Run by The Sisters of Mary: World Villages for Children, the Chalco Girlstown program was started in 1991 and has the capacity to care for young girls in need, providing them an education and an environment where they can enjoy their childhood and develop the skills they need for future employment. 

In addition to a wide range of academic subjects, the girls receive training in areas such as accounting, dress-making, and jewelry-making, in hopes that the girls can gain skills and be prepared for the workforce after they leave. Nearby the school, a daycare center offers childcare for young children as their mothers work to assist in providing for their families. 

Currently, there are 47 Sisters of Mary onsite and 96 teachers onsite, providing support to 3,500 girls. 

On October 23, World Villages for Children Director of Public Relations Kevin Wells and Events Coordinator Christy George visited Oakcrest School to share the story of Girlstown and The Sisters of Mary with the Oakcrest students. 

“There are 3,000 girls (at Chalco Girlstown) right now, and they’re your age.” Mr. Wells said. “Every single soul that has entered Girlstown has entered carrying a blue whale-sized cross. Many grow up in great poverty, poverty that we don’t understand, profound poverty, where they might be asked to go out into the field to tend to the farm animals, and to till soil and plant seeds for 10 hours in bare feet, and then come in at the end of the day hungry and there is no food on the table and their feet hurt.” 

Mr. Wells and Ms. George invited the students to partner with the Sisters of Mary in prayer, advocacy, and creativity in fundraising for the girls at Girlstown in Chalco throughout the coming year. Each month, a grade will lead the school in a fundraiser to contribute to the school’s total contribution. 

In previous years, Oakcrest School has partnered with Mary’s Meals, Charity:Water, and Los Samanes. 

Learn more about Chalco Girlstown here.