Esperança, Steps of Love Unite to Combat Health, Education Inequality in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico
Photo: Kathleen Duncan of Steps of Love
Hundreds of children in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, will now have expanded access to health care and education thanks to the recent merger of two Arizona nonprofits.
Esperança, which provides health education, community development projects and medical support in seven countries across Latin America and Africa, and Steps of Love, which seeks to help Mexican youth overcome poverty through education, have joined forces to combat health inequalities, enhance educational opportunities and enact sustainable change throughout the region.
Established in 1970, Esperança provides customized, culturally appropriate support services that expand access to quality health care and improve outcomes for patients and low-income families. Steps of Love took shape in 2015 as the brainchild of Valley philanthropist Kathleen Duncan, who established the organization after visiting Mexico and recognizing how many families had to choose between sending their kids to school and meeting their fundamental needs.
In 2016, Duncan founded AIM Peñasco in conjunction with other advocates, with Steps of Love overseeing its efforts since its inception. Esperança will now oversee the operations of AIM Peñasco and will continue to support 600 underserved children in the Puerto Peñasco area.
“We are thrilled to adopt the Mexico program into our organization,” said Jeri Royce, President & CEO of Esperança. “It provides a unique opportunity to apply our proven partnership model to an already strong foundation of community trust. We are grateful that Steps of Love has the confidence in us to move the work of AIM Peñasco forward.”
Steps of Love Board Chair Luis Ramirez also expressed his support for the merger. “Esperança is the ideal organization to take over our operations,” Ramirez said. “They are known as experts in managing successful international programs dedicated to sustainable change. We are excited to work with them to further transform these communities.”
