Melel Xojobal A.C.

Melel Xojobal is an educational charity in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. We work from a human rights perspective with indigenous Mayan girls and boys and young people from the age of 0 to 20 who live in conditions of risk and social exclusion.

At Melel we work to promote the strengthening of indigenous cultural identity and the fostering of positive social transformation, as well as defending human rights, strengthening personal and cultural dignity, ensuring that justice and liberty are respected, and that the participation of all is ensured regardless of race, gender, creed, religious affiliation or ideology. We believe that education is a fundamental means by which people exercise self-determination and become the authors of their own history.

The work we accomplish is participatory in nature, creative and purposeful, the force of which animates our team and promotes positive transformation.The principal themes that describe our work include the following: the human rights of girls, boys, and indigenous young people; childhood participation; education; healthy lifestyles; social inclusion; sexual and reproductive health, addiction, violence and discrimination.