A little girl in Mexico lives on the streets with six other children she calls family. They beg every day at the streetlights of those still compassionate enough to give. They are grateful to be alive, and yet what kind of life are they living?

A family of five has left Mexico to work in agriculture, the only skill they know. They are grateful they can work for money, and yet with no education, healthcare, or other services essential to modern living, their lifestyle can never reach average.

Mexico is one of the richest third-world countries in the world. However, the poverty rates are shocking. A few years ago, it was only the rich who were getting robbed by the poorest citizens in the country. Now, if you have two dollars in your pocket and are living in a big city, you fear for your life. The poverty is escalating and it leads to alarmingly harsher violence.

There are an estimated one million children living in the streets of Mexico City. Andrés Contreras, a Mexican citizen living in the capital says, “I wonder what the U.S. would do if they could see these faces at their car windows every day.” But the truth is, we have seen it. Our media may be biased, but our minds know what is going on in the world. We are aware of the poverty and we choose to do nothing about it.

But there is something we can do, and it doesn’t require us to catch the next flight out of here. Living in Miami we are in very close proximity to Homestead, an area where the majority of the population is composed of Mexican immigrants working in agriculture, work that allows them to meet only the barest of necessities. I go down once in a while to donate my supplies and services through a non-profit organization. When I go, I see migrants living in poor conditions with hardly enough space for the families. However, I know that if they were to have stayed in Mexico the situation would be even worse. Here, at least there are clinics and other facilities offering free services; and, all they ask for is donations. These donations are used for basically anything you can think of: clothes, food, any type of skill, Christmas presents, money, etc.

We can make drastic improvements if we only try. Believe me, our efforts can go a long way. Open your eyes to what you already know or even suspect is going on. I challenge you all to be selfless and start changing the world. It is never too early to start.

For information on how to get involved call: Ximena Valdés at (305) 378-2591

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