Woman and Baby Lomas del Valle map Creando Junto

Nueva Creación Community
Volunteer Project

Lomas del Valle, Mexico

Lomas del Valle, located just outside of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, is an aboriginal community. Home to the Huichol Native American people, their main source of employment comes from working in the tobacco fields which has had negative consequences on their health and income levels as a community. In addition to poverty, they also struggle with high levels of familial stressors such as alcoholism and abuse.

Fortunately for the people of Lomas del Valle, the village is located in the mountains and in close proximity to popular coastal tourist destinations where they are able to sell their arts and crafts. Popular items include embroidery, beadwork, sombreros (hats), archery equipment, prayer arrows, and woven "cuchuries" or embroidered bags.

The Huichol people are governed by two conflicting political parties, one native to the Huichol and the other one answering to the Mexican Government and Municipal Agents that are responsible for the larger native settlements. Over the past four decades, the government has sought to establish both a church and a state-run schools in the village without much success. The existing school, Nueva Creación, is run and maintained by the community alone with no outside government support.

  • Outside school house
  • Inside school house
  • School house Desks
  • Outside
  • Shack
  • Kids
  • Kids in Class

What They Need

  • Clean Drinking Water
  • Sanitary Services
  • New School Building
  • Construction Materials
  • Chairs & Tables
  • School Supplies
  • Volunteer Counsellors
  • Volunteer Trades Professionals
  • English Speaking Volunteer Teachers

Ways to Get Involved

The community of Lomas del Valle is in great need of your help. Since they receive no support from the government to run the school, they are currently in need of a better school building constructed through better construction methods, help to supply access to clean drinking water and sanitary services for the school and community, donations of chairs, tables and learning materials for the students. Any offering is greatly appreciated and valued. School or other organizational groups are encouraged to offer their time and/or expertise to help a community in need. All donations go directly towards the future planned construction of the new school building. Ask us how you can help.

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Awards and Recognition

The 2013 Biennial Regional Archetecture Awards, organized by the College of Architects in Puerto Vallarta, granted Gaia Urbanisim and Siig Architecture the Silver Medal in the category of 'Archietecture Design with Social Theme', for their School complex in the community of Lomas del Valle, in the municipality of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Mexico.

You can view a copy of the project by clicking here

On the 17th of September 2013 the Lomas del Valle school project was one of 5 projects awarded a grant from the Hilton International Hotel chain project known as 'Adopt a Community'.

Lomas Del Valle project was one of 300 projects that were entered internationally at 148 participating Hilton Hotels.