“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”.   

Aristotles

A 2020 report by the OECD, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development indicated Mexico spends $8170 USD per student annually. Education spending covers expenditure on schools, universities, and other public and private educational institutions. Spending includes instruction and ancillary services for students and families provided through educational institutions.

59.8% of male students are enrolled in high school, while only 67.4 % of women are enrolled.

46% of 3-year-olds are enrolled in kindergarten.

66.8% of 17-year-old male students are enrolled in high school but it drops to 46.1 by the age of 18.

46% of per capita GDP is spent on Mexicans in higher education, which is well above the OECD average. Only 62% of Mexican children reach high school and just 45% finish high school, compared to 75% of American students who receive a high school diploma.

UNESCO reports that 94% of Mexican adults are literate but the average level of education is grade 7.2.

63.5% of students graduate from high school up from 26% in 2010.

26.1% graduate from college or university up from 12% in 2010.

A recent government survey indicated that the Municipality of Zihuatanejo, a mostly rural county of 125,000 residents, still needed many new classrooms and bathrooms to properly serve its current 34,000 students. Mexican parents in the poor rural areas, desperate to educate their children, have traditionally responded by building ramshackle, wooden classrooms with dirt floors, staffed by idealistic young teachers, often unpaid. As these schools are not certified, the students receive no official credit for their classwork, and face many challenges should they later transfer to an approved school.

Por Los Niños is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for these deserving children. In partnership with compassionate volunteers and donors, We have built, repaired, or added on to 16 kindergartens, 23 primary schools, 4 secondary schools and 3 high schools in 46 existing schools. Certification means that the schools now receive textbooks, learning materials, experienced (and paid) teachers, supplemental nutrition, modest funding for improvements, and a path for academic advancement. We have also built new classrooms, bathrooms and kitchens at more than 45 existing schools.

VISION

To create a more promising future for the children of Zihuatanejo.

MISSION

To provide safe, healthy and sustainable schools that create a positive learning environment.

45Por Los Niños is a Mexican-registered non-profit charity founded in 2005 to administer the funds raised by the annual Zihua Sailfest benefit festival. All funding decisions are made by a volunteer advisory committee consisting of bilingual educators, international residents and members of the Zihuatanejo business community.

We work in partnership with local government agencies, generous individual donors, Rotary Clubs, international charities, and the local communities to provide educational opportunities to Zihuantanejo’s least advantaged children. This very successful collaboration has built 163 classrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and playgrounds, including new schools and expansions and/or repairs to 45 existing schools. We have awarded over one thousand academic and English language scholarships and provide more than 30,000 school meals a year to children who would otherwise go hungry. In addition, 70 of our students now have scholarships.

Los Niños, Inc., our sister charity, is a U.S. 501(c)(3) public benefit charity founded in Portland, Oregon in 2004. The initial mission was to help raise funds to build a new primary school in collaboration with the Zihuatanejo city government and International Rotary Clubs. The school now serves more than 350 bright-eyed young scholars.

A year later, we cofounded Por Los Niños de Zihuatanejo as a Mexican non-profit association to make Zihua Sailfest, our most successful fund-raiser, a legal Mexican event, and to ensure that we complied with all Mexican financial reporting requirements and regulations.

We provide funds for Por Los Niños’ construction projects, the nutrition program and much-needed scholarships. We provide U.S. tax receipts to U.S. citizens. Los Niños, Inc. is also an all-volunteer organization with expenses below 1% of annual revenue.

Two Board of director members from each charity serve as Board directors on both charities.