Mexico experiences deep inequality, and drug-related violence sadly claims thousands of lives each year. Over three per cent of Mexicans live in extreme poverty. For local children, poverty means inadequate healthcare, insufficient food, limited access to safe water, shelter and education as well as a lack of hope that things will ever change.
But our dedicated local church partners in Mexico witness transformation in the lives of children in poverty every day. With your support, they are providing holistic care that is tailored to the unique needs of each registered child.
Watch the video update below from our church partners in Mexico to learn more.
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Thank you for praying for staff, churches, children and families in Mexico we serve.
From a young age, Susy has had to navigate difficult circumstances which impacted her emotionally, but her Compassion centre has become a place of refuge, recreation and learning. Recently, her Compassion centre opened a pastry workshop to help youth develop skills and give them a safe space to form friendships. Read more open_in_new
Compassion’s program is contextualised across countries and communities, as well as age groups.
Compassion assisted children in Mexico typically attend program activities at their local child development centre before or after school and on Saturdays. Here is an example of what a typical program day looks like for children in Mexico.
Devotional time - Children learn to pray.
Spiritual lessons - Children sing songs and learn Bible stories.
Break time - Children can play in a safe environment and develop friendships.
Social-emotional lessons - Children learn conflict resolution skills and how to develop healthy self-esteem. Children often come from challenging home environments and are taught social and personal skills.
Lunch and social time - When children come to the centre for more than four hours, they generally receive a meal. When they attend for less than four hours, they are usually given a snack. The meals typically consist of meat, chicken or soy cooked with vegetables, fruit and fresh water. If they are served a morning meal, it will generally be ham, eggs and fried beans. A snack is usually fruit or a nutritious dessert.
Health lessons - Children learn practical health and hygiene tips.
Letter writing and career planning - Older children work with local staff to identify their strengths and interests and set goals for their future.
Children also learn leadership development skills and are invited to join in vocational training classes, such as carpentry, painting, cooking, computer classes, English, hammock making, silk screening, embroidery, hair styling and fish farming, according to their interests and circumstances.
Parents and caregivers are offered health education and parenting classes.
mothers die from pregnancy related causes per 100,000 births
of children under 14 years old experience physical or psychological abuse at home
of rural households lack access to basic sanitation
From its rugged, arid northern region to its tropical southern border, Mexico features diverse landscapes and cultures. This large Latin American country holds ancient Aztec and Mayan ruins, including the world’s largest pyramid—Cholula. Music and dance are important to local communities, as are family and soccer.
Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world and has a young population. Millions of Mexicans are still living in poverty, often in huge shanty towns that surround the main cities. One of the ramifications of these poor living conditions is that many parents migrate to the United States to find employment, and this has resulted in family instability and a large number of children in the workforce.
Low wages, high unemployment, and inequitable income distribution over many generations has resulted in a difficult and stagnant social and economic climate. The presence of powerful drug-trafficking organisations in Mexico has resulted in in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides and forced disappearances.
In recent years, the Mexico-US border has become a focal point of international tension, with former US President Trump declaring he would build a wall to keep migrants out. In late 2018, a caravan of thousands of migrants from Central American nations travelled through Mexico en route to the US and fetched up at the border, where they were denied entry and driven back with teargas. Many said they were fleeing gang violence and grinding poverty.
Mexico is a large and diverse country and there are many areas which do not experience high levels of crime. Yet stabilising the nation to find a long-lasting and widespread peace has proved extremely difficult. Amid these circumstances, our local church partners are committed to bringing hope and lasting transformation in the lives of children in poverty.
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