When the war ended in El Salvador in 1992, the post-war gave way to a series of political currents and arguments on how to rebuild a country torn apart by war. The key issue that stood out to our people in Guarjila, Chalatenango was that education would be paramount in rebuilding the country. As soon as the Tamarindo was born, education became the new “weapon” to break the chains of poverty and the foundation in building alternatives to violence, crime (gangs were not an issue yet) and forced migration. From our first days of teaching ex-combatants literacy and basic math to our 31 university students preparing themselves today for the Salvadoran job market, we believe that education and job creation are the most important works of the Tamarindo Foundation.
The following traces the work of education in the Tamarindo:
- Literacy classes for ex-combatants
- Teacher training
- Tamarindo provides school supplies, shoes and uniforms for grade school students
- First group of students to graduate from grade school
- First group of students to attend universities
- Founding of the Gandhi House, a college dorm in San Salvador
- Joe Albers creates the Jon Cortina Scholarship program
- Jon Cortina Scholarship program includes technical and vocational programs
- Magali Tobar, Sonia Navarro and Jaqueline Molina graduate from university in Public Relations, Education and Nursing
- Jon Cortina scholars work in mentoring program for grade and high school students
- Reading program introduced to Tamarindo
- First group of students to attend high school in Chalatenango City
- Introduction of technology (basic computers)
- First group of students to attend university in Cuba
- Dr. Jaime Rodil graduates in cardiology from Cuba's Latin American Medical School
- Jon Cortina Scholarship program provides 31 university and technical training scholarships
- Scholarships provided for students to choose schools outside of Guarjila
- First high school graduating class
- Santos Alfaro graduates from university in Cuba in physical education and sports management
- Manuel Castro graduates in Law
- After-school study program implemented and led by Noemi Alfaro
- Laptops & chrome books introduced to community
- Graduations:
- Leticia Muñoz/ Computer Science
- Yesica Cruz Rivera/ Computer Science
- Juan Miranda/ Accounting
