In 2025, New Life International (NLI) is launching an ambitious project to bring both safe water and living water to all 25 prisons in El Salvador over the next five years. With the country’s prison system being the most overcrowded in the world, this initiative seeks to address both the physical and spiritual needs of inmates, prison staff, and their families. New Life International will focus on installing state-of-the-art water purification systems, ensuring that each of the nation’s prisons provides life-saving water and the transformative power of the gospel.
El Salvador’s prison system, which currently holds over 112,000 people, is experiencing extreme overcrowding, and this problem has been compounded by the government’s zero-tolerance policy toward drug cartel-related gangs. According to a recent article in Christianity Today, this policy has led to the incarceration of 80,000 people in just over two years, with the small country population of only 6.5 million now holding the highest proportion of prisoners per capita in the world (Iacomini, 2024). Mark Estes, Director of New Life Ministries, explains, “These prisons were not built to house these levels of populations. Water supply is typically unsafe and in short supply, as is food service, sanitation, hygiene, and other systems. There is a pressing opportunity for us to act out our faith to see improved physical health through safe water with the Gospel of Living Water. Inmate awareness of their physical health needs increases their openness to the Gospel.” Through relationships with local and national churches and other partners, we have gained approval from El Salvador’s president and cabinet to launch the “25 for 25” initiative.
Key Statistics:
- El Salvador prison population: 112,000
- Children born in prison: 399 children have been born and remain in prison with their mothers.
- Health crisis among prisoners: 65% of the population that is released from prison leaves with kidney damage.
- Pioneers in this work: NLI, in association with Fundación FOV (Federico’s), is currently the only organization doing this kind of work in El Salvador.
For New Life, this initiative is not only about providing physical resources but also sharing the transformative message of Jesus Christ. “While we provide safe water to meet immediate needs, we also want to ensure that we are leading people to the Living Water of Jesus Christ. That’s the heartbeat of New Life International,” says Duvon McGuire, Executive Director of New Life International. By focusing on both the physical and spiritual needs of prisoners, New Life seeks to bring lasting change. “Safe water and living water go hand-in-hand in transforming lives and communities,” McGuire adds.
The urgency of the 25 for 25 initiative is clear, especially in light of the growing prison population and worsening conditions. Leonardo “Leo” Jiménez, Regional Manager of NLI’s mission in Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC), underscores the importance of providing hope to these inmates. “As we bring safe water into these prisons, we are not only meeting a critical need but also providing an opening for the gospel to reach some of the most broken lives in the world.” By 2025, New Life International aims to have water purification systems installed in all 25 of El Salvador’s prisons, bringing both immediate relief and long-term transformation.
The window of opportunity to bring safe water and the gospel of Jesus Christ to all 25 prisons in El Salvador is open right now thanks to the current administration’s openness to partnerships with faith-based organizations. However, Leo also cautioned that this window could close at any time, as government policies — and leadership — are subject to change. The current levels of openness may not be sustainable. “We know that the favor we have with the government right now is not guaranteed, and we must act quickly while the door is open,” Leo said. It is crucial for New Life and its partners to act quickly while we have this opportunity to serve those in prison with both safe water and the living water of the gospel, ensuring we seize this moment for lasting transformation.
The 25 for 25 initiative in El Salvador is just one of many goals New Life International is pursuing in 2025 as part of its strategic priorities set to accomplish by 2030. Our mission extends far beyond this specific project. New Life’s “25 for 25” is part of a global mission to reach vulnerable populations on every continent as we pursue our Kingdom vision of “a world transformed by safe and living water.” Given the urgency and favor of multiple levels of stakeholders in El Salvador, the call to action is “now.” We need our supporters to be a part of this important, life-changing endeavor for every prisoner, staff member, and family involved in each of the 25 prisons in the country. Join us now to bring life-saving resources and eternal hope to those who need it most, in prisons in El Salvador and to desperate communities around the world.
References: Iacomini, F. (2024). El Salvador’s Prisons Are Full. Prison Ministries Are Not. Christianity Today.