Lisselot Troconis, Executive Director of People Helping People El Salvador
Our speaker for February 5, 2026 was Lisselot Troconis, Executive Director of People Helping People El Salvador, a non-profit organization. Lisselot was raised in Venezuela but attended high school in the U.S. She has lived in El Salvador since 2000. People Helping People (“PHP”) works in four areas: housing, hunger, healthcare, and education. It partners with Fuller Center for Housing, New Story Charity, the Ministry of Housing, and local city halls in El Salvador.
The Housing Program is intended to raise the standard of living in the areas served, reduce emigration, and raise self-esteem. PHP has built 1,000 homes in 16 communities throughout the nation, with 158 homes under construction. The typical community has between 75 and 130 homes and is self-sustaining. Families reimburse the cost of their homes (around $10,000-11,000) without interest over approximately 18 years. To qualify, families must live within 10 km of the new community, maintain their existing jobs and schools, and have no criminal records. Homes include proper utilities including water, electricity, and waste disposal systems.
The Healthcare Initiative Program takes a multidisciplinary approach to support patients and concentrates on breast cancer screening, early detection, and treatment. Breast cancer incidence is rising in El Salvador. The program includes mobile dental services. PHP also helps provides wigs for women impacted by breast cancer and scholarships for children whose mothers are affected by breast cancer. 20,000 women have been scanned thus far. The Hunger Relief Program helps reimburse food for people while paying the mortgages. It has distributed 660,000 pounds of food thus far. Additional services include drilling wells, providing wheelchairs and distributing Christmas toys annually. The Education and Training Programs include the operation of a culinary school, English as a second language initiative, and scholarships. Economic conditions in El Salvador are improving, with lots of new investment and construction. Safety is “amazing”; people are now able to walk anywhere at any time.
Thank you, Lisselot for the presentation, for all her good work in El Salvador, and for assisting us in our upcoming El Salvador eyecare mission.
Click HERE to view a limited time recording of Lisselot's presentation.
