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Friends of Mexico supports education |
Investing in the education of children who most need
it is to invest in Mazatlan’s future and the future of Mexico
Translator: Sean Hennessey
 Mazatlan, June 3rd, 2008.- in a news conference yesterday, the civil association Friends of Mexico talked about the balance of the education programs that they have done in the marginal areas of town. Their president, Murray Page and a select group of collaborators and association members held the conference.
It is important to mention that Friends of Mexico is a Mexican non profit civil organization that was founded back in 1999. It is comprised of about 750 citizens of the USA and Canada who reside here either permanently or temporarily.
Murray Page pointed out that the only thing that the organization is looking for is to broaden its relationship with the Mazatlan community and to detect some necessities of the city and perhaps contribute to a solution to “make Mazatlan an even more pleasant place to live”.
Page revealed that through monthly meetings, the board of directors and committee organizers does a great variety of things, main among them promoting scholarships to students of marginal public schools.
 He added that another important activity that Friends of Mexico does is that its affiliates, in addition to the social labor that they carry out, generate an important cash flow in Mazatlan and the state via different recreational trips around Mexico.
The group holds events such as the Wine and Cheese Festival and raises funds, as well as welcoming new members. They also celebrate their own national holidays as well as the Mexican ones.
The organization is very much appreciated by local businesses, so much that more then 200 local businesses grant discounts to the Friends of Mexico.
Page went on to say that another outstanding thing about Friends of Mexico is the great work they do regarding blood donation. Given that Mazatlan does not have a blood bank, he said that “the association offers a list of active donors to Mazatlan.”
 The president of the association also said that they edit a monthly supplement whereby they inform their associates and the community of each and every activity that they carry out.
Emphatically, Page said “but perhaps the most outstanding labor that Friends of Mexico does is the support that we bring to education. We donate and direct funds in this field for this cause. We collect them at special events and through donations. The directors channel these funds to the acquisition of scholastic material, back packs, shoes and uniforms as well as things like roof repair and painting of schools located out in the marginal areas of town.”
As if the anterior were not enough, Friends of Mexico grants scholarships to stellar students at these schools so that they can continue their studies.
It is worth making clear that 100% of the funds that Friends of Mexico collects are integrated somehow into their educational projects. The administrative expenses are defrayed by the associates.
Gayle Villalobos, a member of the association, said that with the activities of Friends of Mexico they are looking for its members to acquire pleasant experiences and at the same time contribute to alleviating the education needs of underprivileged children in Mazatlan.
“This social organization believes firmly in these types of activities. It broadens and enriches the relations among Mexicans, Canadians and USA citizens” said Villalobos.
 Projects sponsored by Friends of Mexico
1999: begins collecting funds and donates shoes, clothing and school material.
2000: they get the consent of school authorities to carry out the pilot educational project. It consists in selecting a public school in order to give permanent help. Sor Juan Inez de la Cruz is the school selected and shoes, backpacks uniforms and school material is donated to 39 students in first grade as well as to teachers.
2004: for the first time, it grants a scholarship to the best boy and girl students so that they can continue their education into junior high. They also give scholarships to different students with artistic leanings such as dance, song, theater and music so that they can enter the Municipal Arts School.
 2005: given the success of the organization regarding fund raising and its programs, they push up their plans and activities planned for 2008 and the plans are activated. The most important is that now 5 schools are sponsored by Friends of Mexico: the original, Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz and Jose Felipe Valle, Josefina Osuna (morning and afternoon), Vincente Guerrero and En Busca de Una Sonrisa.
2005: one of the watershed moments of the foundation and very emotional is when the first generation of students helped by the organization since 2000 graduates
2006: Friends of Mexico makes a strategic alliance with the Lions Club so that both can contribute to a visual health project. The do free exams for all the students of schools sponsored by them and extend the help to include giving out glasses at no extra cost to any student that needs them.
 Another of the problems that Friends of Mexico would like to solve is that of Scholastic Breakfasts. Many students don’t go to school because they don’t eat and have health problems, so the organization looks for a team of doctors and dentists so that periodic visits can be made to schools with the hope of establishing a program of scholastic breakfasts.
2007-2008: 30 scholarships are given out and three additional schools are added to the sponsorship list. 5 more are planned in 2009, raising the number of scholarships to 71. It is important to point out that the initial amount of the scholarships (31) was around 100,000 pesos. 32 more have been added at a cost of 80,000 pesos more.
Currently the educational program of Friends of Mexico has 1, 435 students and 50 teachers. On the average each school receives 25, 000 pesos.
 Finally, Mr. Page called out to Mazatlan and other similar organizations to join in their projects. In the case of businesses, they can donate money and other organizations would ideally generate strategic alliances similar to that of the Lions Club. In this manner, helpful projects can be given to children who need it.
“Investing in the education of children who most need it is to invest in Mazatlan’s future and the future of Mexico” said Mr. Page in conclusion.
Informaton: Gayle Villalobos:
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www-friendsofmexicoac-org
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