Hello everyone, my name is Daniel Wolpers. I’m 28 years old and an international volunteer at SALEM from October 2024 to the end of July 2025. In this article, I’ll share a little about my background and what motivated me to travel to the other side of the world for a year to become a…
Lady Estela first came in contact with SALEM in Mindo at the age of 9 years old. She is currently studying Business Administration and works at our center as an Administrative Assistant. When we talk to Lady about her life at SALEM, her expression shows many emotions. “I remember I had a rain jacket and…
Sebastian Orozco saw broccoli for the first time in his life at the SALEM center in Mindo, Ecuador. He was 10 years old and wary of the unfamiliar green trees, opting to hide them in his napkin. Before attending SALEM, Sebas hadn’t had many opportunities to try new things or consider eating a wider…
Fernanda Tuarez is SALEM Ecuador’s culinary extraordinaire. She’s been cooking vegetarian meals for SALEM kids and staff for almost 2 years. Fernanda is 28 years old and has two small children. She grew up in Esmeraldas Province and her first memories of the kitchen are sitting on a stool, watching her mom cook. Fernanda was…
Christmas time is often not easy for the SALEM children. It should be a family celebration, but it’s often not so easy at home. Juan (15), Martín (10) and Sabina (8) live with their mother in a small, dark, and musty room. A few months ago, they fled gang violence from the province of Esmeraldas…
Peace is a path, not a state. It is something that we must constantly move towards. At SALEM Ecuador, we put peace into practice. We share with you our Christmas wish for peace: Women, children, and families living in violence-free homes. At this very moment we are developing an action plan for SALEM to give families…
This past Sunday, SALEM Ecuador volunteers prepared and delivered hundreds of seedlings and sacks of compost to local families that participate in the SALEM Ecuador Family Garden Initiative. Jonas Lange, Director of SALEM Ecuador gets to the heart of the matter, “The garden is a therapeutic space. The Family Garden Initiative is a perfect opportunity…
SALEM Handmade is a social enterprise start up. We are seeking angel investors who want to empower and enable women to create their own thriving social enterprise.