We believe that investing in education and training not only has the capacity to produce job opportunities and create an economic impact, but has a positive impact on the persons self image, on family life, on the over all well being of individuals and positive growth of the communities.

To this end we envision an automotive mechanic training center tailored to the needs and resources of the Mixtecos. This goes beyond making the education accessible in financial and educational aspect: It includes a focus on the work most needed in the communities, the tools and resources most readily available and a time frame that is manageable for most young Mixtecos.

The result of a completed training is visible on multiple levels:

On a professional level, the graduated apprentice will be able to open an independent workshop in his own home community, creating a stable source of income for himself and his family. The community will also benefit from having a mechanic in their own town, many of which don’t have a local workshop.

On a relational level, the newly created job opportunity will allow the young Mixteco to live with his family and sustain them through local work. This seemingly obvious condition of families living together is in fact a rarity in the Mixteca due to the extreme lack of employment opportunities. Kids will be able to grow up with both parents present, and generational systems of disfunction will be broken. The mechanic will provide care and comfort to his family, having seen these relationships modelled by the training center staff.

On a personal level, the young mechanic will also have found a new sense of pride in his cultural heritage through the values taught at the training center.

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Tim Schwab
Executive Director, Mentor