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YOUR IMPACT STARTS HERE
A $20 donation every month helps provide 90 nutritious meals to children in need.

what we do

To enhance the well-being of the underserved people in El Salvador through human development programs implemented in partnership with our in-country sister Foundation, FUSAL, and other organizations.

WeSUPPORT

We deliver hope
for a better tomorrow.

WeSUPPORT

WeNOURISH

A national crusade to overcome child malnutrition.

WeNOURISH

WeEMPOWER

Building harmonious communities.

WeEMPOWER

WeAID

Real social responsibility begins by ensuring the well-being of the community

WeAID

WePARTNER

Supporting the missions of local partner NGO’s in
El Salvador.

WePARTNER

From our blog

Read some impact stories and get updated about our actions to help people in El Salvador. Currently there are 18 communities that are being served and there are nearly 160,000 beneficiary participants.

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October 11, 2022

1000s of lives impacted. Terrifying news from El Salvador as the entire country is affected by Julia.

Your support is urgently needed for the people of El Salvador as they face the aftermath of Tropical Storm Julia's de...

About us

The Salvadoran American Foundation (SAF) was founded in Miami, Florida, in 1983 by a group of friends, led by Mr. Luis Poma, who were concerned about the social issues affecting El Salvador and its people. In 1985, a sister foundation —FUSAL— was established in El Salvador to receive and distribute aid being shipped from the United States.

Since 1996 —after Mr. Poma's passing— his eldest son, Ricardo, has led FUSAL in El Salvador as its President, and his youngest son, Ernesto, has served as SAHF's Vice President. The Poma family continues to be one of SAHF's biggest supporters.

In May 2001, the Foundation's name was changed from the Salvadoran American Foundation (SAF) to the Salvadoran American Humanitarian Foundation (SAHF) to more accurately reflect its focus on humanitarian aid and development work.

For the last 24 years, Mr. Jose Eduardo Simán has served as President of SAHF and, together with SAHF's Board of Directors —comprised of a diverse group of dedicated individuals who volunteer their time and resources— ensures the continuation of SAHF's mission.

VISION

We are working towards a future where all citizens of El Salvador can meet their basic human needs.

MISSION

To enhance the wellbeing of the underserved people in El Salvador through human development programs implemented in partnership with our in-country sister Foundation, FUSAL, and other organizations.

VALUES

Integrity

Excellence

Love for Work

Renovation

Respect

Solidarity

Service

SAHF is a 501 (c)(3) not for profit organization Federal Tax ID Number 23-39140 and maintains a policy of fiscal transparency.

Each year SAHF publishes its financial documents on its website and makes them available to the general public.

SAHF's sound fiscal management practices and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned the highest rating of 4-stars from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator.

SAHF also upholds apparent conflict of interest and whistleblower policies that enable the Foundation to maintain its financial integrity and reputation for transparency on behalf of its supporters and the general public.

The Salvadoran American Humanitarian Foundation (SAHF) administers five human development programs in El Salvador in collaboration with its partner foundation, FUSAL.

2022- 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SAHF EXECUTIVE BOARD

José Eduardo Siman - President
Ernesto Poma - Vice President
William Freund - Treasurer
Magda Lie-Nielsen - Secretary

DIRECTORS

Guillermo Argumedo
León R. Ávila
Raúl Henríquez

María Nazari
Rene Rodriguez
Daniel Schwartz

Matilde Siman
Julio Villafañe
Enrique Yaffar

PROGRAMS

SAHF supports several human development programs in El Salvador in union with their in-country sister foundation, FUSAL.

Conceived in 1985 FUSAL was established under Salvadoran law to oversee the receipt and distribution of goods being shipped from SAHF in the United States. This includes medical equipment, medicine, food, and clothing to name a few.

WeSUPPORT

The WeSUPPORT Program is SAHF's in-kind program. Together with its committed in-kind partners, SAHF can reach and thousands of people.

Donations collected by SAHF in the United States support an extensive network of hospitals, clinics, rural health posts, orphanages, nursing homes, libraries, nonprofit organizations, and rural health promoters.

The foundation's outreach covers all 14 states of El Salvador regardless of race, gender, religion, age, disability, economic status, or political affiliation.

Since its inception in 1983, SAHF has shipped more than 800 million dollars worth of urgently needed relief items that have been distributed — free of charge— by FUSAL.

For more information on how to become an in-kind partner please fill out the form available.

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WeNOURISH

In 2004, an extensive nutrition-based program — Libras de Amor, or Pounds of Love— was designed to address malnutrition in children under five years old who live in El Salvador's rural areas. Currently this program is known as the Early Childhood Development Program.

SAHF and FUSAL's work in public health has revealed the impact nutrition has on a person's general wellbeing. The program was piloted in Apaneca, where malnutrition rates were as high as 47%. WeNOURISH-Apaneca has seen an 36% drop in malnutrition rates since work began there. Historically, over 18 communities and more than 200,000 participants throughout El Salvador have been served.

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WeEMPOWER

In 2015, SAHF initiated a pilot program to teach English to kindergarten and elementary school children at Residencial Libertad's educational complex. This program was started in part with the assistance of a grant from the MoneyGram Foundation. The pilot program tested its format and content in a privately funded public school setting. The program introduced English as a new subject in the school's curriculum and the opportunity for students to continue studying English year to year. The program's methodology provides short-term results and effectively teaches students how to acquire the language gradually and use it in their daily lives.

Students participating in the program receive five hours a week of language instruction to speak, read and write in English.

Since 2017, SAHF has sponsored the English Language program for approximately 1,200 students at Residencial Libertad's educational complex. The program now also
provides a component know as Plan de Vida (Life Plan) for high school students which
enables them to forge a visual path for their future, and aligns with SAHF's human
development mission by believing that learning English can pave the way for more
significant opportunities.

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WeAID

In the event of a natural or human-made disaster, SAHF extends its support and increases efforts to collect in-kind aid in the United States to ship it to El Salvador. Additionally, specific funds are activated to facilitate and increase monetary donations.

Donations to the WeAID fund allow for immediate purchases to be made locally for those in need and support the impacted area's economy.

To participate from the USA: Text SALVADOR to 20222 and make a $10 donation.

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WePARTNER

Throughout the years, SAHF and the WePARTNER Program have served as a conduit for US donors interested in supporting the missions of local partner NGO’s by giving a grant and/or donation to SAHF to be made available to a designated charitable organization in El Salvador.

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