Foundation Cristosal Andrea Rodriguez’16 Foundation Cristosal San Salvador, El Salvador

Working with Foundation Cristosal Conducted research and analyzed the data collected to write white papers on all of the projects that Foundation Cristosal is working on. Conducted interviews with representatives of government institutions, NGOs and university professors. Attended meetings with community leaders and municipal governments.

Communities This summer we worked with the communities of Las Anemonas and El Carmen. We visited both of them several times to conduct studies and interviews that we needed to write the white papers. Las Anemonas is a community in San Martin internally displaced by a storm in November 2009 that washed away all of their homes and livelihoods. El Carmen is a community founded in 1992 by ex- combatants and displaced people who were given land at the signing of the UN Peace Accords that ended El Salvador’s 12 year civil war. Cristosal has worked with them for more than 7 years.

Las Anemonas

El Carmen

Impact on Cristosal Writing the white papers on each of their projects helped them re-focus on what their goals and objectives really are. It facilitated the process of seeking funds from investors It helped them be more efficient on the next steps they needed to take to reach their goals

Impact on my career & academic choices Working with Cristosal has impelled me and encouraged me to get more involved in Latin American affairs and possibly get a certificate in Latin American Studies. I have become very passionate in the role human rights takes in economic development. I am sure I will continue researching about the rights-based approach.

Exploring Central America This summer I took the chance of exploring El Salvador and other countries in Central America. I have a passion for traveling and I believe it transforms us. It connects us to different cultures, allows us to learn about the history of other countries and awakens our curiosity to always keep learning. I had the chance of visiting places near San Salvador: Santa Ana, Jilquilisco, Playa el Cuco, Lago Coatepeque and El Tunco. I also had the amazing opportunity of visiting Antigua and Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.

Personal Growth Spending my summer abroad affected me in many ways. I acquired work-specific skills like how to write white papers, how to effectively conduct interviews and how to work in a team as well as individually. I am also glad to say that I made many local friends with whom I had very interesting conversations. For example, I had the chance to interview a priest and a feminist professor regarding a similar topic. Even though they both had different views about a certain topic, hearing and taking into account both opinions helped me grow as a person. I learned to really listen to everyone’s opinion and take them into account as no one’s opinion is more important, which I think is my definition of humility.