L’accompagnamento allo sviluppo da parte di una ONG sindacale: ISCOS-CISL in El Salvador (2003-2025)

This paper reconstructs the long-standing experience of ISCOS-CISL in El Salvador, focusing in particular on the “proyecto pesquero” launched in 2003 in the Cerrón Grande area. Through an economic-historical approach, it explores how a trade union-based model of development—centered on the person, co-design, and active participation of beneficiaries—can influence local growth processes. The project combined productive, educational, and social interventions while addressing environmental, institutional, and economic challenges. Key themes include the role of training, the need for continuous adaptation, the importance of long-term commitment, and the centrality of trust-based relationships between development workers and local communities. The Salvadoran case offers broader insights into the conditions necessary for sustainable self-development in fragile contexts.