Schools for Chiapas is an organization of grassroots activists and communities working to support the autonomous, indigenous Zapatista communities of Chiapas, Mexico. We are neither a traditional NGO (non-governmental organization) nor are we affiliated with any government, religion, or business. Schools for Chiapas was created the mid-1990’s by individuals searching for ways to create a world where all worlds fit.
As a subsidiary of our parent organization, Grass Roots Events, Inc., Schools for Chiapas began as an effort to raise funds and support the construction of schools in the autonomous Mayan communities. We are honored to have been involved from the start in the first ever Zapatista school construction project located in the highlands civilian center of Oventic (Caracol II, Heart of the Zapatistas in Front of the World). These Zapatista programs which focus on education for literacy, education for health, education for ecological agriculture and women’s empowerment have always been our inspiration!
Schools for Chiapas accompanies Zapatista struggles for dignity, democracy, and justice, while our solidarity efforts at home emphasize raising awareness about the realities of autonomy and the accomplishments of this now 30-year-old movement. Our web site provides resources and lesson plans for educators who are interested in teaching about Chiapas. Schools for Chiapas works alongside organizations in Chiapas and internationally to promote human rights observation and to facilitate activist involvement.
We invite you to join us in support of building a world !