The Future

One of the great things about Project Mexico, is that it isn't limited by a single vision. Our hope is that Project Mexico morphs and changes and is continually shaped by the people who make it happen. Project Mexico began in 1999 as a home-building ministry in Mexico. The needs in this impoverished corner of the world are great, and go far beyond basic shelter. Plans are underway to expand Project Mexico's reach beyond home building. Here are some of the ideas on the board...

Community Center

If there were one core need in the community of Colonia de San Bernardo, it's a sense of true shared community, shared life. Poverty has bred envy, discontent and suspicion among many of the people of San Bernardo. Residents come here from all over Mexico, and few know one another. As we have entered into the lives of some of the residents, we've seen rays of intense hope, as relationships have formed and people have connected.

One group of individuals that has participated in home building with Project Mexico, have launched a dream to build a community center in San Bernardo. A place where residents can gather, youth can learn and grow, and the people of San Bernardo can take bigger, more meaningful steps toward becoming a thriving community. The dream for the center would include a secure facility, computers and other basic equipment to facility everything from education and learning, to fiestas, music, dance, quinceñera's, weddings and more. Church gatherings could occur, as well as town meetings.

We're currently exploring the possibilities of making this dream a reality.

Healthcare

In Mexico, there is no health insurance. The residents of San bernardo rarely receive healthcare, dental care, prenatal care, much less preventative healthcare or health/hygiene education. We envision a monthly healthcare clinic co-led by a team of American and Mexican healthcare professionals that would bring basic, desperately needed healthcare and health education to the people of San bernardo.

English

Learning English can mean the difference between an uneducated 15 year old girl with a child and absent husband and a bleak future, and a thriving young woman with a bright future. Knowing how to speak English allows the people of San Bernardo find good jobs and contribute to the family. This can happen in several ways, but we envision computer learning centers (perhaps at the proposed Community Center) where the people of San Bernardo can learn valuable computer skills, and learn English through software applications and live instruction.

Art

This might not rank high on most people's list of real needs among the poor. After years of investing in the border communities of Mexico though, we've seen what art can do in the lives of youth. Other groups have also demostrated the power art can have among the young, especially in communicating hope and truth, and a sense of understanding. Groups like The AjA Project have made tremendous impacts in the lives of kids through art. Part of our first step toward such an effort is called Arte de Viendo. It's a series of art workshops that we hope to get off the ground in 2007. You can read more about it here.

 

Entrepreneurial Captilization

Groups such as Kiva, Accion and the Heifer Foundation have been funding micro loans and entrepreneurial endeavors in third world countries for some time. This idea has proven amazingly successful, as empowering people with a dream of self-employment in impoverished nations has taken off, and lives are changing. Fast Company magazine even launched as annual Social Capitalist awards, recognizing individuals and organizations that are applying their business accumen to help those less fortunate.

During our time in San Bernardo, we have met budding entrepreneurs, and began building relationships a few people with a dream beyond a factory job at a maquiladora or as a day-laborer. The amount of money needed to capitlize many of the dreams these budding entrepreneurs have is typically minimal. What would it look like to provide small loans to these people, along with some simple business and marketing guidance? Businesses that could both provide basic, needed services to the community of San Bernardo, and provide a living to residents? The potential impact in teh lives of San Bernardo families, and the opportunity this brings to help create a thiving community, seems huge.

More information on Micro Loans:
New York Times, Sunday, Feb 26, 1997
Miscrocredit, Wikipedia

These are just a few ideas that have risen to the surface. As more people participate in Project Mexico, and they begin to connect the dots with how easily we could leverage our comparative wealth for justice in this impoverished neighbor of ours, we see great things happening.  

So... where can you jump in?