How Produce Fought Pandemic Struggles in El Salvador

When COVID-19 struck El Salvador, Hector quickly felt its impact firsthand. He, his parents, and his 1-year-old son all relied on a single income. When Hector lost his job, he only had one word to describe the way he felt: “Desperate.”

As a single father, Hector is no stranger to hard work. But with needs accumulating and no way to make money, his hope was waning. “I have always been an active man, and due to the pandemic I could not work or see my friends,” he said. “The lockdowns made me feel alone.”

The love of his family and friends kept him going. “My great inspiration is my little son,” Hector said. Still, both new opportunities and hope seemed far from reach.

It was then that Hector began participating in Convoy of Hope’s Agriculture program. He learned to grow produce and about agribusiness practices. Hector’s world soon changed as his hope grew alongside his crops.

But he didn’t stop there. Hector shared his knowledge with the people in his community. Together, they’ve put new agricultural practices to use. “We have been able to sell the product that we grow with our own hands and we plan to save the money from the profits to invest in an irrigation system,” Hector said.

Over the course of the pandemic, Hector has traded desperation for big dreams. He encourages others with the message, “Have a positive mind — that is important so as not to give up … I know that we are growing and I have hope that the future will be better.”

“In a few years, I see myself distributing the products of our crops to local markets,” he said. “In fact, we have already started doing it within the community. We hope one day to supply more places, always with the support of experts in the field.”

Thanks to your support, Hector and his family now have a sustainable income, resources to share with his community, and hope for a better future. Thank you for changing his story.