The Dolores Medina Foundation is a small organization working in the Colonia Guatemala section of San Salvador, El Salvador. A Catholic-based group directed by a nun, their pre-existing program is a residential and programmatic one that engages street children in a five stage program to get them off the streets. This begins with engagement while in the streets, then progresses through the Dolores Medina residential program and ultimately leads to reintegration of the child with his or her family.

The support of the Martín-Baró Fund will allow Dolores Medina to implement a school mediation program as well. This program will include a series of workshops in five target schools in their area, bringing together a range of people in the community concerned with homeless children: teachers, police, municipal officials, community leaders and the children themselves. The workshops aimed at the children will cover a range of topics, including leadership development, construction of masculine and feminine identity, assertive communication, self-esteem, conflict resolution, forms of violence, children’s rights-related laws, and school mediation processes. Another four workshops will be held with the professionals and community members on topics related to children’s rights, conflict resolution, and deconstructing patriarchal and adult-centered strategies. This program will have the dual purpose of creating a participatory framework in which to proactively address causes of homelessness in children as well as creating a network of community members engaged in guaranteeing the rights and protection of children in the area.