Mexico
Overview
Zapotec ruins, sandy beaches, howling monkeys, tranquil villages, lively nightlife, spicy street food – Mexico is a vibrant, varied country. Stretching through tropical forests and temperate zones, miles of coastline, and snow-dusted mountains, there is lots to do and lots to explore. Whether you relish the crush of crowded Mexico City or the hospitality of tiny pueblos, your visit will be an adventure.
Oaxaca
One of Mexico’s most beautiful, diverse, and lively cities, Oaxaca is the heart of the south and is known for its artists, craftsmen, archaeological sites, colonial churches, and charming ambiance. Laid back southern style fiestas spontaneously burst onto the cobbled streets, and the food has a spicy distinction all its own. Nearby mountains and valleys and a temperate climate are perfect for hiking, biking, and horse back-riding.
Despite its beauty, Oaxaca is one of the poorest states in Mexico, with fringe settlements of migrant workers living in abject poverty. A little effort goes a long way here, and you can use your skills to make a difference.
Social and Development Issues
In the last decade, Mexico has significantly improved access to education. In 2006, nearly all primary-aged students were enrolled in school and graduation rates are at an all time high. However, illiteracy and a culture of poverty still plague the southern sections of Mexico.
Projects
There’s more to learn about ProWorld! Click on the + button to read more details.
Intern Abroad
-
Use Your Spanish Skills to Assess and Deliver Basic Health Services
Description and Impact
According to the 2000 census, Oaxaca is the second-poorest state in Mexico. The average person in Oaxaca earns less than $5.00. In order to...
-
Promote Healthy Eating to Encourage Healthy Communities
Description and Impact
According to the 2000 census, Oaxaca is the second-poorest state in Mexico. The average person in Oaxaca earns less than $5.00 per day and...
-
“You have HIV” is not a diagnosis anyone wants to hear, and the road is more difficult for people in poverty. This ProWorld program offers support and...
-
Microloans for women’s enterprises
Description and Impact
Being the second poorest state in Mexico, more than 75% of its population lives in poverty. For women in Oaxaca, life is especially hard because...
-
Help preserve indigenous and Mestizo art and history
Description and Impact
Most of the rural communities outside of Oaxaca are comprised of indigenous and mestizo peoples who are becoming increasingly marginalized as...
-
Classes, Seminars, and Sports for Locals
Description and Impact
Many of the rural communities outside of Oaxaca are home to low income families with fewer resources than those residing in the nearby city....
-
Bike Paths and Trees Keep the Southern Sierra Clean and Pristine
Description and Impact
Although surrounded by the lush and beautiful Sierra de Madre Mountains, the valleys and...
Help Kids Living Away from Home for School Make the TransitionStudents travel from rural villages to attend high school in Oaxaca. Living away from their families for the first time, the transition between rural and urban life can...
Be a Friend to Abandoned or Abused KidsDescription and Impact
Many women in Oaxaca are very poor and marginalized and are forced to seek night time...
Work with Disabled KidsWhen disabled kids in impoverished areas can’t attend school, they usually have nowhere else to go. This ProWorld program provides therapy and educational...
Use Resources More EffectivelyDescription and Impact
Amongst all of the problems that plague many people in the state of Oaxaca, one of the most dangerous and detrimental to the long term success...
Help Kids with Disabilities Ride HorsesDescription and Impact
The state of Oaxaca is one of the poorest in Mexico and subsequently it is lacking in social and human services for its citizens, especially for...
Classes, Seminars, and Sports for LocalsSpend your time as an intern at a ProWorld sponsored community center. With a roster of computer classes, literacy seminars, and sports programs, the center provides...
Description and Impact
One Mexico’s most forgotten group is poor children with disabilities. For these children, overcoming poverty and a disability is a double...
Be a Friend to Abandoned or Abused KidsDescription and Impact
Many women in Oaxaca are very poor and marginalized and are forced to seek night time employment in order to survive. As single mothers, their...
Bike Paths and Trees Keep the Southern Sierra Clean and PristineDescription and Impact
Although surrounded by the lush and beautiful Sierra de Madre Mountains, the valleys and cities of Oaxaca are plagued with environmental...
Help Kids with Disabilities Ride HorsesDescription and Impact
The state of Oaxaca is one of the poorest in Mexico and subsequently it is lacking in social...
Promote Healthy Eating to Encourage Healthy CommunitiesDescription and Impact
According to the 2000 census, Oaxaca is the second-poorest state in Mexico. The average...
Volunteer Abroad
-
Help Migrant Workers Stay Safe on Their Journey North
Description and Impact
Each year thousands of migrant workers from Central America make their way northward in search of a way make a living in order to feed their...
-
Help preserve indigenous and Mestizo art and history
Description and Impact
This ProWorld program partners with an organization of eighteen indigenous and mestizo (people of...
-
Classes, Seminars, and Sports for Locals
Description and Impact
Many of the rural communities outside of Oaxaca are home to low income families with fewer resources than those residing in the nearby city....
-
Work with Disabled Kids
When disabled kids in impoverished areas can’t attend school, they usually have nowhere else to go. This ProWorld program provides therapy and educational services...
-
Help Kids Living Away from Home for School Make the Transition
Students travel from rural villages to attend high school in Oaxaca. Living away from their families for the first time, the transition between rural and urban life can...
-
Be a Friend to Abandoned or Abused Kids
Description and Impact
Many women in Oaxaca are very poor and marginalized and are forced to seek night time employment in order to survive. As single mothers, their...
-
Use Resources More Effectively
Description and Impact
Amongst all of the problems that plague many people in the state of Oaxaca, one of the most dangerous and detrimental to the long term success...
-
Bike Paths and Trees Keep the Southern Sierra Clean and Pristine
Description and Impact
Although surrounded by the lush and beautiful Sierra de Madre Mountains, the valleys and cities of Oaxaca are plagued with environmental...
-
Overcoming both poverty and a disability is a huge challenge. When you cannot speak or be understood, you are completely at the mercy of those around you. This...
-
Help Grass Roots Organizations Collaborate
A strong community is the sum of many parts.
This ProWorld program aims to bring people in and nearby Oaxaca together to improve community and quality of life.... -
Help Kids Living Away from Home for School Make the Transition
Students travel from rural villages to attend high school in Oaxaca. Living away from their families for the first time, the transition between rural and urban life can...
-
Description and Impact
One Mexico’s most forgotten group is poor children with disabilities. For these children, overcoming poverty and a disability is a double...
-
Bike Paths and Trees Keep the Southern Sierra Clean and Pristine
Description and Impact
Although surrounded by the lush and beautiful Sierra de Madre Mountains, the valleys and...
Help Kids with Disabilities Ride HorsesDescription and Impact
The state of Oaxaca is one of the poorest in Mexico and subsequently it is lacking in social and human services for its citizens, especially for...
Promote Healthy Eating to Encourage Healthy CommunitiesDescription and Impact
According to the 2000 census, Oaxaca is the second-poorest state in Mexico. The average...
Promote Healthy Eating to Encourage Healthy CommunitiesDescription and Impact
According to the 2000 census, Oaxaca is the second-poorest state in Mexico. The average person in Oaxaca earns less than $5.00 per day and...
Study Abroad
-
Study Spanish and International Studies in the Incan capital of Cusco, Peru and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Oaxaca, Mexico. Courses will be complemented by local...
-
ProWorld Semester Abroad students will study at the Universidad Vasconcelos as a part of the university's Mexico Culture & Development Studies program. Courses will be...
-
ProWorld Summer Abroad students will take classes in Intensive Spanish and International Studies. Classwork will be balanced by hands-on community development projects, which...
-
ProWorld Semester Abroad students will study at the Universidad Vasconcelos as a part of the university's Mexico Culture & Development Studies program. Courses will be...
- 29,000
Trees Planted
- 10
Countries
- 5,100
ProWorld Volunteers
- 22
Schools Constructed
- 6,100
Stoves Installed
- 18,450
Patients Treated
- 4
Centers Built
- $7,100,000
Capital Injected
- 860,000
Service Hours