks to support of NGO SACDEL and CEIBA donors, nearly $1,000 in food, water, andmedicine was delivered to these isolated families May 31 st. El Salvador lost 11 lives and 100 houses in more

affected parts of the country along the Guatemalan Border.

Analyzing Increased Resilience- Weakness and Strengths in Response : Agatha did not cause the level odestruction of Ida, It is clear lessons were learned from November 2009; there is increased cooperation between communities- NGO-government. Earlywarning and evacuation hasimproved, and the

municipal decision to havea shelter is Santiago is newand welcomed support forcommunities. Inter-communal support has alsoincreased, due tocommunication systemssupported by CEIBA.For example, when JoyaGrande was without waterfor a week, nearby

community Santa Maria dela Esperanza deliveredwater in barrels- muchcheaper and lesscomplicated than try tobring in bottled water form

San Salvador.

Communities themselves have a better understanding of their rights- community leaders from Joya Grande

publicly denounced lack of government support during Agatha on Radio Mi Gente (a radio show), pointing ou

that CEIBA was their only NGO support that was carrying out the governments responsibility. However, thesituation is far from perfect and several weaknesses were identified. The 320 families that did NOT leave Joya

Grande were in critical danger, and are lucky that no landslides fell. A few more hours of rain could have been

the difference between life and death. CEIBA played an important role, and Agatha proved increased

resilience to disaster of communities, but lacks the $$ to develop adequate communication systems for

efficient information gathering and early warning. Agatha made it more apparent than EVER the need for

advanced emergency and disaster preparation for Santiago Texacuangos, and CEIBA is actively seeking larger

donations to make such a project possible.

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TURNING EMOTIONAL

OBSERVATION INTO ACADEMIC

INQUIRY: excerpts from research inspired bySantiago Texacuangos

Ever-Present Past: Moving Forward in Post

Disaster El Salvador By Jenna Knapp

In the wake of disasters, a strategic peacebuilding

approach is crucial towards ensuring that the protection of future generations and the healing ofpast divisions are placed at the forefront of designingimmediate and long-term disaster relief. So-callednatural disasters can provide painfully clear insightinto the structural violence that plagues the lives of

the poor every day. In the words of Jon Sobrino,disasters in El Salvador serve to tear off the cosmetic

mask of the system causing promises of sustainable development to collapse beneath the countrys unsustainableeconomic infrastructure. Thus, the siren songs of democracy become a cacophony because the majorities are soabsolutely unequal before the law, and especially before life (Sobrino 2006: 68). Such tragedies must build awarenessand efforts to root out our other national tragedies: violence, political ineptitude, corruption, and the abandonment of

social leadership. This will require a careful examination of the past as it pertains to the pregnant present and outlines theway towardsjustpeace. It will call for the capacity to imagine relationships that necessarily see the past as alive, as partand parcel of how people, communities, and their futures evolve and will beg the deep questions of narrative oftenhidden from the eyes of pragmatic politics. Finally, it will demand the committed participation of numerous actors acrossthe thresholds of space, class, and time. It has already begun through the processes of constructive expression andinteraction taking place throughFundacin CEIBA and only time will tell whether the seeds of constructive change will

grow into a new narrative for the people of Santiago Texacuangos.

Community Resilience and Hurricane Ida:How

Marginalized Salvadorans Lacking NGO and Governmental

Support Cope with Climate Shock

Devastation from natural events, besides increasing

frequency from climate change, stem from mass migrationduring the civil war (1980-1992), rapid deforestation, and astruggling economy. Migration during the war is estimated at737,000 internally and 1.5 million externally; the majority ofinternal migration being rural to urban. The estimated population in Santiago before the Salvadoran civil war wasestimated at 8,965 in 1971, yet had nearly doubles to 16,295 by1992, and continued to grow to 23,212 by the year 2000. Therapid in-migration to the area caused rapid land use change, asforest cover was converted to chemical subsistence agriculture.Though adequate soil use for the area should be coffee farms,the war migration flux and 2001 Coffee Crisis have made coffee

unviable, and only 17.2% of the soil is considered to be usedinaccurately according to studies by an international geologistteam in 2004 (COSUDE). The deforestation has resulted in 88hillsides at risk of landslides, 9.23% of the territory (ibid).Clearly, rapid land use change has put many of its inhabitants atrisk, which they would experience November 2009.SantiagoTexacuangos has historically suffered from earthquakes, but notlandslides. The first recorded landslide is in 1929, with only 1life lost, Yet, the next recorded landslides are in 1998, 2007, 2008, and 2009, begging the question of how naturallandslides really are to the area. Graphs display exhibit statistical anlaysis of origins of inhabitants of 2 communities,

Joya Grande and Santa Maria de la Esperanza.

Figure 1: homogeneity of motivation for migration to Santa Maria.

N=72 and 41.

Figure 2: migration patterns over time, with the majority

migrating in the last 80s, at the peak of the civil war.

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Conference Tragedy and oppurtunity post disaster: Long Term

Community Development

By Rafael Flores

May 21-25th, Colectivo CEIBA, Colectivo

AMNUTSPICIAL, and leaders of the communities

of Santiago Texacuango and Verapaz (the most

afected communities during Hurricane Ida)

participated at the conference Tragedy an

oppurtunity post disaster: Long Term Community

Development in Honduras, organized by

Fulbrighters Ryan Alaniz and Beth Tellman.

We had an incredible opportunity to share with

Honduran NGOs and community leaders who built

two distinct housing projects after Hurricane Mitch.

The two different projects are located in the

beautiful Amarteca Valley, 50 miles away from Tegucigalpa in the communities of Divid

Providencia (around 800 houses) and Ciudad Espaa (over 1200 houses), where affected families from

Mitch moved after living in shelters for over 4 years.

The two projects where developed by two different organizations and using two different methods. The first,Fundacin Cristo del Picacho, is run by the Catholic Church in Honduras and presided by Cardinal

Rodrguez Maradiaga, who decided to build 800 houses with donations (mostly from Spain) and then sold the

houses to the people affected by the Hurricane, placing the rent money in a fund for community projects. The

Church exercises firm control over Divina Providencia, prohibiting the building of any other religious

building, for example.

The Honduran Red Cross, on the other hand, decided to involve the families at the building process, requiring

45 weeks of labor during the year of construction. The families were not required for the house, a very

different model from that of Divina Providencia, were families are still paying mortgage 12 years later.

Both projects are relatively successful 10 years after the Hurricane Mitch, however they have experienced

tension between community members, leaders, and the NGOs. We had separate session to hear each version

of the relative success of the project according to the NGO, and the frustrations of the local people over lack

of control of governance and accounting. Understanding pitfalls and best practices of these projects was a great

lesson for us, reminding us to continue to focus and improve on empowering people to be self-sustainable.

We want to thanks to the people of Honduras for the hospitality and friendship shown during the congress.

God Bless Centro Amrica.

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Laurie RedelmanCatholic Relief ServicesSACDELVoices on the Borderariel wong

marisha WickremsinheBrebeuf Immersion GroupRobyn Caponi

jefferey greenbergCatherine Melfi

john hawnTom LaughnerMarta LanglandJill Weaver in the Honor of Kristin FroehleBridget KoseneAnonymous French WomanAnmu TsipicalLeah WinnikiePatients of Dr. William Tellman

Linda and Clarence Hirsch

Seton InstituteCARECEN SFHariharan DhandapaniLeslie GrayThe Coffee Emporium at Xavier University,CinncinatiRuthelen BurnsBrebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School

Notre Dame University SOA GroupToby CapionFroehle FamilyShare FoundationMrs. Laura Halls Sixth Grade Homeroomand K-8 Students of St. Peters Catholic

School in Kansas City, MissouriCatherine FordXavier College Preparatory School,California

Janine Sheppard

Markus SchaufeleJohn MarrinAnne SchaufeleJoe and Liz KulesaLauren TroutThe Hupomone Fund

Shintaro Doi

Cathy PlumpThe Caponi Family

The Knapp Family

Valerie Gies

The Ravizza FamilyMargaret WatersMyles MintonAshton EasterdayDenise Kolenz

The Altemeyer FamilyBrebeuf Jesuit TeachersThe Angulo FamilyAlexis MielkeKatherine GerlichRichard BelcherVictoria SheltonKimberly CoppinBrian BelcherThe Belcher FamilyEmma CordesKatie PowerDave Graf/ Power of Touch

N. Karen Deming

Patrick SchweigerGrace Nixon

Mary Lynch

Chris and Dale Collins

Bill Easterday Family

Jim Forest

Lisa EnrightJenna KnappEmory LynchKaty ErkerFrancesca McKenzieTay House Christian

Community New OrleansSam Baker

Sadie Beauregard

Adrian Sandstrom

Frances Loberg

Ashton Easterday

Maggie HargraveJim LochheadThe Tellman FamilyMichael TellmanErin Whinnery

Elizabeth FatoutJulie King

Marta Petersen

Abby Reed

Cheryl Dieterly

Mr. and Mrs. KingBeth TellmanOlga Kudinova

Nana and Papa TellmanCastleton Family DentistryKennedy FamilyAmy FisherMike and Annie MartinBob and Karen DietrickEmily Pollomthe Pollom FamilyInner Peace Yoga StudentsLinda HegemanWynn McShaneJanie Shumakerthe Sapp Familythe Brumleve Family

Allie DunnePat FlajoleMegan RaimondiBetsy Purnerskander and tracy nassermeredith swinehartshelece easterdaykatherine gerlichmartha lehmannicholas sanchezanna kolhedeolivia amadonnick klinger

jesuit community brebeuf jesuit

preparatory schoolnicholas sanchezjulie walkerg paul petersondavid decosseemma jehleallison stohl

lara brandstetter

Debbie SahmThe Mancher FamilyTessa Weston

Natali RodriguezMatt TellmanCarol Crenshaw

Stafford and Clara PileTessa Brown

Lauren Rossi

Felipe Witcher

mallory schwarzmary wolfalicia quirosronald meadeddie alexander

maria eduarda cardosomandy sobrepenaallison rauschcharlotte karney

john hawnlaura redelmanau soleil healing inc.

jason parrymandy liebscher pearsonkyle ozawarachel blantonCarley KnappJennifer Frontkowski

Paul Knapp

Carrie ClarkMichelle BezansonErin SchlittsThomas CounsellBilly Sladekkimmanleyort.com

bradley coffmanBud FrutkinJennifer MoyanoChristopher WahoffJaclyn DittrichLeslie GarrisonBrain Bird

Amanda SkinnerChristopher ProctorParvaneh AngusKira HarveyCarol CounsellAllison FordBecky Dieschbourg

Michelle Reilly

Joeseph HeithausJL KatoThe Jesuits of the University

Central America

The Sullivan Family

Janine SheppardMary Ann Wallace

various anonymous families

FRIENDS OF SANTIAGO TEXACUANGOS

Thanks for your incredible support, especially to the immediate

response in emergency donations for Tropical Storm Agatha. CEIBA

could not accompany communities without you.