Our mission, as a volunteer organization, is to develop and support education-focused projects and programs focused on poor children and their families of Mexican heritage. We are committed to providing unconditional love and support, helping them to improve their lives, and moving them towards a better future and self-sufficiency. We serve as a bridge that connect those we serve with volunteers and donors who want the opportunity to contribute, grow and change. Our efforts are focused on three primary programs in southern Mexico:
- Pimpollo Home for Children in Juchitan, Oaxaca
- Vicente Guerrero Community in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
- Tuxtla Learning Center in Tuxtla, Chiapas
Pimpollo Home for Children in Juchitan, OaxacaFriends of Pimpollo strives to serve the Pimpollo Home for Children as it wishes to be served. We have learned through experience that this is the true spirit of service.
We help by providing a monthly grant for the approximately 90 children who live there. This monthly grant assists in meeting the basic needs, including medicines, food, stipends for on-site employees, and educational expenses.
The monthly grant is partially funded through our Child Sponsorship program. Donors contribute $35 a month per child.
Friends of Pimpollo organizes work teams that visit the house. Each team in unique. Some build sewer systems, others plant gardens. While each team will have a job to do, the most important part of being at Pmpollo is making a connection with the children and those who care for them. All team members should be prepared to have fun. Before you know it, you might be playing soccer, having a water balloon fight, or even tap dancing.
Vicente Guerrero Community in Oaxaca City, OaxacaFriends of Pimpollo works very closely with Manos de Vida, an affiliate of Medical Teams International based in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca. We help to support the children and families of targeted neighborhoods in the Vicente Guerrero area, a very poor community that sprang up near the Oaxaca City garbage dump. Through our partnership with Manos de Vida, we hope to help break the cycle of poverty by increasing:
- access to basic education
- school retention and literacy rates, and
- higher levels of education
Recent Friends of Pimpollo teams have worked with the local families at Vicente Guerrero to build school rooms, upgrade the community center, and pour pisos (cement floors) for families. Currently, discussions are underway with Manos de Vida to identify ways that we can expand our impact in the very impoverished community.
Longer term with hope to partner with Manos de Vida to create a nucleus of women to apply for and obtain microloans.
Tuxtla Learning Center in Tuxtla, Chiapas, MexicoOur organization provides support for students who for financial reasons would otherwise not be able to achieve their educational aspirations. We provide financial support for tuition, room and board, computers, counseling, and leadership support. Currently we support 13 resident students in Tuxtla and 9 non-resident students at the secondary and university level.
