Villa de las Niñas is a school started by Father Schwartz, an American Missionary priest in the 1960’s, and the Sisters of Mary in South Korea. This model school, located outside of Mexico City in the town of Chalco, became Villa de las Niñas in 1991.  Today there are schools in the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Brazil and Tanzania.  The Villa in Chalco is a dormitory school of 3,500 young girls, spread over a campus of 35 hectares (86 acres) comprised of classrooms, dormitories, two gymnasiums, an Olympic-sized pool, basketball courts, football fields and other amenities.

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​The girls mostly come from at-risk, low-income villages and from disadvantaged families.  The applicants must show a desire for education.  Applicants must have completed primaria or primary school but not yet entered secundaria or secondary school.  An entrance exam is required to determine if applicants are adequately prepared for the demands of a first-rate education.

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At the Villa:

• All school expenses are covered (except the cost of transport to and from the school, twice a year).

• The school provides firm guidelines and routines;  classes are demanding and study schedules are strict. 

• The girls sleep in dormitories and they interact with girls from all over Mexico.

• They have caring nuns and teachers that guide and teach them.

• They are given academic classes, vocational training, classes in cooking, baking, sewing, sports, art classes and cultural opportunities.  

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The girls become role models, planting seeds of hope in their villages.  Graduates of Villa de las Niñas, armed with education and skills, can return to work in their villages or work in Guadalajara or anywhere they choose.  Some previous graduates are now training to become nurses.  Others are working in IT.  ​