Schools for Chiapas is an organization of grassroots activists and communities working to support indigenous communities in Chiapas, Mexico in building processes of autonomy. In the current context, Schools for Chiapas is working with organized communities who, inspired by the Zapatista principles, work to defend their cultures and their territories through initiatives of education, health and women’s organizing. Our solidarity efforts at home emphasize raising awareness about the realities of autonomy and the struggles of these communities in defense of territory and life.
Schools for Chiapas works alongside organizations in Chiapas and internationally to promote human rights observation and to facilitate activist involvement.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., we began as an effort to raise funds and support the construction of schools in the autonomous Zapatista 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 initiatives which focus on education for literacy, education for health, education for ecological agriculture and women’s advancement have always been our inspiration!
We invite you to join us in support of building a world where many worlds fit!