Impact of family remittances and the Prospera program on high school students in Choix, Sinaloa, Mexico

Abstract

Objective: to establish the impact of family remittances from the United States and the "Prospera" welfare program for the high school student population in a community with high social exclusion and poverty in Sinaloa.
 Methodology: first, the population, economic and work activities in the community of Choix, Sinaloa were described. Then, the discussion on remittances and the beneficiary families of the Prospera program were characterized; finally, a survey was designed and applied to 114 high school students and families from Choix.
 Results: the findings showed that remittances do not stop school dropouts from high school students in Choix. Although, some of those students use family remittances and the Prospera program help for their education. The social program Prospera works as an incentive to the students´ education. Family remittances are mainly used for family support.
 Conclusions: social assistance programs focused on poverty have been a visible trend. However, they do not tackle the problem at its root, but they make up macroeconomic indicators, which will continue with the same logic, such as: permanent discrimination and migration in those places, because public policy strategies will always emerge.