Join us in Mexico to help children in need!
Apply now to join us May 6-10, 2024 for a service trip in Chiapas, Mexico to build classrooms for students in need alongside our partner, Escalera. On this trip, you'll learn what it means to live and study in Chiapas, immerse yourself in the culture, see some of Chiapas’ famous landmarks, and connect with other like-minded volunteers.
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THE REGION
Chiapas is Mexico’s southernmost state, bordering Guatemala. This beautiful area is home to some of the region’s most spectacular Mayan ruins and an abundance of indigenous history. Chiapas is also home to one of the largest indigenous populations in Mexico; approximately a quarter speak Mayan dialects or related languages.
But because more than half of the population inhabit rural areas, Chiapas is one of Mexico’s poorest states and suffers from a fundamental lack of infrastructure including modern roads, schools, sanitation, drinking water, and employment opportunities. Due to lack of resources, subsistence agriculture is the basis of the state’s economy, but its very nature means that a majority of the food produced provides for one’s family and leaves little surplus for selling or trading.
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THE REASON
Our partnership with Escalera was specifically focused on helping to expand their REACH program of offering stipends and incentives to students as they enroll in school beyond their equivalent of Jr. High. Since High School is not mandatory, and with many needs at home including contributing to family economics, many students drop out before High School.
That is why Escalera focuses on this age group specifically and helps overcome many of the burdens to continuing with school. The program has proven to increase enrollment rates to the point that the lack of sufficient classrooms to keep up with the increased demand is evident. Because of this, Escalera began working with local stakeholders including school boards to build more classrooms and schools for the increase in students.
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THE REACH
Students in Chiapas face the harshest conditions to study in Mexico. Escalera recognizes that this lack of adequate infrastructure is one of the many challenges students face on a daily basis. By building classrooms, we are unlocking access to clean and safe spaces for students to grow and learn. Since 1998, Escalera has built 191 classrooms in rural villages where classrooms represent much more than school facilities—they are the means to ensure the human development of children.
These safe, weather-resistant spaces throughout the state are carried out in collaboration with local stakeholders, municipal, and state governments. And as Escalera's REACH scholarship program has increased high school enrollment, the organization has continued to focus on building more classrooms and schools in communities where enrollment continues to grow.
