EDUCATION IN MEXICO The mexican system reveals the role of money in education and the very strong inequalities existing in the country. | |

We interviewed a member of a french association, « biblio bus », which aims at helping children of disadvantaged neighbourhoods. How? Twice a week, they go to Ticoman, a popular neighbourhood, and bring books, ludic games to children. Most of them can’t go to school, and the association try to interess them in reading, writing, counting etc. Magazine : Who founded the association? Thierry Mariette : What we do in Ticoman is just part of a bigger association. It was founded in 1994 by Isabelle Ponsard, inspired by the association “ATD Quart Monde” which created 25 street libraries all around the world, according to the credo : “Every man, especially the most miserable, needs as much culture as bred”.Magazine : How does it work exactly? Thierry Mariette : Tuesday and Wednesday, a group of 4 volunteers take the taxi (payed with their own money) to go through the steep way to Ticoman. | They first go for the equipment, stored at a convent. Then they go to a special place where children are used to meet them. We bring them books, games which make them think, and colored pencil, paper shits, kind of object they don’t have access to. Magazine : Who are the children and how do they react to your action? Thierry Mariette : They are surprisingly quite. As they prefer games than books, we are used to read them 4 books before they are allowed to play. We think they are between 2 and 11 years old, but they never exactly know their ages. Most of them don’t go to school, and some live alone. I think they like what we do, they call us “Las Madrecitas”, (most of us are women) and offer us drawings. Playing with them is a real pleasure for both. | Magazine : Where do you find the money to continue your action?Thierry Mariette : Finding financing is our main problem. Most of the money we use to buy all the equipment come from