What does Meso Development do?
Meso Development is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that works to lift families in Central America. We are currently focusing our projects in the country of El Salvador with plans to expand into other countries within the next few years. Meso's focus is divided between educational development and community development. Educational development is addressed through classes taught by interns in basic skills that enable local young adults to acheive better employment with higher wages. These classes include English, Basic Computer skills, Micro Enterprise Development, etc... Community development is addressed by volunteers working with local church and community leaders to organize and execute projects designed to improve the standard of living for local residents. For more about our programs and focus, read the section about us.

What is the difference between interns and volunteers?
Meso Development hires two to three interns to spend four months at a time in El Salvador carrying out the educational programs and teaching classes in English, Computer skills, Micro Enterprise (basic business) development, and leadership and management. Meso Development internships are paid internships. Airfare, rent, travel and living expenses are paid for, and all interns receive a small stipend each month. Volunteers that work with Meso Development must be accepted through our partner organization, HELP International. For more information on HELP International and their programs in El Salvador, visit their website.

What kind of time requirement do I need to make to intern with Meso Development?
Interns will spend four months in country. The year is divided into three terms: January - April, May-August, and September-December. During the two to three months prior to departure, interns will go through training designed to help them teach the courses in El Salvador. Interns will also work closely with the Board of Directors to help strategize organization growth and make key decisions in expanding educational opportunities throughout Central America. In the two to three weeks after returning from El Salvador, interns are expected to spend time reporting progress and results of their time in country.

How much money do I need to raise or donate to Meso to participate?
We believe it is important that Meso Development only work with the most qualified individuals. For this reason, we have made every attempt to make our internships economically feasible for all qualified and interested applicants. Interns will be compensated for their time and are not required to pay for their experience. However, job performance, reporting, and results will be expected on a professional level from all interns.

How old do I have to be to participate as a Meso Development intern?
Interns must be at least 21 years of age.

Is Meso Development tied to any religious organizations?
Meso Development works completely independent of church or religious organization. Nevertheless, we uphold specific moral standards and require our interns to do the same. We do not discriminate against any faith, religion, or belief, but expect our volunteers to live according to standards in line with acceptable social behavior. This includes abstenance from alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and any activity which might be deemed immoral or offensive while working as a Meso Development intern. Many of our educational programs have been set up through churches or church groups, but they are always open to the public.

Two volunteers lift bags of cement to prepare to mix for the foundation of one home.

Do I need to speak Spanish to participate as a Meso intern?
Yes. Because internships require a great deal of time teaching others in Spanish, fluency in this language is a requirement. All interns will be tested in their language fluency before being hired.

What are the living conditions like for interns in El Salvador?
Meso Development does everything possible to make living conditions comfortable. This is not a guarantee of resort or hotel conditions, and interns will live at an appropriate socio-economic level consistent with the students they may be teaching. Much of this is due to safety. Meso works to house interns in the absolute safest neighborhoods with ready access to local transportation and ammenities such as phone service, water, and electricity. At this point interns are not living with host families, but do live with other Meso interns in rented homes or apartments.

How do interns get around while in El Salvador?
Local transportation, consisting of a widely accesible public bus system, taxis, and pickups are all used by interns to get around most of the areas we work in. On very few occassions hired transportation will be required to get to some of the more rural areas, but this is not very common. Interns should be prepared to walk into some areas as well depending on weather, road, and transportation conditions.

What facilities will and won't be available in El Salvador?
Phone: Public phones are placed throughout the country. International and collect calls can be made from any public phone in the country. Meso interns must have a phone in their residence.

Internet: There are a wide variety of internet cafés throughout San Salvador. Outside the capital it is harder to find an internet connection. Many interns may have internet access from their home in El Salvador.

Water: Running water should be availabe in the homes of the Meso interns. Hot water generally is not available and there may be days even up to a week where running water will also not be available.

Banking: Checking or Debit cards that have the MasterCard or Visa symbol on them can withdraw cash through local ATM's in El Salvador from a checking account here in the United States. In other words, your ATM card will work in El Salvador through ATM's there if you have a Visa or MasterCard symbol on your card. Traveler's checks may be cashed at some banks and hotels in the city but are not always easily exchanged. Remember that the official currency of El Salvador is the U.S. dollar so no currency exchange is necessary.

Hospital: There are a few hospitals in San Salvador that are acceptably clean and modern. Meso has a doctor in San Salvador who is well trained and very professional with which they have been working for several years now. In case of serious medical emergencies, however, flights will be obtained for interns to return to the United States.

What safety concerns should I have before interning in El Salvador?
Safety is always an issue for volunteers or interns in Central America. However, we have yet to encounter any real safety problems with our volunteers. Common sense is your best tool against crime. Most of the safety issues involve standard petty crimes such as street robberies, pick pockets, general harassment, etc... Violent crime is not unheard of in El Salvador, especially in the capital, and care must be taken when traveling later in the evenings or through some neighborhoods. Interns are required to always be with a partner and are instructed which areas and activities to avoid for safety reasons. Intern safety is always our primary repsonsibility and concern. Nothing will be done and no activity will be held that might compromise the safety of our interns.

While in El Salvador will interns be able to visit tourist attractions?
Interns are encouraged to take a few days during their month(s) of service to visit some of the exciting attractions in El Salvador. Ruins, beaches, and volcanoes are all well worth a day off to visit and enjoy. Interns can plan with their leaders which days they would like to set aside to visit some of these areas. Trips to other countries or extended stays at some locations are permitted with prior notice to leaders and at the expense of the intern. Interns that wish to extend longer than two or three days are asked to do so after their service commitments are fulfilled. No projects or activities are planned for Sundays and volunteers and interns are free to spend this day as they please. Please note that all tourist expenses are the responsibility of the intern. Meso Development and its donors will not pay for vacation expenses.