Gangs in El Salvador and the rest of Central America are a serious problem. They are also extremely violent. Police in El Salvador report that gangs are responsible for 60% of all murders. El Salvador is also home to an organisation called Homies Unidos which is trying to help end the violence and provide alternatives to gang members.
Homies Unidos was founded by Luis Gavidia, a former gang member. When Luis was 14, his family fled the civil war in his country. They were worried he might be forcibly recruited by either the rebels or the government forces. He ended up in United States, living with aunts and uncles. But they didn't get along. Soon he started drinking and smoking pot. Within a year they threw him out and he wound up on the streets.
Photo is of Former gang member and founder of Homies Unidos, Luis Gavidia
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Joining a gang
One day, a female gang member befriended him. She took him to visit some of her friends and he soon started spending more and more time with them. "They accepted me as family," says Luis. "They took me into their apartment. They cleaned me and washed me. They cut my hair. They took care of me like my family."
A year later, they invited Luis to become a full gang member. "I was very happy," he comments, "because I knew I was going to be part of a big gang. I was going to be somebody." During the initiation rite, three gang members "jumped" him and beat him for 18 minutes. When they were finished, they all start crying and hugging each other. It was one of the happiest days in Luis's life.
Crime
Luis soon joined the other gang members in selling drugs and carrying out robberies. He had no qualms about it because as an illegal alien, he had few opportunities in the United States. He says if he had been a legal migrant with a green card, there would have been no reason for him to get involved in crime.
Besides, he was happy being in the gang because in some respects they treated him even better than his own family. "The other gang members were even closer to me than my brothers," he says. "There were a lot of really good things in the gangs that I really valued."
A new life
Luis spent 10 years in the 18th Street gang, the largest gang in Los Angeles. He finally decided to start a new life when his first daughter was born. He was in jail at the time and was having many problems, but one day his girlfriend brought the baby to the jail. "They showed me my little girl, and it was such a beautiful moment. I remember thinking, what's going to happen to this baby? Is she going to be like me and join a gang and shoot people? That's when I realised I had to change."
Luis was eventually released, and he returned to El Salvador. He stopped drinking and taking drugs, and got involved in programmes that teach people how to change, such as conflict resolution and mediation. He started attending university and soon hopes to get a degree in anthropology. He also remains active in Homies Unidos because he believes that his own experiences can help other gang members change their lives too.
