Las Tias: Mothers Changing Lives
Las Tias began in the street market of Leon, over 20 years ago.
At the time, the mothers who worked in those markets weren’t able to leave their children home alone during the day, so they would bring them along to the market. However, these children, growing up out in the streets, ended up getting into a lot of mischief – particularly, stealing food from other vendors. The mothers decided they had to put a stop to this, but when they asked their children why they were stealing, their answer was that they were hungry. So the mothers came together and created a safe space at one end of the market where they provided children with free food.
This was the beginning of “Las Tias.”
Since then, they’ve grown into an organization which runs out of a small building in Leon and provides many opportunities to the children and youth of the city.
Meet Justa.
Everyone calls her Tia (Spanish for Aunty). Tia currently runs Las Tias.
Today, Las Tias provides children of all ages with a free and safe space to eat, get homework help and learn trade skills such as carpentry, cosmetics, leather-making, cooking, sewing and guitar.
Justa’s favourite class offered at Las Tias is woodworking. She says that when these children graduate from school and are unable to find work, they don’t have to resort to cleaning trash on the streets to make money. Instead, they can fall back on their woodworking skills and make tables and chairs to sell, because wood is always available and they can create a future for themselves.
A young boy learning to cook.
Students attending an after-school program.