This project will help: 159 children and youth
Estimated completion date: March 2026
Country: Mexico
Executive summary
In the small, rural town of El Campito in Chiapas, Mexico, Compassion centre staff at the Nazareno Church serve 159 children and youth. In El Campito, there are approximately 727 residents. Here, most families rely on agriculture to feed their families and earn a small income. Although agriculture is crucial for most families in this community, many struggle to grow and sell crops due to resource scarcity and limited access to local markets. Sadly, most children in El Campito are growing up in poverty.
Like many remote, rural communities in Mexico, El Campito lacks adequate infrastructure and residents have limited access to basic services including clean water, sanitation services, health care and education. Centre staff at the ME0977 centre in El Campito have been working hard to support registered children and youth by providing them with nourishing meals, educational support and mentorship. However, the centre has also struggled due to limited access to resources.
With no funds to renovate their facility, staff have been using improvised, shared spaces as classrooms for students—including a warehouse that must be emptied each week before students arrive. The current learning spaces are partially outdoors and are often noisy and distracting. They are also impacted by weather conditions, including rain and wind or excess dust during the hot, dry season. Children are not protected from the elements, which can not only impact their ability to learn, but can also put them at risk for developing preventable illnesses, like respiratory infections.
This intervention will see two new classrooms built at the ME0977 Compassion centre in El Campito, Mexico. The new classrooms will be constructed by local professionals and will meet all national safety standards, ensuring registered children and youth have a safe and comfortable space to learn, play and grow. The new classroom spaces will also allow centre staff to teach children according to their age group, ensuring the children receive support and mentorship that is appropriate for their developmental stage.
Summary
Background
The Nazareno Church is home to the ME0997 child and youth development centre and currently serves 159 registered children and youth in El Campito, Mexico. The centre opened in 2012, first welcoming a group of 70 students. Over the years, the church and the Compassion centre have grown, welcoming more families from the El Campito community.
To facilitate centre activities, the church set up three temporary classrooms, using a metal partition to separate the space. They also renovated the kitchen and are in the process of improving the washrooms to be able to better serve children on program days. However, like many families in the community, the church has limited resources. While the kitchen and washroom renovations have been possible, building new classrooms to replace the temporary learning spaces has proved to be a challenge given the centre’s limited budget and resources.
The need
In El Campito, Mexico, many children and families live in poverty. The community lacks access to basic resources, including clean water, adequate education, health care and sanitation services. Staff from the ME0997 Compassion centre are doing everything they can to support registered children and youth, but inadequate classrooms at the facility make it difficult for children to learn, focus and feel safe. Currently, classes are held in makeshift spaces divided by metal sheets. These classrooms are noisy, unhygienic and prone to leaks and dust. Despite their dedication, centre staff struggle to teach children in this environment.
Your generous support will help fund the construction of two safe, comfortable classrooms at the ME0997 Compassion centre. The classrooms will be constructed with high-quality, sturdy materials that will keep children safe from wind, rain and pests. With the construction of these new classrooms, children will be able to learn in a quiet, safe environment where they can concentrate, connect with their peers and receive the academic and emotional support they need to thrive.
What your gift will do
Your gift will help build two new classrooms at the ME0997 Compassion centre in El Campito, Mexico, providing 159 children and youth with a safe space to learn and grow:
- Construction materials
- Black work, foundation, columns, walls, roofing, plastering
- Finishes
- Electrical installation
- Hydraulic installation
- Paint
- Tiles
- Windows and doors
- Labour
Logistics
- Local contribution: US$7,345.88
- Handling of funds: Compassion International Mexico will work with church and centre leadership to ensure this project stays within budget.
- Monitoring: The church’s Board of Officers and the Construction Committee will oversee the construction of the classrooms. Church leaders and volunteers have also committed to supporting the construction process.