El SalvadorEl Salvador

Helping moms & babies at ES0893

You are changing the lives of moms and babies at the Caserío Puerto El Flor Survival Program. Here’s how.

Mom's & BabiesMom's & Babies
Helping moms & babies at ES0893
Back to All Reports

The Need

Of the 5.2 million children who die around the world each year, 75 per cent die in the first year of life. Babies are at risk of death due to premature birth complications, complications during childbirth, infections, pneumonia and diarrhea. But this is preventable. With training and support, moms in poverty can be empowered to raise healthy and happy babies.

Our Response

Critical care
Your support helps secure access to pre- and postnatal care, skilled birth attendants and medical intervention when necessary.

Home-based care
Mothers are visited in their homes monthly by a Survival specialist, who offers education in prenatal care and early child-rearing as well as one-on-one biblical mentoring.

Group-based learning
At these church-based activities, moms learn skills to earn an income and gain vital knowledge including basic literacy, the importance of breastfeeding and how to prevent malnutrition and disease. These groups combat isolation through a supportive community of mothers who, together, learn about the God who loves them.

El Salvador Stats

Average number of children in household 3
Average age of first-time mothers 20
Births attended by skilled health personnel 100
Stunted growth from malnutrition 14

Activities

Early stimulation: Babies enjoyed playing in the early stimulation room at the church facility. The room contained different toys, instruments, balls, books and soft play equipment to stimulate the senses and promote physical, cognitive and social development. Program staff also taught caregivers about the importance of providing children with regular, age-appropriate stimulating activities at home.

Nutrition: Survival moms received a monthly food basket containing a variety of nutritious foods. Moms learned from nutritionists about the importance of a balanced diet and how to cook different meals for their children based on their age and abilities. Moms were so thankful! Moms also received breastfeeding support and were encouraged to practise exclusive breastfeeding when possible.

Home visits: Staff visited moms regularly in their homes. They offered prayer, support and personalized care based on the needs of each family and built strong relationships with the moms. Staff also used this time to teach moms one-on-one lessons on topics like communication and language development, nutrition and developmental milestones. Staff assessed each child to monitor their growth and development.

Spiritual nurture: Staff distributed a Bible to each mom, encouraging them to regularly read scripture and read Bible stories to their children. Program staff, along with the church pastor, also shared devotionals and prayed with caregivers and their families. Moms heard the gospel message and learned the importance of raising their children up in the ways of the Lord.

Group activities: Moms had the opportunity to develop healthy relationships with one another during regular group activities and meetings. At monthly meetings, staff taught moms on topics such as childcare, nutrition, child protection and hygiene. Moms also participated in fun celebrations, such as birthday parties and Christmas celebrations, which showed how important and special the babies are to God and the church.

Physical health: Babies received regular height and weight checks to monitor their growth and look for signs of malnutrition. If needed, families were given supplements, vitamins and medications. Mothers also attended a workshop on the importance of vaccinations and following the first-year schedule. They learned that vaccinations are free and how to ensure their children receive them.

Project Stats

This intervention addressed:

Breastfeeding Moms 3
Malnourished Babies - Moderately Underweight 7
Early stimulation: Babies enjoyed playing in the early stimulation room at the church facility. The room contained different toys, instruments, balls, books and soft play equipment to stimulate the senses and promote physical, cognitive and social development. Program staff also taught caregivers about the importance of providing children with regular, age-appropriate stimulating activities at home.
Early stimulation: Babies enjoyed playing in the early stimulation room at the church facility. The room contained different toys, instruments, balls, books and soft play equipment to stimulate the senses and promote physical, cognitive and social development. Program staff also taught caregivers about the importance of providing children with regular, age-appropriate stimulating activities at home.
Early stimulation: Babies enjoyed playing in the early stimulation room at the church facility. The room contained different toys, instruments, balls, books and soft play equipment to stimulate the senses and promote physical, cognitive and social development. Program staff also taught caregivers about the importance of providing children with regular, age-appropriate stimulating activities at home.
Early stimulation: Babies enjoyed playing in the early stimulation room at the church facility. The room contained different toys, instruments, balls, books and soft play equipment to stimulate the senses and promote physical, cognitive and social development. Program staff also taught caregivers about the importance of providing children with regular, age-appropriate stimulating activities at home.
Nutrition: Survival moms received a monthly food basket containing a variety of nutritious foods. Moms learned from nutritionists about the importance of a balanced diet and how to cook different meals for their children based on their age and abilities. Moms were so thankful! Moms also received breastfeeding support and were encouraged to practise exclusive breastfeeding when possible.
Nutrition: Survival moms received a monthly food basket containing a variety of nutritious foods. Moms learned from nutritionists about the importance of a balanced diet and how to cook different meals for their children based on their age and abilities. Moms were so thankful! Moms also received breastfeeding support and were encouraged to practise exclusive breastfeeding when possible.
Nutrition: Survival moms received a monthly food basket containing a variety of nutritious foods. Moms learned from nutritionists about the importance of a balanced diet and how to cook different meals for their children based on their age and abilities. Moms were so thankful! Moms also received breastfeeding support and were encouraged to practise exclusive breastfeeding when possible.
Nutrition: Survival moms received a monthly food basket containing a variety of nutritious foods. Moms learned from nutritionists about the importance of a balanced diet and how to cook different meals for their children based on their age and abilities. Moms were so thankful! Moms also received breastfeeding support and were encouraged to practise exclusive breastfeeding when possible.
Home visits: Staff visited moms regularly in their homes. They offered prayer, support and personalized care based on the needs of each family and built strong relationships with the moms. Staff also used this time to teach moms one-on-one lessons on topics like communication and language development, nutrition and developmental milestones. Staff assessed each child to monitor their growth and development.
Home visits: Staff visited moms regularly in their homes. They offered prayer, support and personalized care based on the needs of each family and built strong relationships with the moms. Staff also used this time to teach moms one-on-one lessons on topics like communication and language development, nutrition and developmental milestones. Staff assessed each child to monitor their growth and development.
Home visits: Staff visited moms regularly in their homes. They offered prayer, support and personalized care based on the needs of each family and built strong relationships with the moms. Staff also used this time to teach moms one-on-one lessons on topics like communication and language development, nutrition and developmental milestones. Staff assessed each child to monitor their growth and development.
Home visits: Staff visited moms regularly in their homes. They offered prayer, support and personalized care based on the needs of each family and built strong relationships with the moms. Staff also used this time to teach moms one-on-one lessons on topics like communication and language development, nutrition and developmental milestones. Staff assessed each child to monitor their growth and development.
Spiritual nurture: Staff distributed a Bible to each mom, encouraging them to regularly read scripture and read Bible stories to their children. Program staff, along with the church pastor, also shared devotionals and prayed with caregivers and their families. Moms heard the gospel message and learned the importance of raising their children up in the ways of the Lord.
Spiritual nurture: Staff distributed a Bible to each mom, encouraging them to regularly read scripture and read Bible stories to their children. Program staff, along with the church pastor, also shared devotionals and prayed with caregivers and their families. Moms heard the gospel message and learned the importance of raising their children up in the ways of the Lord.
Spiritual nurture: Staff distributed a Bible to each mom, encouraging them to regularly read scripture and read Bible stories to their children. Program staff, along with the church pastor, also shared devotionals and prayed with caregivers and their families. Moms heard the gospel message and learned the importance of raising their children up in the ways of the Lord.
Spiritual nurture: Staff distributed a Bible to each mom, encouraging them to regularly read scripture and read Bible stories to their children. Program staff, along with the church pastor, also shared devotionals and prayed with caregivers and their families. Moms heard the gospel message and learned the importance of raising their children up in the ways of the Lord.
Group activities: Moms had the opportunity to develop healthy relationships with one another during regular group activities and meetings. At monthly meetings, staff taught moms on topics such as childcare, nutrition, child protection and hygiene. Moms also participated in fun celebrations, such as birthday parties and Christmas celebrations, which showed how important and special the babies are to God and the church.
Group activities: Moms had the opportunity to develop healthy relationships with one another during regular group activities and meetings. At monthly meetings, staff taught moms on topics such as childcare, nutrition, child protection and hygiene. Moms also participated in fun celebrations, such as birthday parties and Christmas celebrations, which showed how important and special the babies are to God and the church.
Group activities: Moms had the opportunity to develop healthy relationships with one another during regular group activities and meetings. At monthly meetings, staff taught moms on topics such as childcare, nutrition, child protection and hygiene. Moms also participated in fun celebrations, such as birthday parties and Christmas celebrations, which showed how important and special the babies are to God and the church.
Group activities: Moms had the opportunity to develop healthy relationships with one another during regular group activities and meetings. At monthly meetings, staff taught moms on topics such as childcare, nutrition, child protection and hygiene. Moms also participated in fun celebrations, such as birthday parties and Christmas celebrations, which showed how important and special the babies are to God and the church.
Group activities: Moms had the opportunity to develop healthy relationships with one another during regular group activities and meetings. At monthly meetings, staff taught moms on topics such as childcare, nutrition, child protection and hygiene. Moms also participated in fun celebrations, such as birthday parties and Christmas celebrations, which showed how important and special the babies are to God and the church.
Group activities: Moms had the opportunity to develop healthy relationships with one another during regular group activities and meetings. At monthly meetings, staff taught moms on topics such as childcare, nutrition, child protection and hygiene. Moms also participated in fun celebrations, such as birthday parties and Christmas celebrations, which showed how important and special the babies are to God and the church.
Physical health: Babies received regular height and weight checks to monitor their growth and look for signs of malnutrition. If needed, families were given supplements, vitamins and medications. Mothers also attended a workshop on the importance of vaccinations and following the first-year schedule. They learned that vaccinations are free and how to ensure their children receive them.
Physical health: Babies received regular height and weight checks to monitor their growth and look for signs of malnutrition. If needed, families were given supplements, vitamins and medications. Mothers also attended a workshop on the importance of vaccinations and following the first-year schedule. They learned that vaccinations are free and how to ensure their children receive them.
Pastor Ramiro

ReportA message from a pastor

Hello, it is such a pleasure to greet you! My name is Ramiro. God has allowed me to be the pastor at the church Iglesia Santuario Bautista El Nazareno, where the ES0893 child development centre operates, in Puerto El Flor, in the town of Usulután in El Salvador.

My role in the the Survival program is to provide support through speeches of spiritual advice given to the mothers enrolled in the Survival program.

I thank God for putting the desire in your hearts to provide economical support for the Survival program to operate. Through this, mothers and their newborn children are blessed. Among the most outstanding, we have been able to work with professional services of two specialists: one in the area of nutrition and the other in the area of early stimulation to be able to obtain better results in taking care of both the mothers and their babies.

Also, in the spiritual area, we have given them Bibles. The staff from the church and I have shared spiritual lessons so that they may receive the benefit of salvation. This program makes a difference by impacting babies and mothers directly through medical care checkups, medicines, delivery of food packages, delivery of mosquito nets to avoid diseases produced by mosquito bites and delivery of water filters to avoid diseases produced by bacteria, which they may get by drinking untreated water.

In the coming months, after planning with the mothers, we want to implement a learning and entrepreneurship workshops on making soap, bleach and disinfectant with the purpose of seeing a way of generating income that benefit the families. Also, we want them to implement home farms.

I thank God and you for joining this noble cause, which brings happiness and wellness to the Survival families. We ask for your prayers for the church so that it can continue serving the babies of our community.

Pastor Ramiro
Michelle

ReportA message from those your gift helped

My name is Michelle. I am 18 years old and I am part of the ES0893 child development centre in El Salvador. I am very thankful to God and to you because it is thanks to you that I am able to be part of this wonderful Survival program.

I want to share with you about the great blessing that God has granted me, which is to have my family. My family is made by my husband Ramon and my beautiful baby girl, Ruth. Ruth is six months old and she makes us happy with her presence. She is a very calm and smiley girl. She really likes us to pamper her and she is very loving.

When Ruth arrived in our lives, I felt like the happiest woman in the world because I could finally see and touch her. I wept when I held her for the first time in my arms because I could finally have my baby next to me.

When I joined the Survival program, Ruth was five months old. In my case, the lessons help me a lot because of the diverse themes that they share with us. We are learning to take better care of our babies, how to prevent common diseases and, most importantly, we are learning about the Word of God and the love that He has for us.

Thanks to God, we enjoy many benefits from the program including basic food packages, medical checkups and consultations, mosquito nets, a water filter, toys and Bibles.

Ruth is reaching milestones and can now say some clear and comprehensible words. She is also learning to crawl. At first, she did not want to do it because she wanted to walk at once. But thanks to the early stimulation lessons from the centre, I learned that it is important that babies crawl before walking.

I have been really blessed and I am thankful to each of you because without your help, all this would not be possible. Thank you for the support that we are receiving. I will be praying for each of you, for God to keep you in good health and to bless your lives in a great way. I ask you to please pray for us, too.

I say goodbye with much fondness,

Michelle
Alexander

ReportA message from a partnership facilitator

My name is Alexander and I am the partnership facilitator in the east area of El Salvador. It is a privilege to greet you. I wish that your life, work, business and family are being directed under the blessing of God.

Currently, God allows me the privilege of facilitating the church Iglesia Bautista Santuario El Nazareno, where the ES0893 centre is located—where the Survival program is implementedand where the children and their families receive the benefits of such a wonderful program. Without a doubt, the Survival program offers intensive support for the mothers. Through the program, they and their babies receive access to medical and prenatal checkups, specialized care if required and medical treatments. They learn how to prevent diseases transmitted by vectors, safe water consumption, orientation on personal hygiene and how to properly prepare food. They also learn about consumption of nutritious foods, caring for their babies when they cry, growth monitoring, vaccines and education about the development and early stimulation of their babies. All of this is an enormous blessing for the life of the mother and her baby. Though our public health system offers these services, most of the mothers have difficulty accessing health care centres because they either live too far away or they do not have the resources to travel, representing a real challenge for their care.

Through the Survival program, the church works on developing and supporting spiritual growth. All of the mothers who participate in the program receive the Word of God through in-person or online devotionals as well as personalized visits from the implementer. During these visits, moms receive personal and marriage advice. Group activities and meetings are also performed, where moms are given Bible lessons and are encouraged to attend services at church and to give their hearts to Jesus as their personal Saviour. After babies are born, they are presented before the congregation, where everyone prays for the life of the baby and his or her family; this practice allows the mothers and their families to surrender to Christ. It also convinces people that the program and the church are such a blessing in the process of transforming lives and are changing contextual realities in the community.

Every month, moms in the Survival program recieve basic food packages to support food security and family economy. In addition, the church includes many mothers in income generation initiatives where they make home vegetable gardens and raise meat chickens for consumption or to sell locally. Moms recieve support for their small businesses and participate in income generating workshops (baking cakes, etc.).

I express my most sincere gratitude for your invaluable support, which is helping to diminish poverty and decrease the maternal and child death rate. Without this support, some children would not even reach five years of age. I say goodbye with a big hug. I am sure that God will multiply abundantly the good work that you do on behalf of our children.

Alexander