Ivonne dreams of becoming an electronics engineer. Paloma imagines a future as a pastry chef. Teodora, for her part, wants to dedicate herself to fashion design. These are goals that, for many teenage girls from vulnerable backgrounds in Mexico, might seem like just dreams without opportunities, unlike those offered by the Villa de las Niñas (Girls' Village ).

Like them, 3,200 children live and study at this institution located in the municipality of Chalco, in the State of Mexico. Founded by the now Venerable Father Aloysius Schwartz and administered by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary, the institution has transformed the lives of thousands of young people.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to find Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channels today: Among them is Sister Viviana, who was a student at the institution before taking her vows and now accompanies those who arrive seeking an opportunity. In an interview with ACI Prensa, she explained that the Villa's mission is "to help the poorest children or those who lack resources."

According to what he said, Father Schwartz wanted those children who could hardly get ahead due to economic limitations "to be guided in a spiritual and academic way and also strengthen their values."

“Primarily, what we are looking for is for these girls and boys to be able to leave their places of origin, prepare themselves academically and later return to their places of origin to help their families,” he said.

The day at the Girls' Village begins early. Sister Araceli, who entered the Girls' Village at age 12 and currently cares for the students, explained that the students follow a routine that combines studying, community service, and sports activities.

At 6:00am the girls get up and an hour later they have breakfast. Before classes begin, they help with various community tasks: washing dishes, sweeping, cleaning common areas, and assisting with the maintenance of the facilities.

Academic activities begin at eight in the morning and continue for most of the day. In high school, the young women can choose from various technical fields such as manufacturing, gastronomy, computer science, accounting, electronics, and garment making. Soon they will also be able to study nursing.

Alongside their studies, sports play an important role in the daily routine. Swimming, handball, hockey, soccer, basketball, and track and field are among the options available to the students.

For 16-year-old Teodora Itzel Escalante Baltazar, one of the things she enjoys most is spending time with the other girls every day. As she herself sums it up, "Here we all do everything." From playing to praying, they do it all together.

Faith education is not something that is taught as just another subject, but is integrated into every aspect of daily life that helps the girls to thrive.

Nathalí Fabiola Galván González, 17, said she is “fully aware” that her relationship with God motivates her every day. “My faith has helped me grow spiritually and face my problems from afar, but always praying for my family and for all the problems at home,” she emphasized.

In this regard, Sister Viviana believes that such support is essential. In her experience, regardless of past suffering, it is important to teach that “true happiness is found in God.”

Therefore, she insisted that, although there are important material goods such as health or life itself, "God is the center of everything and that is what we want our girls to understand."

The Villa has also become a space for promoting religious vocations. Discernment groups are formed for young women interested in learning more about consecrated life, starting in their third year of secondary school.

Paloma Guadalupe Magaña Hernández, 14, has learned that with faith it is possible to overcome the mistakes made in life so as "not to stay in the same place, but to move forward and keep in mind that there is a God and that God is always with you."

The work carried out by the Sisters of Mary is especially relevant in a country where millions of children face adverse conditions. According to data from the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL) , in 2020 approximately 19.5 million people under the age of 18 lived in poverty.

In addition, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) , as of 2018, nearly 4,000,000 children and adolescents do not attend school, while only 4 out of 10 young people in extreme poverty continue studying after completing secondary school.

Therefore, the admissions process carried out by the Sisters of Mary seeks to identify those who truly need the most support: for several months, the nuns visit pre-selected communities to assess the circumstances of the applicants. Many of them come from places where basic services such as water or electricity are scarce.

Sister Araceli recalled that the girls often arrive with “a sad face or difficulties adapting.” As time goes on, “they adapt and in the end they reflect a confidence, a joy, an excitement that there are new things to learn every day.”

Ivonne Xitlanihuatl Castillo is one of these girls. While she acknowledged that leaving her family and starting a new life far from home was a difficult experience, what motivates her is her desire to "excellence and persevere; to provide for my family."

“It’s what I’ve always wanted, and growing as a person is what motivates me the most,” he emphasized.

The model of the Sisters of Mary is not limited to Mexico. In addition to the Villa de las Niñas in the State of Mexico, they have a home for boys in Jalisco. Similar institutions exist in countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, the Philippines, Brazil, Tanzania, and South Korea, the country where the work began.

“I learned that our Church is alive and has a special maternal concern for the poor,” said Fr. Caleb Krischke, a priest from the Diocese of Victoria, Texas (United States), who spent a week at the Girls' Village accompanying them in the celebration of the sacraments.

The priest encouraged Catholic faithful to support the charitable works of the Catholic Church around the world, since "our Lord Jesus Christ himself identified with the poor, with those who cry out from the depths of their hearts for help and assistance."