Compassion’s work in Mexico began in 1979. Today, about 58,000 children participate in our Sponsorship Program at more than 215 child development centers throughout the country.
Mexico is a land of extremes, with high mountains and deep canyons in the center of the country, sweeping deserts in the north, and dense rain forests in the south and east. With its beauty comes the reality of living in poverty. Due to poverty, many parents migrate to the United States to find employment, resulting in family instability and a large number of children in the workforce. More than half the population lives below the poverty line, and close to one-third are under the age of 14. Malnourishment is a primary concern for impoverished families, especially in the rural areas.
Mexico is heavily involved in the trafficking of illicit drugs to the United States. Since 2007, Mexico’s powerful drug-trafficking organizations have engaged in bitter fighting, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides and one of the highest rates of kidnappings in the world.
Children in coastal regions frequently suffer from coughs, flu, parasites and intestinal illnesses. Contaminated drinking water is the cause of most of these gastrointestinal ailments.
Your support will change daily living conditions for these impoverished people and will bless the children, their families and this community overall.
QUICK FACTS
- Mexico is the second-most populous country in Latin America, after Brazil.
- More than 80,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence in Mexico since 2006.
- The government’s crackdown on the drug trade has led to a significant rise in extortion-related crimes, where victims are threatened with kidnapping unless they pay up.
- Located on the Ring of Fire, Mexico is home to two of the most active volcanoes in the world: Colima and Popocatepetl.
