Many historic town and city centers in El Salvador have suffered years of neglect and a lack of investment. Through a program of training, funding and collaboration, a network of organizations including FUNDASAL (the Salvadorian foundation for development and adequate housing), FESCOVAM (the Salvadorian federation of mutual aid housing cooperatives) and FUCVAM (the Uruguayan federation of mutual aid housing cooperatives) has worked to help the local community to set up the first five mutual aid housing cooperatives in the city’s historic center.

The historic center has undergone great change and modernization, and this has contributed to job creation and to development opportunities, thereby reducing the number of migrants who are irregularly present in the country and fostering social and economic reintegration of returnees, by bringing down the level of violence in society.