Context

The shelter Hermanos en el Camino (Brothers in the Road) is located in the poorest region of Mexico. The state of Oaxaca, along with Chiapas and Guerrero, have the highest incidence of illiteracy, extreme poverty, marginalization and unemployment. The city of Ixtepec, with its strategic and geopolitical importance in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, has 24,000 inhabitants and has been chosen by many gangs as the center of operations. It is the most desirable location for extracting enormous amounts of money from migrants, by any means possible.

This little city is the point of convergence between the Pacific Ocean, the Golf of Mexico, and the migration flows coming from the South, primarily Central Americans. The majority of the migrants arrive by riding on top of freight trains, coming from the neighboring state of Chiapas. Their journey on the train to Ixtepec is generally between 12 and 14 hours. During the trip many are assaulted, exploited, raped, and they also face extorsion by the Municipal, State, and Federal Police as well as Immigration.


The Shelter

The shelter Hermanos en el Camino (Brothers in the Road) was founded on February 26, 2007 in order to offer humanitarian and necessary aid (food, shelter, psychological, medical, and legal help). It also served to orient our migrant brothers from Central and South America, Asia, and Africa, the majority of whom are on their way to the United States.

More than 400 migrants slept at the refuge the first niche. Since then, the flow of people has been constant.


Founder

Father Alejandro Solalinde Guerrra, Coordinator of the Pastoral of Human Mobility, South Pacific Region of the Mexican Episcopate.

"The greatest challenge that I must overcome is the intimidation, the harassment, and the constant lack of respect from people who do not want my work helping migrants to succeed. Many local authorities, gangs, and drug traffickers would love to free themselves from the defenders of human rights."
 
-- Father Solalinde, October 2009.



VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES

At the shelter Hermanos en el camino (Brothers in the Road) we are all volunteers!
This is your opportunity to support our migrant brothers and have a life changing experience.

Come join our team!

Contact us.



DONATIONS

We thank you in advance for what ever form of support, both in-kind or monetary donations. We would also appreciate that you contact us before making any donation so that we can make the best connection possible.

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