In Reynosa, Mexico there is a camp of asylum seekers who, because of current US policies, are stuck in Mexico until their asylum cases can be processed by the US. There are hundreds of children in the camp, who do not have access to a proper education. The Sidewalk School for Asylum Seekers recognizes the importance of education for all children, and stands by our belief that all people deserve access to education opportunities. Because of this, we offer five days of school a week in the camp. Additionally, we employ professionals from among the migrant community as teachers and coordinators of the program. The Sidewalk School has been in 9 other cities across Mexico, and we have expanded our efforts to not only provide quality education, but also medical care, COVID-19 testing, employment, housing, and food assistance. In the very near future we are hoping to establish a new camp for asylum seekers with better conditions and more space.
One of the consistent assignments at The Sidewalk School is for the children to create a drawing of their experience as asylum seekers on the US-Mexico border. Many of their drawings capture the gritty reality of the squalid living conditions of camp life. Our hope is that these drawings might be used as a way to raise awareness about the suffering on the border and spark interest in supporting NGOs, such as The Sidewalk School, in their efforts to remedy a dire situation. |