Asociacion de Desarrollo Communal Ambiental y Servicios Multiple de El Salvador (ADCASMUS)

In 2000, World Accord began working with an organization in the poor, marginalized community of Valle Dorado in El Salvador. Since its founding by Marina Ramos, ADCASMUS, also known as Community of Hope Recovery, has demonstrated great success in addressing the diverse needs of the people in their community.

The program follows a proven model of holistic community development and capacity building by fostering:

• Economic development
• Development of health programs
• Literacy and vocational education
• Community organization

Lead Poisoning in El Salvador

Years ago, ADCASMUS learned that the battery factory Baterias de El Salvador was contaminating with lead a number of communities within the municipality of San Juan Opico. With the support of numerous human rights organizations, the rural inhabitants filed charges with the Office of Human Rights against the battery factory on behalf of the 7,250 people now affected by lead contamination.

The World Health Organization (WHO) considers lead levels over 10mcg/dl to be hazardous to health. Levels over 20mcg/dl can cause irreversible neurological damage, especially in children. The U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, tested 370 workers from the battery factory in 2005, and found that 65% of workers were suffering from lead poisoning. Lead levels ranged from 16mcg/dl to 72mcg/dl, as in the case of 11 year old Angelita Gamez.

The factory was finally shut down by El Salvador’s Health Minister in September, 2007, however there is room for appeal, and the region’s rural inhabitants have yet to see any recompense for the damage to their health and livelihoods. Their land and water supplies remain contaminated, and the community is left to pay for medical treatment. The are told to abandon their homes and move, however their homes are worthless on the market due to the effects and stigma of contamination, and they have nowhere to go. The plight of these villagers has formed the Movement Without Lead (also known as the Leadless Movement).

Movement Without Lead

World Accord has partnered with ADCASMUS to develop holistic and multifaceted programs to support the Movement Without Lead.

Health Programs

In collaboration with the Salvadorean Demographic Association and APROSAL, ADCASMUS helped administer sample Papanicolaou tests to 334 participants to determine whether people with lead poisoning are more susceptible to developing carcinogenic cells. In addition to this investigation, ADCASMUS initiated a number of educational workshops:

• Youth workshops, feauturing the subjects "What Is Adolescence?" and "Menstrual cycles", help to inform rural youth about life cycles and health risks
• Women's workshops educate rural women about the detection and prevention methods of cervical and breast cancer

Community Organization

Since January, 2008, ADCASMUS has sought justice for the people affected by the lead contamination. To address the inappropriate procedures of the various levels of government, which through inaction permitted the contamination to occur, ADCASMUS has initiated and organized:

• An investigation by the Prosecutor General's Office into the battery factory in response to the 30 charges laid against Bateria de El Salvador
• A press conference to denounce the delay in justice and to present the children's health cases to the public
• Permanent community and media presence throughout the hearings
• The production of the radio program Hablemos Claro (YSUCA radio 91.7), which provides a forum for the affected rural communities to voice their concerns, with additional radio coverage by YSKL, YSU, YSUCA, Rep Arpas, and Maya Vision stations

Economic Development

A secure livelihood promotes community stability, which is why ADCASMUS, in collaboration with World Accord and the Organic Agriculture Movement of El Salvador, has provided training for farmers in the proper use and handling of organic fertilizers, on the diversification of non-traditional crops, and in pork handling. The goal is to eradicate the use of chemical fertilizers, promote food security, and introduce new economic opportunities.

Literacy and Vocational Education

ADCASMUS is dedicated to ensuring that students in the rural municipality of San Juan Opico have the resouces and skills to meet the optimal academic standards. In order to take advantage of the reference resouces provided at the Al Wigood Library, 152 comunity members participated in Bibliographic Consultations. These consultations teach the most effective research methods, and how to utilize the library resources.

Further ADCASMUS Initiatives

• Developed 9 shops surrounding the ADCASMUS community, selling homemade tools and crafts
• Conducted 20 sessions in local schools on sexual education and reproductive issues
• Held 12 training sessions on human rights
• Held 10 training sessions on venereal disease
• Held 18 training sessions on HIV/AIDS
• Completed building a large vocational training centre
• Opened a library