A proud partner of the Lazos Foundation since 2011, APEAM supports the organization in making a positive impact on 24 schools in Michoacán, improving student success, enrollment, and more.
Dedicated to building values and promoting social development in Mexico, the Lazos Foundation has a long history of being at the forefront of educational intervention for the entire country. The widely respected nonprofit has been partnering with organizations across the nation for a quarter century, helping transform some of Mexico’s most under-resourced public schools.
As agricultural leaders and proponents of social responsibility, Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) is blessed with the opportunity and resources to alleviate struggles within their local schools by partnering with the Lazos Foundation.
Since 2011, APEAM and the Lazos Foundation have worked together to make a meaningful impact on Michoacán’s education system. Over the past decade, APEAM has provided the Foundation with more than $3 million, all to the benefit of 7,839 children in 24 schools across 15 municipalities throughout the state.
APEAM has provided the partnership with nearly $500,000 in school supplies, from backpacks and uniforms to laptop computers. This tangible support enables students to attend school daily, stay in school longer, and helps new students enroll. In fact, student enrollment at schools impacted by the partnership has increased annually by 11%, while Michoacán’s average growth is only 5%.
Based on the philosophy that education begins at home, the alliance between APEAM and the Lazos Foundation also provide educational workshops for parents on the importance of attendance, commitment, and academic success. This initiative is complemented by special trainings for teachers, principals, and other school staff.
In an effort to improve schools’ infrastructures, APEAM has provided over $1.2 million to 43 construction projects. The 2018/19 academic year alone saw the inauguration of five new educational facilities throughout Michoacán.
The Michoacán schools who have been touched by the alliance can see a substantial improvement in their students’ academic futures. At the schools supported by APEAM and the Lazos Foundation, 100% of elementary students move on to secondary school (compared to the state average of 87%).
Further evidence that the partnership is improving the lives of students can be found in Michoacán’s secondary schools. While only 58% of the students who graduate secondary school in Michoacán pursue higher education, the two secondary schools in Michoacán who benefit from APEAM’s support see that number at an incredible 96%.
While there is still plenty of work to be done and many students to be reached, APEAM and the Lazos Foundation are making noble progress. Looking ahead, the nonprofit has ambitious plans to continue to bring better educational opportunities to Mexico’s students, parents, teachers, and schools. And in Michoacán, where those opportunities are so essential, they are backed by the proud and unfaltering support of APEAM.
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