Crafting A New Life in El Salvador
A Salvadoran man’s journey from troublemaker to soap-maker
Walter never thought he’d live past 16. He was convinced that one day he would die young in a pool of his own blood after a shootout with the police or rival gang members. His story is all too common in the difficult settings of some Central American cities. But with USAID’s support, his story changed into one of resilience, determination, and hope.
Walter was only 9 years old when he joined a local clique of the 18th Street Gang in a rough barrio of Soyapango, a sprawling city adjacent to San Salvador, El Salvador’s capital. A victim of bullying in school, Walter turned to older kids in his neighborhood for companionship and peer support. Eventually, he was recruited to join the gang. His initiation rite took place one afternoon in an empty and dusty soccer field. Five older kids beat him savagely. Rather than completing odd jobs or being a lookout — roles typically assigned to children — Walter joined older kids in collecting extortion money or — renta — from their victims.
For Walter, being a part of the gang was a natural escape route from a violent home. As a toddler, Walter frequently saw his father physically assault his mother. After a particularly vicious attack, Walter’s mother had to get an emergency tracheotomy in order to breathe. He grew up hating his father and promised his mother that one day he would avenge her.
Today, Walter is 31. Over the years, his troubled past led to more than 12 arrests and eight years in prison. In between prison stints, he was put in touch with a human trafficker or — coyote — to make the trip north to Los Angeles. However, the day before he was to pay off half the sum for the journey, police arrested him.
During his time in jail, he developed diabetes and was summarily dismissed by fellow gang members for being “useless.” He was told to go his own way but “not to erase his ink” — meaning his tattoos. He started working as a street vendor in downtown San Salvador, and he managed to earn enough to pay for his daily insulin shots. Through this work, he discovered that he had business acumen, which could help him enter the formal labor market.
Three years ago, Walter heard about La Factoría Ciudadana (LFC), a USAID-funded rehabilitation and reinsertion program serving former gang members, youth in conflict with the law, and recently returned migrants with criminal backgrounds. This private sector-led effort is modeled after the Homeboy Industries and Amity Foundation initiatives in Los Angeles and adapted to the Salvadoran context.
The program provides mental health and psychosocial support, vocational and entrepreneurship training, treatment for addiction, job placement support, and tattoo removal.
Walter joined the program and developed another skill — soap-making. Walter now spends half his time there participating in psychosocial support services, as well as business and vocational training. The rest of the time, he earns a living as an instructor, teaching others to manufacture soap and handicrafts and operating his own business on weekends. And he dreams that one day he’ll be able to sell enough of his own products to make a good living for himself and his girlfriend.
“If it weren’t for La Factoría Ciudadana, I might not be telling my story. I might be in jail or dead,” Walter said. “Thanks to the therapy and workshops I received, I am a new person. Now, I value my life and the people around me.”
Through the program, Walter learned new social skills meant to replace harmful coping mechanisms and practices that he had relied on throughout his life.
What this means for Walter is he can now express a fuller range of emotions and behaviors, including being nurturing, compassionate, and caring. This has not gone unnoticed by his girlfriend. One recent afternoon, while reflecting on his previous life, Walter started to cry. He felt that his tears might be a sign of cowardice. “No way,” his girlfriend said. “It means that you now have a heart.”
Walter recognizes the profound transformation he’s undergone in the last few years. He wishes more people in El Salvador could access similar services. “If it wasn’t for LFC, I know I’d be dead,” he said. “I wish there were LFCs in every corner of this country because so many people like me need it.”
La Factoría Ciudadana opened its doors in San Salvador in late 2017 with seed funding from USAID. To date, the program has served approximately 325 direct beneficiaries and 530 family members. The Government of El Salvador has also provided significant funding.
Walter recently ran into an old acquaintance who summed up Walter’s transformation:
“Not long ago, your hands held guns that generated a lot of fear among all of us. Now, those same hands are making beautiful, colorful soaps that are washing our hands.”
About the Author
Carlos A. Rosales is the Senior Citizen Security Advisor at USAID’s Mission in El Salvador.
