Mano Amiga Mexico

“It is the best education option and it’s definitely a work of God.” – Edgar Rodriguez, English Teacher & Mano Amiga Parent

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Mano Amiga Acapulco is in need of sponsorship for their students. The Acapulco community has been devastated by hurricanes, and the government offers no financial assistance. Many families struggle to keep their children in school due to high unemployment. The School has become an oasis for the children and their families from the corruption outside. Many families struggle to pay even the small school fees every year, leading them to sell their material things at home – because the benefit of going to this school is far greater than having say, an extra set of clothes.

Once a family has their child enter the Mano Amiga School the transformation of both the child and the family is beautiful. Virtues and discipline are brought home by the students to their families; bettering the community one child at a time.

Please help secure sponsorships for 25 first grade students this year.

Mano Amiga Chalco is one of our model schools. Our other Mano Amiga schools strive to be like Mano Amiga Chalco. Deacon Rick, the Executive Director of Catholic World Mission is pictured here with Mrs. Lilia Garelli, school principal. She has been with the school from the very beginning when they broke ground in 1993. Mano Amiga Chalco started as a beacon of hope for a few students. Now it is the source of much pride and success in the community. The school serves almost 1,000 students, with parents actively involved in the school. They have a medical clinic that serves not only the school but also the whole community as well. They also provide educational training for small-scale businesses for parents of school students. Mrs. Lilia has ambitious dreams: she wants to build a “Technical” school on the school grounds for students graduating from high school who cannot afford to go to college. She also has more modest dreams of upgrading their computers, getting updated Microsoft Office products software, and raising enough funds to send more of her teachers for technical computer training so they can, in turn, train the students. See how Mano Amiga Chalco has become a model school with the support of our donors and one dedicated school Principal.

Classroom Basics

To students in impoverished areas attending school is a luxury their families may not be able to afford. Mano Amiga Chalco students are ending the cycle of poverty in their lifetime thanks to your generous giving. Unfortunately, many classrooms in Mano Amiga Chalco are not properly furnished. This school is requesting assistance with basic school necessities such as bookshelves, lockers to hold their books and supplies. Even many of the desks and chairs have been broken and are beyond repair. Safety is the biggest concern for these students. The need to be in safe environments to be able to learn. The risk of getting hurt on their desks hinders learning and causes a distraction. Your help today will provide desks for these students.

“Everything passes, but God is eternal”

A sign in their classroom reads, “Everything passes, but God is eternal.” These children see the face of God every day in their teachers. Outside the doors of their school the children live with their families in extreme poverty. Mano Amiga Conkal is their hope, it is no wonder so many of the photos have so many smiling faces.

March 2018

As a direct result of your generosity during the 2017 Back to School campaign, MA Conkal was able to buy 50 new desks for its students! Click through the pictures below to see the new desks, as well as some photos of the little ones making arts and crafts at their new desks. Thank you for your generous giving to these schools–you make it possible every day for students in the poorest parts of the world to receive quality education!

Click through the carousel of images below to see the fruits of your generosity!

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Mano Amiga Conkal offers students the opportunity to end the cycle of poverty for their families. Unlike the United States, Mexico does not offer public education – everyone must pay to be enrolled in school. When families cannot pay they, unfortunately, cannot help but perpetuate the cycle of poverty for their families. Mano Amiga schools are located in the poorest areas of South and Latin America and offer quality Catholic education at a reduced cost – made possible by the kindness of so many donors like you.

Mano Amiga Conkal has appealed to ask for repairs for their school, desks and chairs for the students, and for a fridge to keep cool water for the students. This appeal comes from their desire to offer students affordable education, meaning they would never think of increasing tuition to cover these expenses. These students grow up and come back to change their community by becoming doctors and lawyers advocating for the poor; all thanks to the generosity of donors like you.

The students in Conkal are also in need of sponsorships to alleviate the expenses of schooling. Some families must make the heart-breaking choice between feeding their family and giving their children an education. Let’s not make them have to choose. Your donation can and will impact the community for generations. Please consider Mano Amiga in your giving.

After Hurricane Alex hit Mexico in 2010 many Mano Amiga schools still needed reconstruction in 2013. With the help of many donors we were able to aid the people in rebuilding the walls of Mano Amiga La Cima school. In addition, areas of the security fence that protected the school and prevented gangs from entering was blown away and damaged by the winds. Today the fence stands strong and protects the children thanks to your donations. We were also able to aid in rebuilding the homes of some families from the Mano Amiga community.

Donors work to keep Mano Amiga La Cima a safe haven as the fencing project nears completion. See an interview with the principal here.

Critical Needs

Mano Amiga La Cima has many critical needs. The most pressing needs at Mano Amiga La Cima are crucial repairs to not only the school building itself but also the desks in the middle and high school. The very structure around these hardworking students is crumbling. The floors, bathrooms, ceilings, even walls themselves are in great need of repairs and new paint.

Additionally, the equipment the students have is so old they have become worn and dangerous over the years. The desks and chairs are so worn out that they have become a potential danger to the children as they try to learn. Having a place to work that is not a constant distraction is important to keep the students engaged.

Attending school keeps the children safe from gangs, and gang involvement and propels them into environments where they can change the world for the better. Will you help keep the students of Mano Amiga La Cima in an enriching – and safe – environment?

Bathroom Construction

Construction of bathroom facilities are complete in Mano Amiga Monterrey, thanks to our generous donors!  Nearly 1,000 students have been sharing one facility! We thank our Catholic World Mission family for making this important project happen for Mano Amiga Monterrrey.

“Catholic World Mission has been a blessing during the past years for our Schools in Mexico. Only in Mexico, Mano Amiga supports approximately 14,000 children in 24 Schools nationwide and gives them the opportunity for a better life. These kids and their families are desperately searching for help to get the means to find the way out of poverty and criminality. Mano Amiga, with the help of many generous donors such as CWM’s network, is taking those children away from the streets and drug gangs. Mano Amiga has a successful model because it multiplies the poAsitive effect in communities.

Besides becoming good and productive people, a lot of MA graduates also become donors and support Mano Amiga’s kids with one or more scholarships. Definitely this is the Lord’s work and we are so grateful because He is letting us continue supporting so many families in very difficult conditions.

Thank you, Catholic World Mission donors, for furthering the work of Mano Amiga, lifting children and communities out of poverty and bring formative Catholic education to impoverished areas!”

– Gustavo Flores, Chief Development Officer

Critical Needs

Mano Amiga La Cima has many critical needs. The most pressing needs at Mano Amiga La Cima are crucial repairs to not only the school building itself, but also the desks in the middle and high school. The very structure around these hardworking students is crumbling. The floors, bathrooms, ceilings, even walls themselves are in great need of repairs and new paint.

Additionally, the equipment the students have is so old they have become worn and dangerous over the years. The desks and chairs are so worn out that they have become a potential danger to the children as they try to learn. Having a place to work that is not a constant distraction is important to keep the students engaged.

Attending school keeps the children safe from gangs, and gang involvement and propels them into environments where they can change the world for the better. Will you help keep the students of Mano Amiga La Cima in an enriching – and safe – environment?

Help a Child Today

To students in impoverished families, attending school is a luxury their families may not be able to afford. Thousands of students rely on the donations of generous donors like you to go school. Please consider Mano Amiga Morelia students in your giving so the cycle of poverty can end in their lifetime.

The needs of Mano Amiga Morelia are various, but they know the generosity of our Catholic World Mission family is unmatched. There are always new students desperate to attend Mano Amiga, and they would love to expand to provide for more students in upper grades. In additional outdated technology in the classroom makes it difficult for students to learn the proper skills they need to enter the workforce. They hope one day someone will be generous enough to build their school a library, and give them books that will enrich the student’s learning. The average family in Morelia makes only $4,700 per year! The average rent alone leaves nothing for families to eat. You can see how desperate the situation is. Your generosity will make all the difference in the lives of a Mano Amiga students.

Help a Child Today

To students in impoverished families, attending school is a luxury their families may not be able to afford. Thousands of students rely on the donations of generous donors like you to go school. Please consider Mano Amiga Morelia students in your giving so the cycle of poverty can end in their lifetime.

The needs of Mano Amiga Morelia are various, but they know the generosity of our Catholic World Mission family is unmatched. There are always new students desperate to attend Mano Amiga, and they would love to expand to provide for more students in upper grades. In additional outdated technology in the classroom makes it difficult for students to learn the proper skills they need to enter the workforce. They hope one day someone will be generous enough to build their school a library, and give them books that will enrich the student’s learning. The average family in Morelia makes only $4,700 per year! The average rent alone leaves nothing for families to eat. You can see how desperate the situation is. Your generosity will make all the difference in the lives of a Mano Amiga students.

The Mano Amiga Difference

Mano Amiga Querétaro is a Catholic school that looks to transform the lives of the people with less opportunity through an integral formation. The direct focus is on the students, fully expecting that the integral formation transcends positively to their families, communities and even their benefactors.

The school’s foundational characteristics are:

• Christian Charity
• Humility and Service
• Authenticity and Congruency
• Integrity

Help a Child Today

To students in impoverished areas, attending school is a luxury their families may not be able to afford. Thousands of students rely on the donations of generous donors like you to go school. Please consider Mano Amiga Querétaro students in your giving so the cycle of poverty can end in their lifetime.

Before the students at Mano Amiga Queretaro head back to school they are desperate for some repairs to help rebuild their school! The teachers have compiled a list of needs they have in their classrooms and they are not asking for unnecessary or frivolous things. Desks, chairs, and book shelves are major classroom needs. They are requesting basics like lockers and A/C units; so the children can concentrate in the sweltering heat.  Without your support, the students will continue to go without – sitting on the floor when there are not enough desks, or even choosing to skip school rather than attend in the class in the stifling heat. With your support Mano Amiga Queretaro will end the cycle of poverty for their community. Take action now to make a difference in the lives of students in Querétaro, Mexico.

Help a Child Today

To students in impoverished areas attending school is a luxury their families may not be able to afford. Thousands of students rely on the donations of generous donors like you to go to school. Please consider Mano Amiga Santa Catarina students in your giving so the cycle of poverty can end in their lifetime.

Tragically, many students have been forced to leave the school after 7th grade due to lack of high school classrooms and resources. The options for these adolescents are very limited; many of them drop out of school as opposed to making the transition to public high school. Teachers are devastated to see this happen to the students they have nurtured academically and spiritually.

Administrators at Mano Amiga Tapachula have put together plans for a two-classroom high school facility to allow students to complete their education at the school. Some students have already moved into high school and are studying at a temporary facility off campus.

Catholic World Mission is actively engaged in a campaign to help fund a high school classroom plus supplies for a computer and science lab. 

July 2015

Last year you helped raise funds for Mano Amiga Tapachula to build a high school! The construction is halfway through, you can see the transformation go from the skeleton shape of the building taking shape to a strong three story school! Safety is of utmost importance so one of the first things installed at the new building is guard rails. Keep checking back with us to see more updates!

January 2015

Education is the fastest way to deliver people out of drugs and gangs we are happy that progress is quickly being made for the Tapachula High School!

December 2014

We are so thankful to our donors for helping raise enough money to build a high school for Mano Amiga Tapachula! The local town and government were able to come together with our donors to raise enough money to lay the foundation – literally, and metaphorically- for the high school. The event was chaired by the Bishop of Tapachula, Mons. Leopoldo Gonzalez, accompanied by Dr. Javier Vargas, national director of Mano Amiga, by Carolina Rodriguez, director of the College, and the local director of Regnum Christi.

The event included laying the first brick for the school. They described the event as a humble ceremony. A third grader of Mano Amiga Tapachula shared what it means to him to continue his education after eighth grade, and the students sang the Mano Amiga anthem. The students also held a sign that read “GRACIAS,” to show their appreciation to everyone that made the high school possible.

Help a Child Today

To students in impoverished areas attending school is a luxury their families may not be able to afford. Thousands of students rely on the donations of generous donors like you to go to school. Please consider Mano Amiga Tapachula students in your giving so the cycle of poverty can end in their lifetime.

In addition, Mano Amiga Tapachula needs help furnishing their new high school! The students need desks, tables and chairs, and blackboards to see, read, and learn the information better. Your generosity today changes the lives of students for generations to come. Please consider Mano Amiga Tapachula in your giving.

Mano Amiga Tijuana

Help a Child Today

To students in impoverished areas attending school is a luxury their families may not be able to afford. Thousands of students rely on the donations of generous donors like you to go to school. In addition to sponsorships, Mano Amiga Tijuana is in desperate need of a perimeter fence to protect their property and their students from gangs and violence. Please consider Mano Amiga Tijuana students in your giving so the cycle of poverty can end in their lifetime.

Mano Amiga Tijuana is also requesting help in funding a computer classroom for the students! Building skills in technology is vital for students to expand their opportunities. Additional funds are needed for classroom doors, ceiling repairs, and for new desk chairs – many of which are splintering and can injure students! Your generosity to Mano Amiga Tijuana today will support students for years to come!

Visiting Mano Amiga

Deacon Rick Medina was inspired by his visit to Mano Amiga Zomeyucan in 2013. The glaring thing that caught his attention was how serious the school Principal was with giving her students the best education. She was proud of how high the school placed in national level competitions even both against all public schools, and especially against some of the most expensive private schools in the entire country!

School Needs

The school Principal has ambitious goals. She wants to build another building for high school students. The school does not have enough space to accommodate high school students. Their solution, for now, is to teach the high schoolers in the afternoon session. This means starting school at 2:30 p.m. and not finishing until late in the evening. Children and their families want the integral formation they receive at Mano Amiga Amiga Zomeyucan, but they are left with the choice of going back to problematic public school systems or late (and potentially dangerous) hours going to the afternoon session at Mano Amiga Zomeyucan. Perhaps a generous donor will hear their flight and help.