After a generous $30,000 donation from long-time SalvAide supporter, Juan Carranza, SalvAide is supporting two important initiatives in El Salvador: 1) the BOCANA-LEMPA fishery cooperative in El Salvador's Bajo Lempa as it expands its market and product sales and

2) SalvAide sister organization, CORDES', 25th anniversary celebration. This support is yet another example of SalvAide's continued commitment to Salvadoran economic and social development rooted in solidarity and social justice.

The BOCANA-LEMPA fishery cooperative is the product of CORDES' work, that is, promoting sustainable and cooperative rural development in El Salvador. BOCANA-LEMPA is a model of success and provides an example of the potential for collective growth among small-scale rural workers. The micro-loan provided will promote BOCANA-LEMPA's expansion over four years onto more supermarket shelves thereby providing its members with more venues to sell their products.

And as CORDES celebrates 25 years of effective and recognized work in El Salvador, SalvAide will extend a hand to join in the festivities. CORDES arose in the midst of El Salvador's brutal civil war to provide productive outlets for repatriated communities attempting to rebuild. Over the years, CORDES has helped thousands of small-scale agricultural workers band together to cooperatively launch sustainable enterprises for their collective growth. It is a model suited perfectly for El Salvador's agricultural sector and one that the current Government of El Salvador has adopted in its national agricultural development strategy.

Congratulations to CORDES and all its members for their 25 years of struggle and results!