gained access to the El Chaparral migrant camp in Tijuana, Mexico, just across the border from the San Ysidro border crossing near San Diego, which more than 2,000 people call homeThese are stories of some of those children, and the adults who try to teach and care for them.
Of the 2,000 migrants, about 500 are children, who live in small camping tents without access to heat, permanent shelter, or consistent clean running water. Up until the end of February, these children did not have access to an education. That changed, however, when a Honduran migrant named Evelyn Sanchez decided to help open a school.
However, with the definition of a family unit limited to children traveling with a legal guardian, the actual number of people trying to enter as families may be even higher. "The fact that you have to always watch your children for their security and to keep them out of danger is really hard," Maria Guadalupe, a mother from Michoacán, Mexico, told."Having the school to keep them busy, doing dynamic things, and teaching them helps a lot."
Activities like playtime and coloring, Reyes said, allow children to rest their brains and process the experiences they've overcome. Child migrants may endure food deprivation, violence, and feelings of being unwanted that can impact their psychological well-being for years to come, she said.