Our Mission

Worldfund’s unique mission is to support high-quality and results-driven education in Latin America—the key to transforming lives and reducing poverty.

Our Vision

Our vision is for every child in Latin America to have access to a high-quality education and the tools to become a productive member of his or her local community.

Our Philosophy

We believe that the best way to transform a community is not through handouts, but by providing tools for individuals to lift themselves up, and that the most effective tool to help people overcome poverty is quality pre-K through high school education.

How We Achieve Our Mission

We finance and manage proven education initiatives in Latin America, providing a critical link between private investment and educational attainment in the region.

Through our investment in schools, after-school academic programs and teacher/principal training, we are directly impacting 340,000 impoverished students annually in the region.

Our Goal

Our goal is to impact over 1.2 million Latin American students annually by 2015.

The construction of one of Worldfund’s partner schools, Mano Amiga Lerma, changed the course of Ana’s life. After being accepted with full scholarships, she and her sister took full advantage of all that the school had to offer. The school’s high-quality teachers, classroom materials and facilities allowed Ana to explore her interests and develop her talents.

Ana graduated from Mano Amiga and went on to receive B.A. and M.B.A. degrees from Anahuac University in Mexico. She later worked for a multinational corporation in Canada and then returned to Mexico to give back to the school that helped her to pursue her dreams. Ana’s sister became a physician and specializes in Neurology and Anesthesiology.

In this photo, Ana is speaking to the guests at Worldfund’s 2004 gala dinner at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. She said, “I look back on my experience at Mano Amiga and realize that while it strengthened my intellect, it also taught me about discipline, integrity, hope and confidence. I am living proof of the value of a quality education and the opportunities that it creates.”

Why We're Different

• Worldfund is a targeted pan-regional platform that finances and facilitates proven education initiatives that transform lives
• Worldfund builds alliances to expand proven education models throughout Latin America
• Worldfund partner schools and after-school academic programs provide impoverished students with the competitive skills necessary for academic and professional success
• Worldfund programs target gifted youth, teachers and principals, who can have a significant impact on their communities
• The level of coursework is significantly higher in the schools and programs that Worldfund supports
• Worldfund operates with a private sector-mindset formed by its staff and board’s extensive corporate work experience

Francisco grew up in a poor neighborhood located two hours outside of Mexico City. From the time that he was very young, his father who is a brick layer and his mother who was functionally illiterate made his education one of their top priorities.

In fact, Francisco’s mother arrived at 5:00 am on the school’s application day to obtain admission for him. He was accepted and excelled in his classes and activities. His mother also benefited from his enrollment by learning to read in one of the school’s programs for parents.

Sadly, Francisco’s mother died during childbirth when he was 11 years old. Francisco’s ensuing devastation manifested itself in his markedly poorer performance and behavior in the classroom. The school’s principal arranged for him to receive counseling, and his teachers supported and encouraged him until he graduated first in his class in 2005.

Today, Francisco is studying engineering on a full scholarship for academic excellence at Anahuac University in Mexico City. His daily four-hour commute on buses does not deter him from pursuing his dreams. In this photo, he is speaking to 400 guests at Worldfund’s 2006 gala dinner at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City. He concluded his speech by saying, “I know I will have all of the opportunities to succeed in life that my mother dreamed for me. I also know that I will be a successful engineer and help support my family and honor my mother’s memory.”