Mexican Women's Rehab Facility - Phase 1

( Mexican Women's Rehab Facility - San Vicente, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. )

My name is Andrew Lee, an American ESL Instructor who lives and works in the municipality of Ensenada, Mexico. I teach English to poor, recovering addicts & alcoholics.

The drug and alcohol treatment center, Unidad de Tratamiento Francisco Delgado, has two 12-Step-based facilities down here in Baja Norte: one in Colony 89, which is a large, very poor area within Ensenada proper, meaning the city. 

Our other unit is called "The Ranch", and is an actual ranch-style facility located way out in the beautiful mountains of San Vicente, on the very fringes of the municipality.  I work at both, which, graciously,  provides many service opportunities.  My time and energy around helping these folks the best I can is all donated.  My salary to live comes from a US company I'm able to work for remotely from here.

(Padrino Juan Jose overlooks the space where we will construct the new women's facility)

We have run several fundraisers in the past.  It is not something we do with extreme frequency, as these are proud, smart, resourceful people.  We are able too accomplish much on our own simply due to the ingenious "service for blessings" deals the owner/founder Padrino Juan Jose Delgado Martinez puts together.  And we have an incredible amount of talent within both client populations:  master welders, master carpenters, master mechanics, painters, artists, etc. 

Padrino Juan and his "army" of skillful community servers (recovering addicts giving back) never stops in working to keep us as self-sufficient as possible. 

However, occasionally we have situations come about - often suddenly - where we need an influx of support due to demand.  Maybe a roof begins leaking and new materials are needed asap.  Maybe a pandemic rolls through and we need preventative supplies.  Etc.

American, Canadian, and Mexican donors have been awesome about stepping up every time we need them.

We need them now.

THE FUND RAISER: There is a high demand for womens' beds, womens' facilities, in this area.  Female Mexican addicts and alcoholics are severely under-served down here, and with a raging crystal meth epidemic literally devouring Mexican communities right now, women can't be left behind as far as treatment is concerned.  No more marginilization, no more turn-aways for lack of space.  So, we are building an add-on, a facility that enlarges our overall structure in San Vicente, but is also dedicated solely to the taking on of more female clients. The structure will be over 5,000 square meters.  We have the manpower and expertise to build it.  We just need the materials: cinder blocks, rebar, concrete, plywood, and aluminum roofing.

PHASE 1: Our financial goal, in order to meet the cost of these materials, is to raise $3,000 dollars in a period of no more than one month.  Every little bit helps, so please consider contributing whatever it is you can.  

TRANSPARENCY: the scribbling of mine in the adjoining photo basically demonstrates the hard (and some soft) math behind our requesting $3,000 in a one-month period for the new women's center, which will be 5,000 square meters and change.

Phase 1 requires at least 1,000 cinder blocks at 15 pesos-a-piece. 100 pieces of rebar at 30 pesos-a-piece. And so on. All of the hard numbers are right there, pictured above. Then we made some extra room for unexpected costs, for cold bottled water for our workers, good food for their breakfasts and lunches, a pack of cigs occasionally for the carpenters and helpers (remember, these guys don't get paid for this, they are donating their skills and sweat). Etc.