Homes from the Heart

Soyapango community: a little boy carries homemade tortillas.

Soyapango Community: some of the neighborhood boys

Soyapango Community: a volunteer visits with one of the local children.

Soyapango Community: murals decorate the walls of the new community.

Soyapango Community: children wait near their new school

Soyapango Community: Murals decorate the new community buildings.

Soyapango Community: a new playground and basketball court provide safe places for children to play.

A sombra built for children to study in the open air during the hot summer months when the school gets too warm.  Homes from the Heart worked in partnership with The European Community and the Consejo Nacional, pro jóvenes program in El Salvador.

Soyapango Community: The new day-care center, sponsored by Lloyd and Carol Brown.

Soyapango Community: Colorful paint and gardens beautify community spaces.

Soyapango Community: Executive Director, Michael Bonderer, and board member, Rob Beckham visit with the people of Soyapango.

Soyapango Community: Plant life beautifies community spaces.

Soyapango Community: Executive Director, Michael Bonderer, and board member, Rob Beckham walk through Soyapango.

Soyapango Community: a tree-lined walkway in Soyapango.

Soyapango Community: a little girl outside her home in Soyapango

Soyapango Community: two little girls in the Soyapango community

Soyapango Communtiy: a woman sits outside her home in Soyapango.

Soyapango Construction: living conditions before Homes from the Heart construction began.

Soyapango Construction: little boys walk down a Soyapango street before construction, between tin shacks and under makeshift wires used to draw electricity from telephone lines.

The new houses and school were fully wired for safe electrical use.

Soyapango Construction: The latrines that were used before construction.  These were later replaced by a personal bathroom in each house, complete with a toilet and shower that were connected to the city's sewer system.

Soyapango Construction: The mayor of Soyapango shovels cement as part of the groundbreaking ceremony attended by the Soyapango community, members of the Salvadorian government, and Catholic Relief Services.

Soyapango Construction: Executive Director, Michael Bonderer, shovels cement as part of the groundbreaking ceremony attended by the Soyapango community, members of the Salvadorian government, and Catholic Relief Services.

Soyapango Construction: plots cleared and ready for construction.

Soyapango Construction: wire frames are set up to strengthen the cement that will form the new homes.

Soyapango Construction: A loader helps clear ground and prepare the site for construction

Soyapango Construction: wire frames are set up to strengthen the cement that will form the new homes.

Soyapango Construction: Piles of gravel and sand will later be mixed to form cement.

Soyapango Construction: wire frames are set up to strengthen the cement that will form the new homes.

Soyapango Construction: Metal forms are set up to mold the concrete that will be poured into them.

Soyapango Construction: a cement mixer is used to prepare the cement for the new homes.

Soyapango Construction: After the forms are removed, the new homes begin to take shape.

Soyapango Construction: A new water tower provides clean water to the town.

Soyapango Construction: New water tanks store clean water for the town.

Soyapango Construction: Community members add bars to ensure the new homes are secure from gang activity.

Soyapango Construction: community members prepare the homes for roofs to be added.

Soyapango Construction: workers add a roof to one of the new homes.  Stacked debri from the garbage dump that Soyapango residents had previously been living in can be seen behind the home.

Workers add a roof to a new home.  Stacked debri from the garbage dump where Soyapango residents had previous been living can be seen behind the home.

Soyapango Construction: One of the new homes in Soyapango!

Soyapango Construction: A new Catholic church is built in Soyapango.

Soyapango Construction: The frame is set up for a new church.

Soyapango Construction: Next, a cross is added to the church.

Soyapango Construction: Once the frame is ready, tin is collected to create new walls.

Soyapango Construction: Tin is used to create simple walls and a roof for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Volunteers and locals work together to build the frame for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Tin is used to create simple walls and a roof for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Tin is used to create simple walls and a roof for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Tin is used to create simple walls and a roof for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Tin is used to create simple walls and a roof for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Tin is used to create simple walls and a roof for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Tin is used to create simple walls and a roof for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Tin is used to create simple walls and a roof for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Tin is used to create simple walls and a roof for the new church.

Soyapango Construction: Volunteers pose for the camera during a construction break.

Soyapango Construction: Some of the locals pose for the camera during a construction break.

Soyapango Construction: Volunteers prepare to mix cement for the church's floor.

Soyapango Construction: The team begins pouring cement for the new floor.

Soyapango Construction: One of the volunteers with an iguana they caught.

While Homes from the Heart was busy finishing construction in Soyapango, more displaced people were dropped off across the freeway.  In the true spirit of charity, the residents of Soyapango gathered the tin from their previous homes and helped build temporary homes for these people in need.

While Homes from the Heart was busy finishing construction in Soyapango, more displaced people were dropped off across the freeway.  In the true spirit of charity, the residents of Soyapango gathered the tin from their previous homes and helped build temporary homes for these people in need.