Teaching to Thrive
CESTA
CESTA's goal is to promote the empowerment of community organizations and municipalities in El Salvador to improve their quality of life in harmony with the environment. Their primary areas of work focus on transportation, health, and the environment. Through the EcoBici program, CESTA is bringing bikes to the streets of San Salvador and teaching young men a valuable tool through its mechanic training program. Read more about CESTA's work on our blog.
Centro Escolar Milagro- "Miracle School"
Life in and around San Marcos is plagued by street gangs and violence. Giving kids an alternative by keeping them active in school is helping educators fight back against crime. Through the EcoBici program offered by CESTA, kids at Miracle School have the chance to build social skills while learning bike mechanics in the repair shop. Being part of the strong, positive community at CESTA, at-risk youth are given alternatives to gang life and access to job opportunities. Find out more about life in San Salvador and the difference one school is making...
Centro Escolar Caserío El Porvenir- "Future School"
Finding Hope in the Future
Switching gears to the remote western coast, El Zapote is a community far from the gang life that defines El Salvador. But it is not without its own struggles. Situated along the border of Guatemala, communities in the hamlet of Porvenir are constantly losing family and friends to nearby 'coyotes' waiting on the edge of town to transport immigrants across the border. The Director of the school in El Zapote partnered up with CESTA in 2015 to bring opportunity to these troubled teens through the popular EcoBici program offered in San Marcos. Find out what El Zapote is doing to help its students and how Bikes for the World got involved to bring bikes to this rural community.
Edgardo commutes to school by bicycle. He loved the idea of learning how to work on bikes as part of this special program offered by his school. He now knows how to make light repairs and continues to practice in the shop set up at the school. He hopes to open his own shop some day.
Lisandro is a bike mechanic and student at El Zapote. He lives three miles from school and uses a bike to get to class. He enjoys working with tools and fixing bikes for his community. He hopes to become an architect someday.
Marlon borrows his dad's bike to run errands for his family. He loved learning a trade while participating in CESTA's bike program. He thinks bikes are important to help people get around efficiently while protecting the environment from pollution. He hopes to become a doctor or teacher when he graduates.
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