Caring Hands Honoured by Mexico Government

After 8 years of dedication to helping the indigenous communities in Chiapas, Mexico, Kyäni Caring Hands was recognized by some of Mexico’s top government leaders! 

On Friday 22 July 2022, Marcelo Ebrard, Secretario de Relaciones Exteriores de México (the equivalent of the Secretary of State in the US) and Chiapas Governor Rutilio Escandón Cadenas recognized the Kyäni Caring Hands Foundation for their diligent and successful work providing educational resources to children and adults throughout the indigenous communities in Chiapas.

This prestigious acknowledgment was received by Andrew Mangeris, Caring Hands Executive Director, on behalf of Kyäni Carings Hands, at a special ceremony celebrating indigenous peoples throughout Chiapas. Each of the President’s of these communities were also in attendance.

In addition, the Secretary of Indigenous Communities for the state of Chiapas, Emilio Ramón, honoured Kyäni Caring Hands for the tremendous impact they have had and for their continued service for the communities in great need.

Erich Diestel, Director of Kyäni Caring Hands Mexico who lives in Chiapas, was also recognized for his strategic development in the program and the relationships he’s built with the indigenous communities.

“This honour from the highest officials in the country is due to the model of success that Kyäni Caring Hands has created,” Andrew says. “We are proud of the opportunity we’ve had to make a permanent and lasting change in the lives of thousands of people.”

Being involved with Caring Hands since the projects in Chiapas began, Andrew has seen positive shifts in the cultural attitudes toward indigenous groups and recognizes that this honor extends beyond the Caring Hands organisation to the people they serve.  

“To see recognition from the Mexican government for the indigenous communities is a great accomplishment,” he says. “We are starting to see progressive change to the challenges these communities face.”

The Caring Hands mission in Chiapas has always been largely focused on education. They work closely with COBACH, a government institution that oversees public high school education. 

“If you increase education, you help solve issues of poverty and health,” says Andrew. “We focus on building schools because 55% of high school students drop out. If we build nicer schools, more facilities, and more opportunities, attendance typically doubles and students are more likely to stay in high school and get their diplomas.” 

Additionally, Caring Hands has worked diligently to create Kyäni University for degree-seeking adults in Chiapas. Kyäni University is a partnership between Caring Hands and UNACH, the largest accredited online university in Chiapas. Working together, they provide online resources to help students complete a university degree. COBACH has allowed many of its facilities to be used by Kyäni University students in the afternoons and evenings to study and complete online courses. 

By bringing online access to university degrees to the remote communities in Chiapas, Caring Hands has reduced the cost of obtaining a degree by 95%. Students no longer need to travel to distant larger cities, face exorbitant living costs, or pay expensive tuition. This year, Kyäni University’s second graduating class had 12 students. 

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DISCOVER ALL THE CARING HANDS EFFORTS WITH OUR 5-PART VIDEO SERIES

Chapter 1: The history

See the foundation’s history featuring special interviews with our Founders.

Chapter 2: The Students

Learn how Caring Hands aims to make it easier for students to get an education.

Chapter 3:  The Experience

We emphasise the human in humanitarian work. Here’s why.

Chapter 4: The Projects

Partnerships and communities: Discover how we go about constructing schools.

Chapter 5: The Impact

It all starts with one. One mission. One community. One life changed for the better.