How We Began
Our Founders
Jodi Bauman
Jodi and Harold Bauman, a couple from Missouri, founded Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots in 1996. The Baumans went to Oaxaca on vacation in 1984 and were troubled by the children on the streets selling products or asking for money. Initially, they helped a Triqui family enroll their children in school. By 1996, Jodi, Harold, and friends were supporting about seventy children in attending school and they chartered Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots.
Centro de Esperanza Infantil
As the program grew, changes occurred. We created Centro de Esperanza Infantil, our partner non-profit in Oaxaca that does on-site work and collaborates with us, the funding organization. We also looked for a permanent home in Oaxaca and purchased a colonial building on Calle Crespo in downtown Oaxaca.
In September 2022, we opened a satellite center, Casa Emilie, in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, a community a few miles from the city center. In November 2023, the CEI board of directors voted to rename the building on Calle Crespo “Casa Jodi” to honor Jodi Bauman. In January 2024, we changed our name to Oaxaca Youth Empowerment.
Members of the boards of directors of Oaxaca Streetchildren and CEI in 2000.
Help support our efforts to help the students to continue studying and achieve their goals. Make your tax-deductible gift today so the future of Oaxacan youth remains bright.
Oaxaca Youth Empowerment, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
Our Tax ID is: 35-1988669