The Mano Amiga San Antonio school is located in a rural area of the “Departamento de La Paz,” near the central coast of El Salvador. The families with children in the Mano Amiga school come from the municipalities of Santiago Nonualco, San Pedro Masahuat and San Luis La Herradura, in the district of La Paz. The majority of families have very scarce economic resources, with low incomes. Most of them work in the informal sector as fishermen, market vendors, sugar cane planters; and those who work in the formal sector have a high level of instability. Mano Amiga San Antonio strives to provide to families in the community with opportunities as well.
Meet the Mano Amiga Students
Cristobal Aparicio
Cristobal Aparicio
Hello, my name Cristobal Daniel Aparicio Baires. I live with my parents and 1 sibling. I am 10 years old. Currently, I am in 5th Grade. My favorite subject is Art, and I like to play soccer. At home, I help clean the house. When I grow up, I want to be a Mechanic.
Corazon de Maria Guzman
Corazon de Maria Guzman Avalos
Hello, my name Corazon de Maria Guzman Avalos. I live with my parents and 3 siblings. I am 11 years old. Currently, I am in 5th Grade. My favorite subject is Art. At home, I help clean and sweep. When I grow up, I want to be a Teacher.
Fernando Cruz
Fernando Jose Cruz Lima
Hello, my name Fernando Jose Cruz Lima. I live with my mother, grandmother and 2 siblings. I am 12 years old. Currently, I am in 6th Grade. My favorite subject is Math, and I like to play hide and seek. At home, I help washing dishes. When I grow up, I want to be a Doctor.
Ashley Lopez
Ashley Nahomy Lopez Mendoza
Hello, my name Ashley Nahomy Lopez Mendoza. I live with my mother and 1 sibling. I am 11 years old. Currently, I am in 5th Grade. My favorite subject is Art, and I love jumping the rope. At home, I help my mom clean. When I grow up, I want to be a Professional Dancer.
Juan Carlos Gonzales
Juan Carlos Gonzales Escobar
Hello, my name Juan Carlos Gonzales Escobar. I live with my parents. I am 11 years old. Currently, I am in 5th Grade. My favorite subject is Math, and I like to play soccer. At home, I help my mom clean. When I grow up, I want to be a Policeman.
Jorge Ardon
Jorge Nehemias Ardon Hidalgo
Hello, my name Jorge Nehemias Ardon Hidalgo. I live with my mother and 1 sibling. I am 11 years old. Currently, I am in 5th Grade. My favorite subject is Math, and I like to play soccer. At home, I like to help my mom. When I grow up, I want to be a Veterinarian.
Genesis Lopez
Genesis Judith Lopez Carranza
Hello, my name Genesis Judith Lopez Carranza. I live with my parents and 5 siblings. I am 10 years old. Currently, I am in 5th Grade. My favorite subject is Science, and I like to watch TV. At home, I help my mom clean. When I grow up, I want to be a Psychologist.
Oscar Diaz
Oscar Alejandro Diaz Hernandez
Hello, my name Oscar Alejandro Diaz. I live with my parents and 1 sibling. I am 11 years old. Currently, I am in 5th Grade. My favorite subject is Art, and I like to play soccer. At home, I help washing dishes. When I grow up, I want to be a Veterinarian.
Rosario Pintor
Rosario Guadalupe Pinto Rodriguez
Hello, my name Rosario Guadalupe Pinto Rodriguez. I live with my parents and 3 siblings. I am 11 years old. Currently, I am in 5th Grade. My favorite subject is Languages, and I love playing with dolls. At home, I help my mom clean. When I grow up, I want to be a Fashion Designer.
Javier Rivas
Javier Eduardo Rivas
Hello, my name Javier Eduardo Rivas. I live with my mother. I am 11 years old. Currently, I am in 5th Grade. My favorite subject is Languages, and I like to play soccer. At home, I help my mom clean. When I grow up, I want to be a Teacher.
Mano Amiga San Antonio
Students: 414
Founded: 2002
Location: San Antonio, El Salvador
The educational model of the Mano Amiga San Antonio school is based on the dignity of the human person. It provides children and youth who are in poverty and in vulnerable conditions the opportunity to obtain a comprehensive high level Catholic education; where they learn human, moral and spiritual principles; as well as values to strengthen the family, break the cycle of poverty, overcome the threat of social violence, and achieve personal, family and community development.
Students and families can also receive the Sacraments weekly and get to participate in a fully functioning church community. Father Miguel Cavalle Puig L.C., who leads the Mano Amiga program in El Salvador, is thankful for donors. Without your help these children might end up on the streets, begging and surrounded by crime and violence.
Programs and Activities
Educational programs: provide comprehensive education for children and young people in human, spiritual and social fields.
Health program: includes first level health care for students and teaching staff. There students and teachers can get basic clinical examinations, eye care, hearing and oral health diagnostics.
Economic Development Program: Individual communication and guidance to parents to help them with family economic sustainability, and student permanence approach with the school as a development center. The institution works on the basis of the development of competencies, with support by VIS Foundation teaching methodologies, with intensive training programs aimed at the teachers, staff and parents. It seeks academic excellence as a mean for the development of personalized competencies; which leads to better assimilation and the achievement of positive results in the application of knowledge and skills.
Extracurricular Activities
Full time-Inclusive school:Activities are scheduled throughout the school day to help the students acquire practical skills in technology, sports, artistic activities, and religion to name a few. In addition to the Mano Amiga students, other students are served from four schools in the surrounding areas.
Adult literacy: High school students participate in coordination with the Ministry of Education and the support of teachers.
Tutoring courses: Students of all degrees are able to receive additional afternoon classes to improve their academic performance.
Homework club: Students of all grades, referred and volunteers, receive support from teachers in the afternoon to do their homework tasks.
Parent’s school: Parents participate in monthly sessions to acquire knowledge and skills related to family and parenting issues.
Nutrition Program
In 2015 Mano Amiga San Antonio introduced a new nutrition program for students. A nutrition program was necessary for the students because they were undernourished and eating meals without vegetables or meat. The program not only serves the students, but their parents as well. It is teaching them that adequate nutrition is important for the growth of their children. So far the program is showing great results! Students are working with their parents, despite financial and economic obstacles, to eat well-rounded meals. 
Also, this year the VIS Foundation began building a Church. The community is so excited because the priest will also be serving the students of Mano Amiga. Students, teachers, and the community will be receiving integral moral formation, thanks to the help of Catholic World Mission donors.
See more photos below:
2022
The Mano Amiga El Salvador location has overcome many obstacles and has brought forth an excellent environment for learning thanks to generous donors.
Thank you!
Thanks to your generosity the school has new laptops.
2017
Thanks to your generosity during the 2017 Back to School campaign, Mano Amiga San Antonio was able to make some much-needed structural repairs to ensure the safety of students and teachers!
- Bathrooms: new tile floors, new stall doors installed
- Cafeteria: the corrugated metal roof was previously supported only by rough hewn wooded poles; the roof was completely replaced with new metal sheeting, and new concrete support beams. They were even able to install electricity and lights!
- Doors and Ceilings: old door knobs, cabinet handles, and ceiling panels were replaced with brand new ones
Thank you!
Check out the pictures of the new construction you made possible:
“We started without money, without experience, almost without knowing what we would do exactly but with the firm decision to change things and overcome indifference…All together we are demonstrating the strength of charity.” Fr. Miguel Cavalle Puig L.C., Mano Amiga El Salvador
For $400 you can give one of these amazing students a full semester at a Mano Amiga school. Are you able to change a child’s life?
Learn More About Catholic Education & Mano Amiga Schools
- Donate to Education
- Donate Towards the Mano Amiga Scholarship
- Donate to Mano Amiga Argentina
- Sponsor a Child’s Education
- Donate to Mano Amiga Colombia
- Donate to Mano Amiga Mexico in conjunction with Jack Del Rio Foundation
- Donate to Mano Amiga El Salvador
- Donate to Mano Amiga Guatemala
- Donate to Mano Amiga Mexico
- Donate to Mano Amiga Schools
- Donate to Mano Amiga Brazil
- Education Pillar
- Mano Amiga Argentina
- Mano Amiga Schools