Partners & Allies

Organizational Partners in El Salvador

Pesas y Poder focuses on creating body affirming, community building powerlifting opportunities for gender empowerment and healing. This work requires a holistic approach beyond the gym to make a real difference. However, we do not implement broader projects for dignified housing, employment opportunity and entrepreneurship, educational programming, clean water access, and other basic needs. We also do not engage directly in human rights advocacy. Addressing these challenges is necessary for structural change, and we partner with other non-profit and non-governmental institutions with these goals.

To maximize our impact and build on existing infrastructure, Pesas y Poder works in communities with a strong presence of civil society organizations, diverse interventions for wellness. and long traditions of grassroots community organizing. If you want to make a real difference, both inside and outside the gym, we recommend you also learn about and support these organizational partners in El Salvador:

Organizational Partners in the United States

To create bridges across borders and increase opportunities for transnational solidarity, Pesas y Poder hopes to build sustainable relationships with the following partners based in the United States:

We have received support from the following organizations:

Gemelos del Gimnasio: ‘Gym Twin’ Program

The Gym Twin [Gemelos del Gimnasio] program offers an opportunity for gym members at participating facilities in the United States to sponsor a monthly gym membership in our community gym and empowerment program for a Salvadoran person in a marginalized neighborhood. To sponsor a Salvadoran Gym Twin, U.S. gym goers may elect to donate two dollars per month beyond their usual monthly membership fee at participating facilities.

If your gym is not a member, reach out to us at email address.

Benefits to Partnership for US-based Gyms

While this partnership does not offer direct financial compensation to gyms or businesses, participation brings key benefits. First, this partnership provides the opportunity for your business to signal its core values to potential customers. Pesas y Poder works across international borders with marginalized urban communities in Central America for the purposes of gender equity, empowerment, and healing from trauma. Second, as a global public health initiative in the aftermath of Covid-19, the Gym Twin program highlights the importance of the fitness industry and gym facilities for combating underlying health vulnerabilities, ranging from trauma to diabetes.

To better broadcast these messages, sponsoring businesses and organizations will receive acknowledgment and publicity on social media. We have partnered with the Marquette University Powerlifting Team, and their members will promote and publicize Gym Twin efforts on social media. Pesas y Poder will also provide visual and written materials highlighting the progress and improvements made possible through your members contributions, which you may share responsibly on social media or other materials in your facility and for publicity purposes. These materials will include photos, videos and testimonials from gym participants in El Salvador, personalized for your business or organization and your participating members.

Financial transparency is also key, and sponsoring business and organizations will receive receipts of donations for tax purposes and an annual financial report that outlines how contributions were used. Again, the partnership is a charitable endeavor. No profit can be made or service provided in exchange for participation. However, donations are tax deductible, and your customers will likely value your participation.