About ConTextos El Salvador

In 2018, the United Nations, in collaboration with the “Fundacion para la Educacion Superior” (FES), completed an assessment of ConTextos’ programming, similar to on-going assessment. “With this research project, it is found that the writing process catalyzes a process of strengthening and emotional recognition that is extremely necessary for a young person who has lived or witnessed much more pain than he should at his age. In this sense, violence prevention policy in a group of deprived of liberty (tertiary prevention) is fundamental to achieve true social transformation. These young people will have to reinsert themselves into society and they must be truly be prepared for this process.”

The significant impact demonstrated by this evaluation has sparked additional assessments in Chicago and El Salvador with the University of Chicago CrimeLabs, the MIT Poverty Lab, Arnold Foundation and Drexel University; preliminary results show consistent and significant impact from ConTextos’ programming to improve learning outcomes, develop empathy and self-reflection, and create a sense of positive identity for the self and the future.