Alejandra Peña Pous

General Director at MAYAMA

My experience and deep interests:

• Education (Youth)

• International Development

I am based in: Ciudad del Sol

Imagine the heart of Mexico City in the middle of the 70´s. A small suburb full of tradition, marketplaces, culture, handicrafts, food, museums, and galleries named Coyoacan. I was born in between the market and Frida Kahlo´s former house, where my grandfather used to complain about her screaming and her drawings.

During my childhood, my father used to be an entrepreneur, so he sent me to a German School to learn a different culture and mindset. Having learned different languages at an early age, I had the opportunity to appreciate other cultures, and enhance my passion for diverse world perspectives.

After my studies in Education and Psychology, I started to work for the Adult Education Government Section, which promotes literacy and basic education throughout the country. We travelled a lot, mainly to small Mexican indigenous towns, where poverty strikes and lack of education opportunities manifest. Development studies were not an option in the country so I managed to get a scholarship to study a Masters in International Development abroad.

Ever since my graduate studies, my professional journey of 18 years of experience have been at various non-profit organizations, always working with refugees, migrants, families and children in high poverty conditions throughout projects around the world.

I feel very honoured to have innovated Mayama''s education Model and direct a great team for 8 years now. Mayama is based in Guadalajara, Mexico and is accredited with the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations, promotes actively SDGs and the 2030 Agenda, and it works for children’s rights.

My passion: children, education, social development and of course travelling to any place where my work can be useful. My dreams: to replicate Mayama''s Human Development Model and to reach many more children in Mexico and throughout the world, as well as helping more non-profit organizations achieve their goals. “Let´s make together many projects worth living for”.