Education & Health for 250 children in Tultitlan

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought endless changes in our lives, both on a personal and community level. However, the virus did not affect all communities equally. While for some people the biggest concern may be adapting to confinement or limiting social relationships, there are others that have had severe problems with illness, loss of income, or lack of truthful information about the virus. Unfortunately there has also been an increase in cases of domestic violence.

As a result of surveys conducted by Amextra to families in Sierra de Guadalupe and Lomas de San Isidro, State of Mexico, the teams have detected that our beneficiaries are facing challenges in the following areas:

• Economic. The sources of work have decreased and some have lost their jobs. 9 out of 10 families stopped receiving 20 to 80% of their monthly income. This has generated stress and anxiety, as some families cannot cover their basic necessities.

• Family relationships. Parents report that as the time they spend together at home has increased, patience with their children has decreased. Likewise, worldwide, an alarming increase in cases of gender violence has been reported. In Mexico, from April to July 2020, the Red Nacional de Refugios A.C. reported that it served 81% more women, girls and boys than during the same period in 2019.

• Psychological. The population we serve in the State of Mexico states that as a result of the onset of the pandemic they suffer greater stress, irritability or anger, sleep and wake disorders, sadness, anxiety and eating disorders, related to lack of income of the family.

At Amextra we feel grateful to be able to respond to the last two areas of need that we detect in the community; family unity and physiological attention.  During 2021 we will be providing guidance based on the Formation of Values for Nonviolence model, as well as psychological support, so that families learn to manage stress and provide tools to promote harmonious and peaceful relationships both at home and in the community. 

In addition, we will continue providing personalized education support to children online and offline as well as continue monitoring the economic impact of Covid-19 on families to determine whether more deliveries of food and hygiene supplies are necessary during 2021. 

Thank you for your support during 2020. We wish you happy holidays and a new year full of peace, health and hope.