Via International

Via International is a community empowerment organization working to build self-reliance in individuals and communities through programming centered on personal capacity building. We work with and in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border, identifying gaps and responding to needs related to basic quality of life indicators: health and wellness, food security, economic stability, and social belonging (i.e. creation of stable and supportive community networks that bolster strong families/individuals). Our goal is to build capacities at the individual and community level so each and every person can contribute to positive change in their own lives and in their community.

We consider outreach to be a process of human development, approaching community development one person at time. By working with individuals to understand their issues of concern, we can empower them with the resources they need to accomplish their goals (i.e. improved health, economic stability etc.). In many cases, their most important resource is each other. This is one reason our model is effective. Through programs centered on health, wellness, food security and economic stability, we encourage community members to both rely on each other and be self-sufficient. The focus on self-reliance produces proactive people who take the initiative to actively improve their well-being, as they contribute to the community. Our outreach model has community members take a leadership role in organizing and educating their community. The outcome is the development and self-realization of personal capacity that has profound impact on the participant, their family and the broader community.

Via is a binational organization, working since 1975 uniting and nurturing small grassroots initiatives, incubating ideas and stimulating action in the U.S.-Mexico border region. Via's expertise lies in developing relationships at the grassroots level and listening and responding to the needs of the community. It has also allowed us to develop trust within the community. Our programming continually shifts to meet the needs of the community, but has one overarching purpose: developing the capacity of the individual to have positive, long-term impact on the whole. Our leadership has been in place for over 25 years and our organization has a great deal of trust and credibility in communities on both sides of the border.

In the past 30 years we have provided thousands of children and mothers basic nutrition, health and organic gardening instruction and environmental education classes. This has led to extensive relationships in schools and networks of community/school gardens. Annually we have loaned $2.1 million to small, mostly home-based businesses that demonstrate their growth through improved education of their children and home improvements as well as the growth of their businesses. Via has expanded community leadership capacity through three program: Formation and Education, Arts/Resolution/Engage, and Engaging Agents of Change, inspiring hundreds of community members to participate, design and lead community initiatives. Via has also hosted many thousands of students from around the globe, and partnered with many corporations in immersive border education, and community volunteerism, supporting CSR goals and service learning objectives.