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When tourists see the
beautiful beaches of Los Cabos, Mexico, they also see
school age children not in school. Unlike U.S. schools,
families must contribute in Mexico to tuition, as well
as cover the costs of school uniforms and supplies – for
many families, this is cost-prohibitive. Recently a
group of committed women recognized this disparity and
came together to raise monies for a scholarship program
for Los Cabos’ youth. Their collective passion to
improve the educational opportunities in their community
led to the formation of Liga MAC in San Jose del Cabo in
1999 with the aim to strengthen low income families in
their community.
Beyond scholarships, Liga MAC provides food, medicine,
clothing, and household items to families that are
predominantly single mothers, families with handicapped
children, and elderly individuals. Liga MAC raises the
necessary funds from special events, such as fashion
shows and golf tournaments, directed at local residents
and foreign visitors. Upon returning to the U.S., many
tourists contribute to Liga MAC through the Friends of
Liga MAC Fund at ICF.
(Photo: Liga MAC volunteers registering new students.) |
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| Promoting economic
development in Mexico has always been important to ICF
donor James Gibson. As a part-time resident of Cabo San
Lucas since 1998, and concerned with human needs, James
Gibson has provided support to benefit children through
two local ICF grantees, Liga MAC and Los Niños del
Capitán, for the last three years. |
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Grantee: Liga MAC
Since 2004, Liga MAC has expanded their outreach to include funding for uniforms and school supplies for elementary, middle, and high school students of qualified families. For the school year 2005- 2006, Liga MAC support reached 160 students, up from 35 students receiving scholarships last year. Most recently, they have been fundraising to open a community center, which will allow them to develop
more educational programs for children and adults. In 2005, Liga MAC received $29,600 from their Friends of Liga MAC Fund at ICF to support a new community center, a school uniform program for students, a family and elder care project, emergency medical aid, and educational support for the Palo Escopeta boarding school. |
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