Angela Montano is a small community located 1 km north of the Litoral Highway. As one of the poorest, underserved communities in the region, community leaders have reached out to Voices in hopes of establishing a partner relationship with a community in the U.S. The community is comprised primarily of ex-combatants and refugees who settled Angela Montano when the conflict ended in the early 1990s.

Like communities in the Lower Lempa, the primary economic activity in Angelo Montano is agriculture. The community has a few small stores, a small church, a school that serves grades K-6, a Child Development Center, and other resources. Angela Montano has two “directives” that serve as parallel governing bodies, which results in inefficiencies and power struggles that stymie development.

To date, Voices’ role in Angela Montano has been limited to supporting the ASPS health promoter in Salinas, who spends part of her time organizing a health committee in Angela Montano. Voices is talking to community leaders and other organizations to determine how we will be able to assist the community in their development.

For more information about Angela Montano, contact Thomas R. Hughes at voices@votb.org or (202) 529-2912.