Child migrants often miss months or even years of schooling. This hurts their chances of escaping poverty and having safer futures. Ciudad Jurez is a large city in Mexico, along the country’s border with the United States. For thousands of migrants and their children, it is the last stop before they enter the U.S. In Jurez, they wait for that chance to cross the border. U.S. policies make some people wait in Mexico for their court hearings to seek asylum. A number of Christian-based shelters in Jurez work to serve the urgent needs of this population, including education of school-aged children. The shelters have partnered with local schools in the effort. The curriculum is not religious. But a strong belief in the good of education drives the programs. Teachers believe education will help the children socialize and find jobs wherever they find a permanent home.
