Chiapas is the southernmost state in Mexico. It is the poorest and least educated state, but also one of the richest in natural resources. About one quarter of the population are of full or predominant Maya descent, and in rural areas many do not speak Spanish. The state suffers from the highest rate of malnutrition in Mexico, affecting about 40% of the population. Migration north from Chiapas has increased the past decade and the Mexican census bureau estimates that Chiapas accounts for 10% of the illegal immigrants in the United States. The fact that they are the furthest geographically and only represent 4% of Mexico’s total population is an indication of the intensity of the poverty and lack of economic opportunities.
In 1994 there was an uprising organized by the grassroots Zapatista movement that involved the state in armed warfare for several years leading to a further deterioration in the state’s economy. Many Non-governmental organizations work in Chiapas due to the Zapatista conflict, the influx of Guatemalan refugees in the mid-1980’s to Chiapas and interesting cultural heritage of the Mayan people.
The two projects we work with in Chiapas are:
Veredas Chiapas
