We are an association that strengthens educational processes with socially vulnerable people as an engine of change to promote their life projects, in the state of Jalisco.
Pro México was founded in Guadalajara, México, in 1974.
Mission, Vision and Values
Mission:
We are an Association committed to improving the living conditions of vulnerable people and communities. We promote self-management, solidarity participation and entrepreneurship from a gender and equality perspective through educational processes with personalized support.
Vision:
By 2030 Asociación Pro México is an institutionally consolidated organization that is continuously updated, made up of a professional work team. It is recognized for the impact on the development of people and their communities, with whom it works on educational processes based on human rights, gender equality, the culture of peace and respect for nature.
Values:
Commitment: It is a promise, declaration of principles, which implies knowledge of what it means and effort to achieve what is intended.
Warmth: Affection, kindness, affection that is shown between people, which translates into a happy and cordial atmosphere in interpersonal relationships.
Cooperation: Work together with another or others to achieve the same objective in a win-to-win situation for all involved.
Respect: It is the consideration, attention, deference or regard that someone has. It is the recognition of the rights and dignity of the other.
Our history
«For many years, Asociación Pro México has been a path and an opportunity for me, and for this I will always be grateful»
Genoveva Villaseñor
President of the Pro Mexico Association Council
In 1974, María Del Carmen Corvera, Amelia Gárate and Sofía Mendoza, among others, founded the Asociación Femenina Pro México, A.C, as a civil association, without political or religious affiliations. Formed by volunteers with the corporate purpose of «training and empowering people with full awareness of the need to improve the integral development of the human being» (1974).
In 1975, the Association trained and advised volunteers to form independent affiliated organizations of Pro México: in Mexico City, Yahualica, Jal, and Mazatlán, Sin. For several years it also provided its facilities for meetings and provided specialized advice (legal, organizational, etc.) to various organizations in Guadalajara that were taking their first steps. These are, among others, School of the Blind Girl, Handicapped Workshop, MAMA A.C., Ladies of the Civil Hospital, United Barrios, Youth Integration Centers, La Casa del Buen Pastor, victims of Hurricane Gilberto and CIPTEV Ecological Housing. Most of them were formed into civil associations that continue to provide services to date.
In the eighties the specialization stage was born, an educational effort with the creation of:
- Scholarship Program (1982) in the city of Guadalajara particularly with young people from the Colonia del Cerro del Cuatro.
- Solidarity Economy Program (1986) with rural women in the Municipality of Jocotepec with productive projects, starting workshops with artisans from San Cristóbal Zapotitlán, Jalisco. Both programs continue to operate and each year their number of users increase.
In 1985 …
A fundraising campaign is carried out for the acquisition of its own property in Guadalajara for offices, giving courses and workshops. The Aqueduct Center is managed, built and obtained as a loan, in addition, the construction of the La Casita Child Welfare Center is promoted to support working mothers.
At the end of the 90’s Pro México went through an institutional crisis. It was decided to close offices and carry out an in-depth work of reflection and analysis on the life of the institution. However, it continued to provide educational services, renting its offices to finance the Scholarship Program and supporting the volunteers of the Solidarity Economy Program.
As of 2007 …
It resumes the course towards institutional strengthening. Pro México has been experiencing an intense and constant process of reengineering, institutional renewal of its organizational structure and management. All this with the continuous support of an Institutional Development Advisor and with the participation of all its members.
New volunteers and hired personnel has been incorporated into the Team. In addition, we develop and implement institutional documents. Organization chart and description of positions and profiles, educational and institutional models and procedure manuals. It carries out annual strategic planning and operational planning of programs and areas with monitoring of the progress of the respective projects and operational plans and implements a system for evaluating results, instances and processes.
Investigations and diagnoses are also carried out in the areas of influence thanks to alliances with universities and local actors: UNIVA and ITESO, among others, to make adjustments in our intervention.
In 2016 the Pro México Center in San Juan Cosalá, Jalisco, was opened for the development of the Solidarity Economy Program and community development projects, as well as the creation of alliances with foreign volunteers and social actors from the community. In 2017, joint works were carried out with the Adopt a Work of Art Association for the restoration of the El Hospitalito property in San Juan Cosalá, with historical value.
Pro Mexico Association History
As of 2019, the program Segunda Oportunidad (Second Chance) is implemented in San Juan Cosalá, together with UN Women Mexico and Pro Sociedad; In addition, the Digital Center is opened for the service of Women and the community in general.
Solidarity Economy Program
Solidarity Economy Asociación Pro México is a program that encourages the participation of women in the Ribera de Chapala through educational opportunities, as well as personal training and also entrepreneurship. The program is based at the Women’s Empowerment Center, CEM 1, Centro Pro México de San Juan Cosalá, since 2017. Get to know our programs and support our entrepreneurial women!
Second Chance:
The program works under the objective of encouraging women to have access to education and employment or entrepreneurship opportunities, to improve their quality of life.
As of 2019, Asociación Pro México is an implementing partner of UN Women Mexico in Jalisco, and in alliance with ProSociedad, coordinates the implementation of the Second Chance program in six learning centers (San Juan Cosalá, Zapopan and Guadalajara).
The Second Chance program is implemented in the CEM 1 Centro Pro México in San Juan Cosalá where we work with women from nine populations in the Ribera de Chapala in vulnerable situations. Our group of mentors accompany all women in small groups to be closer to their problems and needs.
We offer comprehensive training for productive projects:
- Life Proyect
- Financial education
- Entrepreneurship
- Digital literacy
- Business training for 2021 and 2022: natural cosmetics, dehydrated, adult caregivers, sewing and event organization.
Business and projects of our entrepreneurs:
Caring is love: Agency for caregivers of the elderly formed by former students of the first generation of Second Chance.
Vegetable seasoning: Created by our first generation graduates, in a traditional and organic way with dehydrated natural products, this is the healthiest and most delicious seasoning on the market.
Jams: Prepared only with natural fruits by entrepreneurs, the two brands of organic jams «Mi Martha» and «Doña Irma» can now be purchased at our Centro Pro México in San Juan Cosalá.
Dehydrated fruits: Mango and seasonal fruits. Our entrepreneurs know well how to dehydrate in an artisanal way. Delicious and healthy.
Dehydrated vegetables: Soups, dishes, tizanas and liqueurs prepared with natural fruits and vegetables, in an artisanal way by former students of the first generation of Second Chance.
Mentors in Asociación Pro México
The mentors are a group of women committed to the work of the Pro Mexico Association to give, above all, personalized accompaniment, monitoring and support for entrepreneurship to all women enrolled in our programs
In addition, this process is linked to the businesses, computing and self-knowledge workshops offered to the users. Consequently, our program leads them to make decisions in their life project, on a personal level and, also, in the trade they have decided to exercise.
HP Life Digital Center
Through the Digital Center we offer training in the use of digital tools to promote access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to improve the quality of life of the population of San Juan Cosalá and its surroundings.
Some of the workshops are:
- Basic digital literacy
- Kolibri platform
- HP Life platform
- Using packages like Office
We thank HP for its commitment to education, as well as the donation of computer equipment. Also to EDNOVAE for all its support in the training for the use of digital tools.
Scholarships Program
The Asociación Pro México Scholarship program operates in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Currently 27 young people in six universities of 19 different degrees (September 2021). We invite you to support our scholars!
- 285 young people supported since the begin of the project
- 27 young people supported in 2021
- 19 different degrees
«I feel a great satisfaction for having supported and accompanied – over 37 years – with the Scholarship program hundreds of young people who have achieved, with a lot of effort and dedication, and continue their educational training to realize the dream of being professionals. Supporting them is supporting the future of our country with well-prepared young people who will have better opportunities «
María Teresa Flores Montes, Director of Scholarships
The follow-up in Asociación Pro México consists of:
- Give them a percentage of their school expenses.
- Support them in a personal way, with constant individual coaching.
- Group sessions with personal growth topics once a month.
- Bimonthly training on issues for the elimination of gender violence
- Support in job placement: from contacts, employment agencies, review of your resumes, among other tasks.
Social responsibility:
Our scholarship recipients carry out various projects as part of joint responsibility with society, such as training adults through digital updating courses and the Second Hand project that deals with the opportunity to reuse clothing, books and various materials to be recycled. Projects with a gender perspective are also carried out, regarding the dissemination and practice of eliminating gender violence, among others.
All of them participate coordinating the projects or carrying out activities of Asociación Pro México.
Achievements to 2021:
In the Pro Mexico Association Scholarship program, 285 men and women have graduated over time, who completed their full studies either in secondary or technical preparatory or university studies.
Jobs that have been achieved by some of our interns:
- Regional Head of School Breakfasts of the DIF
- Head of pediatric intensive therapy, at Hospital Jardines de Guadalupe
- Automotive area manager within the company VALEO, in S.L.P.
- Mechatronics Engineer, who works in the development of automation projects for the industry of Europe and America
- Banamex, Computer Science Engineer
- IBM Computer Systems Engineer
- Salgado Asociados, accounting firm to an accounting student
Community Development Program:
In Community Development Asociación Pro México we interact with social actors for activities that generate changes in the social environment of San Juan Cosalá and Guadalajara. In addition, we carry out cultural events that help us raise funds and influence the improvement of communities.
- Talks about Guadalajara architecture in alliance with Albertina Proyectos Culturales
- MuralizArte
- Restoration of the 17th century Chapel Little Hospital with Adopt a Work of Art
- Women who fly high
- Events in San Juan Cosalá for fundraising
Fertilize the culture and development of our communities!
Talks about Guadalajara architecture:
Initiative to raise funds and support the Asociación Pro México Community Development programs as well as disseminating the architectural heritage of the city of Guadalajara.
This initiative was carried out in collaboration with Albertina Proyectos Culturales. A series of four talks with Mexican heritage expert M. Arq. Mónica del Arenal that show the best of Guadalajara’s architecture. Architects, builders, creators, artists, builders, engineers who formed the beautiful metropolis, capital of Jalisco. From the 18th century to the present day through pleasant recordings via Zoom. In addition, two tours of the Americana and Reforma colonies were conducted. We also visited Casa Zuno, Casa Clavigero, Casa Jiménez García De Alba, today Casa Bosque Eduviges and Casa Aranguren.
Support the programs of Asociación Pro México. Get to know the best of architecture by reliving these talks. To register, click here.
MuralizArte:
Project to paint artistic murals in San Juan Cosalá, where artists, young people, associations and people from the community in general get involved to work on the beautification, care and conservation of public space, as well as promoting and educating in art and culture giving spaces for its practice, using art as a means of expression and communication.
Goals:
- Promote art and culture in the region, in addition to creating spaces for their practice
- Involve the community in the arrangement, care and conservation of public space
- Meanwhile, we raise awareness about the importance of art as a means of expression and communication.
- Beautify the town
- That young people and people in general have options for educational, recreational, productive and expression activities
- Increase the tourist attraction of the region
- Pay for community development, both socially and economically for the population
- Attract the interest of potential donors or investors for the different projects in San Juan.
Women who fly high:
Solidarity Campaign. Fifteen women who accepted the challenge of launching bravely on paragliding in Tapalpa, Jalisco, as well as promoting fifteen women from San Juan Cosalá who started their care business for the elderly in the Ribera de Chapala. It was possible to gather 65 volunteers.
In addition, we thank the companies and individuals who joined with their financial, professional and in-kind support: Project sAbroad, Marisa, Pisa (Electrolit), Gravedad 0 -cero- and Todo para sus Pies. Also Velas Resort and Luis Macías, our advisor. Also to Lorenza Carrillo (Campaign designer). In addition, the people in charge of video and photography: Lucano Maldonado and Lee Steenberg.
Participating women: Paola / Sofía / Ana Paulina / Beatriz / Alejandra / Cecilia / Emma / Leticia / Paola / Chantal / Bárbara / Carmen / Luz / Ade / María Luisa / Manon
You made the first Women Who Fly High challenge possible and it was a success!
Asociación Pro México 