Schools for Chiapas is a non-profit organization based in the United States that provides resources and training for schools in the Chiapas area of Mexico. The group also provides, through sponsorship or organization, cultural and educational programs to support justice and democracy.

“Schools for Chiapas (was) formed after a group went down to Chiapas and decided that we should work on schools,” Erin Eldred-Brown, full-time Schools for Chiapas volunteer, said. “The original non-profit was formed in 1981 in San Diego doing projects related to border issues, and then became Schools for Chiapas in 1996.”

This group of individuals was inspired by the Zapatista educational system conceived by the indigenous population living in the Mayan communities in Chiapas.

The system is based off of the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (Zapatista Army of National Liberation), a revolutionary group in Chiapas that is anti-globalization and anti-neoliberalism, and is supportive of the indigenous communities in its Mexican state. This translates to an educational system that promotes the use of indigenous languages and traditions, and consists of programs for literacy, health and agriculture.

“Since then (Schools for Chiapas has) branched out into other communities and regions,” Eldred-Brown said.

The organization takes donations throughout the world for their educational trips and programs. It also draws attention from students who come down to Chiapas in order to volunteer.

Schools for Chiapas is currently undergoing preparation for its first volunteer-based childcare center, “The Kids’ Non-conformist Cultural Center,” in Chiapas. Over the New Years holiday, Dec. 27 to Jan. 2, Mayan women from Chiapas will participate in the Third Zapatista Encounter where they will be able to share their ideas and visions with each other.

Schools for Chiapas is organizing a childcare center because the conference will focus on women's issues leaving their kids without supervision.

“There is this really cool speech that one of the females made (when the conference was announced) where she said that the men could come, but they would have to sit down and be quiet or stay at home and take care of the kids,” Eldred-Brown laughed. “We figure there needs to be childcare to take care of the kids, because the women will be there (at the conference) or there will be others going to the encuentra.”

The kids’ center will feature visual arts like theater and dance classes. The children will be housed in five classrooms in a school in Chiapas, and will be fed during the time they are in the center.

Interested in volunteering at the childcare center? Contact Erin Eldred-Brown and check out the Schools for Chiapas Web site for more information.