Supporting Community Leaders for Collective Action in Valle Verde
Supporting Community Leaders for Collective Action in Valle Verde
San Salvador, El Salvador - Since its founding in the early 1990s, the community of Valle Verde, located in the Apopa district in the department of San Salvador, El Salvador has faced water scarcity, poor waste management, poverty, violence, and insecurity. These challenges, compounded by historically persistent gang violence, have led to stigmatization, high levels of distrust, and a lack of connectedness between community members. USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) Central America Regional Initiative (CARI) is characterized by small-scale, short-term interventions that seek to strengthen social cohesion and civic engagement in vulnerable communities like Valle Verde. OTI’s work in Valle Verde prioritizes empowering local leaders to strengthen community action and build trust around shared priorities.
OTI/CARI
Iris: Strengthening Community Action and Relationships
Iris lives in Valle Verde and through her efforts to improve the environment and strengthen community relationships, she has built a reputation as a respected community leader and resource. Working with the local organization Asociación Salvadoreña de Educación Alternativa Bambú, Iris has been instrumental in a project, supported by OTI, to develop collective action opportunities and community agreements to address chronic issues related to environmental care, interpersonal community relations, and the use and maintenance of public spaces.
The goal of this activity was to establish shared norms and strengthen community bonds to overcome decades of violence and fractured trust between neighbors. For Iris, these agreements have done just that, significantly improving her neighbors’ ability to get along, cooperate with each other, and better communicate. "The first few days it was a challenge,” she says. “But now more people are picking up their trash, cleaning the gutters, and if they have pets, carrying waste bags to keep the walkways clear. We’re making progress and are going to keep improving, as long as we’re determined to do it.”
You can see the results of these agreements from the moment you enter the community, with green spaces and gutters no longer overflowing with mounds of garbage. However, the most significant impact has been the trust rebuilt among neighbors, and evident community pride. "It's really satisfying to see people collaborating,” notes Iris.
“Having a clean environment makes you feel good and these opportunities to clean together help us to better coexist.”
Before participating in the project, Iris was not active in the community and rarely left her house. Other than saying hello, she avoided her neighbors to prevent conflicts or misunderstandings. Now she considers herself a more sociable person, and through the course of the project, has made new friends like Jackeline Ramos. Jackeline commented, "I had never spoken to her in the two years I’ve lived here. She encouraged me to join the cleaning committee and now she’s the one who calls us when there are meetings."
Iris dreams of seeing a more active and integrated Valle Verde in the future—not only for her sake, but for future generations. She’s convinced that more people will join the community activities because "with a little effort, people can make a difference.
Carlos: A Catalyst for Community Events
Carlos has lived in Valle Verde for 22 years, but was never particularly involved in his community. Then, last summer, he participated in a workshop series called “Greener Valle Verde,” organized by local organization Fundación Quintanilla Amaya, with funding from OTI. During the workshops, OTI identified Carlos as a potential leader and offered him leadership development support to help him better serve his community. Within four months, he was asked to serve as president of the newly-created Valle Verde Festivities Committee.
"Many people didn't know me in the neighborhood,” notes Don Carlos, as community members affectionately call him. “Now that they identify me as part of the committee, they tell me, 'We need your support here.’ I have the responsibility to share information to see what we can do," he says.
Before establishing the Festivities Committee, Valle Verde had no way to promote and coordinate community events. The new committee serves as a way for community members to reclaim public spaces and restore bonds between neighbors which were broken through historical violence and fear.
Don Carlos’ first step as president was to organize a holiday festival, the first ever in Valle Verde, which also celebrated the 30th anniversary of the community’s founding. Liliana Pineda is part of the committee. "He’s one of the people who has been there since the activities began,” she says, expressing appreciation for Don Carlos' leadership and perseverance. “He encourages us in this new challenge and pushes us to do our part because we want to see a better Valle Verde."
Don Carlos is committed to growing as a leader in Valle Verde because he sees the positive changes in his community—including more events and better communication among his neighbors—since OTI CARI activities began.
