EVERY CHILD BELONGS

Compared to the United States, people with disabilities in Mexico and other developing countries experience many more barriers to inclusion in education and society at large. Sadly, this often leads them to a vicious cycle of poverty and marginalization. According to the most recent census, there are more than 6 million people with some form of disability in Mexico and almost half of them – 45.9% – do not have consistent access to educational opportunities.

At Educarte, we believe that every child should have the chance to go to school – regardless of their strengths and challenges. However, we also believe that young people with disabilities deserve more than education. We believe that they also deserve to be included in their community and participate fully in life. So, although much of the focus of our program has been on providing the children in our program with therapeutic and educational support, we also focus on providing these very special kids and their families with opportunities to be included in this community.

A heartbreaking personal experience

In 2016, not long after I started the Mexican non-profit Educarte, I was visiting with the family of a young boy with Downs Syndrome. This family had come to an event we were attending in the community hoping we could provide some kind of educational and/or therapeutic support for their son. I explained to his parents that I have a background working with kids with special needs in the U.S. and hoped to be able to expand our program to serve kids with disabilities in the future. Sadly, however, at that time we simply did not have the resources or ability to serve her son. I felt terrible that we were not able to give this young boy and his family the support that they desperately wanted. I felt even worse when, a few minutes later, a woman neither of us knew approached us and began pointing at her four-year-old son with Downs Syndrome and yelling at this mother. I was shocked to hear her say that she should not bring her son out in public and should take him home and keep him there. She went on to say that this mother should be ashamed because she must have done something very bad since God had punished her by giving her a child with a disability. This experience left me heartbroken but also determined that one day we would be able to help give families like this the support and acceptance they deserve.

How we promote inclusion

Encouraging inclusion involves a multifaceted approach, including promoting inclusive activities for those with disabilities. In addition to the hands-on work they do with the children we serve, our Educarte team is increasingly focusing on promoting inclusion for all people with disabilities in the community. Because in Mexico there tends to be a higher level of misunderstanding of disabilities as well as long-standing cultural views which lead to shame compared to the United States, we believe that raising awareness about disabilities and the challenges individuals face is crucial. This involves educating the public and changing misconceptions and stereotypes about disabilities. Some of our priorities include:

Education and Awareness – Raising awareness about disabilities and the challenges individuals face is a crucial step. This involves educating the public and changing misconceptions and stereotypes about disabilities. From speaking to local school children and community groups about disabilities to sharing disability information on social media, our Educarte team is always looking for ways to help people in the community understand and embrace differences.
Improving Accessibility – Ensuring physical spaces are accessible to people with disabilities is fundamental. This includes not only public buildings but also outdoor spaces and transport systems. Our team members have volunteered to help paint handicapped parking spots at local businesses, raised funds for and helped build wheelchair ramps, and advocated with community leaders for more accessibility in the community.
Promoting Social Involvement – Encouraging participation in community activities and events is vital. This can be through inclusive events or by ensuring that all community activities consider the needs of people with disabilities. From participating in local parades to taking our kids on field trips and hosting and attending community events, we make a consistent effort to integrate the young people we serve into their community.
Supporting Employment: Encouraging and supporting the employment of people with disabilities not only provides economic benefits but also boosts self-esteem and promotes a more inclusive society. One of the classrooms at our new special education school focuses primarily on teaching life and vocational skills to older students. Our hope is that many of these young people will be able to be gainfully employed and/or fully integrated into their community as adults.

To learn more about Educarte or to make a tax-deductible donation to support our work with disabled children in this community go to www.AmigosEducarte.org.