María Bellini Castro Menjívar

CIS Administrador since 1994. Computer Engineer, born in Arcatao, Chalatenango

Due to the armed conflict, Bellini and her family fled to Mesa Grande Refugee Camp in Honduras and later returned to the capital city of San Salvador.

She met CIS when the war ended when she was secretary of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of El Salvador.

Evelyn Saraí Portillo Hernández

Delegation Coordinator since 2016. Bachelor’s Degree in Educational Science.

Evelyn connected with CIS when she enrolled in English classes in 2012.

“One of my greatest dreams was learn English. I never had the opportunity to study because of the high costs of bi-lingual education and the lack of economic resources in my family. CIS awarded me a partial scholarship to study English. I have always qualified CIS’s teaching methodology as phenomenally successful.  They use popular education methods that facilitate learning, and the curriculum addresses social reality. In addition to learning English, I learned about CIS programs, mission, and vision which I identify with.

It is an honor and gratifying commitment to form part of the CIS team.”

Silvia Emperatriz Guzmán

Coordinator of Promotion, Communication and Solidarity Crafts since 2021

In 2016 Silvia was part of an International Exchange Program in USA. There She had the opportunity to take ESL classes in North Virginia Community College, meanwhile, Silvia was learning the American culture.

She graduated in 2017 from University of El Salvador in Education Sciences, afterward, She worked at the same University as an Administrator Assistant for The Europe Union project and Distance Education program. Additionally, Silvia has participated in different International Human Rights Events working with the Advocacy Department of University of El Salvador.

Silvia first connected with CIS while she was doing her social project at the University of El Salvador.

Leonor del Carmen Huezo

Cleaning and Maintenance since 2009. Health Promoter, born in Suchitoto, Cuscatlán, displaced by the war and the 2001 earthquakes, she is a founding member of Romero Community in Tonacatepeque, where she now lives.

She met the CIS through Sister Patti when she came to a Mesoamerican meeting in the neighboring community of Distrito Italia. Later, CIS Director came to visit the community at the invitation of the community Board of Directors when they were threatened with being displaced and to let CIS know about the difficulties of gaining title to their land.  

“The CIS arrived in our community to support us when we most needed it.   Perhaps we would have been thrown off our land if CIS had not come to support us.  Thanks to CIS we now have title to our land, a dignified home, potable water and sewage, that without CIS would have been impossible.”

Yesenia Magaly Velasco Orantes

CIS accountant since 2021, native of San Salvador, is a student of Public Accounting and mother with one son, and lost her husband during the COVID epidemic. She has worked as an accountant for many organizations working on women’s rights and gender equality. 

  “I like working at CIS because of the organization empowers communities to overcome poverty and work for social and economic justice.”    

José Arturo Severo Espinoza

Coordinator of Scholarships and Youth Leadership Development Program since 2015. Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from the Central American University “Jose Simeon Cañas” (UCA).

“I came to El Salvador in 2010 to begin my studies in Theology and the experience that would change my wave of life, all this as part of formation process in the Passionist Congregation at St. Frances of Assisi Parish in Mejicanos, San Salvador.

There I was assigned the responsibility of overseeing the CIS Scholarship Program from 2012 – 2015 in partnership with St. Peter’s in Kansas City, CIS and San Francisco de Asis Parish in Mejicanos.

“The key to the success of our program is based on quality of human development the youth receive.”

Yeny Concepción Jirón

Coordinator of the Salvadoran Enterprises for Women since 2018. Student at the Technological University of El Salvador, coursework finished in Business Administration.   Born in the Community of San Antonio del Monte in Suchitoto, Cuscatlán.

Yeny connected with the CIS through the Women’s Coalition and Bird Flower women’s business supported by CIS and SEW. She was a CIS Scholarship recipient during 6 years of coursework at the university and has represented the CIS Scholarship and Youth Leadership Development Program in an exchange with St. Elizabeth Parish in Kansas City, Missouri in 2016.

Luis Arístides Aguillón

Coordinator of Clean Water and Environment Program since 2011. Artisan, born in La Palma Chalatenango.   He is married with three children.

He connected with CIS in 1994 when we began our Solidarity Crafts Program, as an Artisan with the “Jesus Artisan” workshop and later “Jesus the Worker”. He moved his workshop from La Palma to Soyapango to be closer to clients and materials needed. He could not predict that the economically marginal community would become the heart of gang territory and considered one of the most dangerous in the country.  None-the-less he continued to generate employment in his community. He has also been an advisor to the CIS Solidarity Crafts Program, forming relationships to organize design courses for the 15 workshops the CIS works with.

Luis’s wife, Margarita, is now in charge of “Jesus the Worker”, now that Luis spends 100% of his time raising awareness so communities and families have access to clean water and take care of the planet.

Eva Correas

Grassroots Organizer Estanzuelas

Since March, 2023

Student

Delmy Linarez

CIS grassroots organizer in Comasagua since 2010.  Artisan, born in Comasagua, La Libertad.

Delmy became involved in CIS in 2005, when she had recently returned to her birth home after living in the city for many years to work in a maquila factory. She returned home after being a victim of violence related to her ex-husband, and was left for dead, seven months pregnant. By a miracle and God’s grace, she, and her unborn son both survived.   With her experiences working in a maquila and surviving gender violence, she rapidly filled the shoes of coordinator and leader of the indigo and sewing workshop the CIS was forming with women in her community of San Luis Los Ranchos, Comasagua.

Delmy has accompanied the formation of various women’s businesses supported by CIS and SEW.

She Represented CIS and Salvadoran Enterprises for Women (SEW) in the United States and has traveled to Brazil to represent women artisans of El Salvador and her community.

Yessenia Flores

CIS social organizer in San Pedro Perulapan since 2009.

Yessenia was born in Canton El Espino, San Pedro Perulapan to a family with scarce economic resources and never had the opportunity to go to high school or university.  

Yessenia got involved in CIS in 2008, when her neighbor invited her to a CIS meeting with the Citizens Roundtable to organize and empower persons in civic education. Yessenia was the secretary of their local Development Council (ADESCO) in El Espino Village.

In 2009, CIS together with El Espino’s sister organization, the Foundation for Cultural Exchange in Colorado, the community began to organize CIS Scholarship and Leadership Development Program. Yessenia and two other women received a stipend to organize the program. After a few months, it became clear that Yessenia had the commitment and capacity to organize, work to foment value of solidarity, and she was contracted by CIS as a part-time organizer. 

“The CIS has been a school for me – in human rights, women’s rights, the environment and non-violence.”

Rafael Josué Durán Guillén

Social Promoter in San Rafael Cedros since 2017.  Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the Pedagogical University, born in San Rafael Cedros.

Rafael became involved in CIS when he was awarded a high school scholarship in 2007. At the beginning he was very shy and was afraid to express an opinion, but with time and the leadership courses CIS offers he overcame his shyness.

“Something very important to emphasize is that the CIS program helps us to overcome in many aspects of our lives.”

Rafael is currently the promoter of the program in San Rafael Cedros, San Isidro and Llano Largo and puts into practice all the knowledge he has acquired during the nine years in the program.

“It is an incredible experience because you learn about reality and it changes your life outlook. I feel incredibly happy to be a part of the great CIS family.”

Vicenta Liliana Martínez Bernabé

Coordinator of the CIS Spanish School and Spanish Professor since 2013. Profesor of Literature, born in San Francisco Chinameca, La a Paz.   She got involved in CIS through the San Francisco Chinameca Cultural Association.

In 1998 she was a volunteer for CIS to organize families that were impacted by Hurricane Mitch in the Coastal Zone and the Northern area of the Department of La Paz. From 1999-2000 she was a grassroots organizer for CIS.  In 2001 -2004 she was a CIS Spanish Teacher.

She returned to CIS in 2011 to coordinate the 2012 International Election Observer Mission, and then rejoined the Spanish School in 2013.

Wilmer Erroa Argueta

Spanish Professor since 2000. Professor in Literature, born in the Municipality of Ilopango, San Salvador.

  Wilmer connected to CIS when he was the secretary of relations for ASSTEL, the telecommunications workers union.   He became a member of the CIS Assembly advocating for labor rights in the public sector. He lost his job when telecommunications were privatized.

He was trained by CIS as a professor of Spanish as a second language and has been teaching Spanish, the history of the country and the national reality since then.

Víctor Manuel Andaluz Recinos

CIS English School Coordinator since 2012. Bachelor’s Degree in English with a Minor in Teaching from the University of El Salvador, born in San Juan Opico, La Libertad.

Victor is the 11 of 12 children in a family with scarce economic resources.  His family emigrated to the community of El Caoba, Puerto de La Libertad in 2001, displaced from their home by earthquakes that year. CIS accompanied his community with support from Rainbow of Hope for Children to drill a well and solar pump, due to the fact the community did not have electricity or potable water.

Later CIS provided school supplies for 25 children in the community for three years so they could go to school. Victor was in junior high school, and due to the fact, the adults in the community could not read or write, he investigated and wrote up a detailed proposal and budget for each grade level.   He later applied and was awarded a CIS scholarship for high school and university studies.  He was the first in his family to attend high school and university. He did his professional practice to graduate at CIS and volunteered as an English teacher in 2011 and 2012 and then was hired as the coordinator.