EcoViva has a lot to celebrate this month!  We told you how we were going to celebrate the legacy of Archbishop Oscar Romero with a special presentation of the film, “Voces Inocentes” with screenwriter Oscar Torres.

The evening proved to be even more amazing and profound than we expected.  We all walked away impacted by the incredible work and wisdom that Oscar Torres shared with us throughout the night.  Furthermore, the event was a great success for supporting our partner communities in El Salvador: we raised over $2,000 for a youth-led literacy campaign initiated at the end of last year in the Bajo Lempa region!

Just as importantly, we got to spread the word about the groundbreaking work our partner organizations in El Salvador are doing with lots of new supporters.

The inspirational achievements of these communities never cease to amaze us.  On March 16th, the Salvadoran government held a ceremony celebrating their official recognition of the unique mangrove forest conservation plan that our partner communities have been developing since 2008.  Working with authorities, communities have established agreements to regulate how fish, crabs, and timber are sustainably harvested from the estuary.

Taking the reins to protect their environment, our partners are ensuring that these resources will continue to provide for a local way of life for hundreds of families, for years to come.  With the government’s recognition, this agreement is the first of its kind in El Salvador.  We are hopeful that authorities will consider adopting this community-led conservation model in other areas of the country.

This month, EcoViva has been provided with a special opportunity to support such pioneering work. Between April 1-30, EcoViva is participating in the GlobalGiving Foundation April Open Challenge.

If we raise $4,000 from 50 unique donors within this time we will win a permanent spot on the GlobalGiving website.   This is a huge opportunity for us to gain national attention!  Plus, every dollar raised in this time will be matched another dollar to support the youth-led literacy campaign!

Click here to learn more about the campaign and donate now!

As always, thank you for your support!

Carlos Martinez
Communications Manager