The "seed" from which Project Lighthouse grew was planted in 1999 when Sean Ahearn, our Founder, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & President, traveled to El Salvador. [Read About El Salvador]
Families were living inside and around a municipal dump in Santa Cruz, Tazula. A central focus for their economy and daily living...scavenging and using items from the refuse...was not a choice, but the means of survival. Their pleas for assistance resonated with him, who had a long history of working with rural and poor people and their communities.
Sean returned to the United States with a dedicated vigor to helping them. He sought out and enlisted friends, family, and acquaintances. He began making connections with El Salvador' government, the Red Cross, and El Salvodor social agencies. A solid foundation was laid for Project Lighthouse, and we incorporated as a nonprofit organization and obtained IRS approval as a Section 501(c)(3) public charity.
Our endeavors commenced with the Beacon of Hope Project for Santa Cruz, Tazula. We faced a daunting mountain of a request to undertake the completion of a medical clinic, one that was barely off the drawing board. After development meetings, Sean agreed that Project Lighthouse would assist the government of El Salvador, the Red Cross, and the local agency, Beinstar Committee, by undertaking this endeavor. Project Lighthouse members collaborated with them and the Salvadoran Institute of Agrarian Reform (ISTA), the Association AGAPE of El Salvador (Agape), Dr. Anna Maria de Delgado (Director of Medical and Social Services, Agape Hospital, Sonsonate), and the men, women, and children living in and around the the dump, and the surrounding regional area. Quickly, however, the project expanded to include the search for a clean supply of potable (fresh) water for use in the community and the medical clinic. Their only source of water at the time was a polluted river, in which they bathed and washed clothes. We added the task of aiding in the locating a clean water supply and construction of a well.
As those two aspects came to fruition over the next couple years, we turned our attention to the economic and nutritional needs for the people of the community. Project Lighthouse undertook exploring the possibility for obtaining transfer of ten acres of land for planting a plantain farm. A land transfer occurred to encompass local ownership of the land for the medical clinic and the well, an development of an agricultural component. The plan shifted instead from a plaintain farm to focusing on developing smaller locally-maintained vegetable farming plots to produce crops for consumption. In conjunction with Carlo Calisi, owner of the Boston-based City Farm Nurseries and PLH’s Agricultural Consultant, and Gustavo Pena, PLH’s Director of El Salvador Operations, we conducted an agricultural workshop for the families followed by the planting of 600 seeds.
The following year, Project Lighthouse arranged for a private donation for funding the construction of a community center in the hamlet, Caserío La Bolsona, located in cantón Alemán of the Nahulingo municipality in Sonsonate. Concerned with educational resources in its school, Centro Escolar Caserío La Bolsona in Education District (Distrito Educatio) 03-15, we donated a variety of a hundred books for children in Spanish to create the school’s first mini library. This initiative became the foundation for our Literacy Program. Aligned with our endeavors in this area, we obtained a private donation and provided for the construction of The Eileen and Buddy Roche Community Resource Center, and an outdoor classroom connected with the school through our Community Center Program.
In addition, Project Lighthouse worked with an international non-profit organization, the James G. Diller, M.D. Medical Mission Services Foundation of Toldeo, Ohio, commonly called “The Diller Foundation” (DF), to have 2 containers of used medical and surgical equipment shipped to El Salvador. Since then, over 100 tons of medical supplies, equipment, and medicines have been sent to El Salvador and distributed for use in medical clinics throughout El Salvador. We continue our arrangement with DF to periodically make available medical containers for use in Central America.
In 2005, we broadened our horizons once again by undertaking a new project, our Renewable Energy Program. Through 2006-2007, we continued expanding our efforts in El Salvador with projects and programs building on our past successes. Having established solidly ourselves as a Beacon of Hope for those in El Salvador, we looked to broaden the scope of our endeavors. We are working on arranging a shipment of Spanish-English books for use in a school in Mexico, and for 2008 development of a Food and Nutrition Program and in Boston an At-Risk Youth Program.
Throughout, we have held to our core philosophy. Project Lighthouse allows the people we serve to come up with the ideas and help design the plans for implentation of the tasks, to provide the labor for constructing the buildings, manufacturing, planting, digging, and tending on a day-to-day basis for their community needs. Thousands have been assisted in being lifted up from a meager poverty level into which they were born through generous donations and gifts, and the tireless efforts put forth by members of Project Lighthouse.
Project Lighthouse shaped its efforts toward becoming a leader in the field of charitable efforts with a unique view. We place primary responsibility into the hands of those we serve, continually stressing and striving toward serving them by focusing on their particular needs as expressed by them. We aid people in building the bridges connecting government, local, and social agencies that are already established. When when necessary we assist in developing new organizations to deal with their needs. This insures vital communication links are established with all interested parties, as well as fostering understanding, respect, and compliance with governing laws.
