Mexican Institute of Family and Population Research (IMIFAP)

IMIFAP (Yo Quiero Yo Puedo) is a Mexican non-governmental organization with almost 40 years of experience working with populations in contexts of economic and social vulnerability. With the mission of releasing individual potential for social development, IMIFAP works in the areas of education, health, citizenship, and productivity, facilitating people’s intrinsic empowerment, so that they improve attitudes and behaviors around their well-being and become agents of change of their own lives, families, and communities. Since its foundation and with the support of over 400 national and international public and private institutions, IMIFAP has helped increase the wellbeing of over 22 million individuals in Mexico and other 16 countries. On the basis that one cannot give what one does not have, the Yo Quiero Yo puedo programs facilitate the development of area specific knowledge, life skills (eg. decision making, communication, analyses and solving of problems, self knowledge and management of emotions) and the reduction of psychosocial barriers (eg. shame, fear, guilt, resentments and prejudices) with teachers, health professionals and/or community promoters, first for their own development and then for their replication with the target populations with whom they work. All the Yo Quiero Yo Puedo programs have a focus on prevention, and include gender equality and sustainable development. Yo Quiero Yo Puedo works closely with governments of all levels so that the programs get scaled up. Six of our programs have been adopted nationally. Yo Quiero Yo Puedo has received over a dozen prizes. Most recently it became the recipient of the Juscelino Kubitschek Prize given by the Interamerican Development Bank (IADB) for the Best Social Development Program in the Americas and the Mentor Foundation Prize given by Queen Silvia of Sweden for the Best Program in Prevention of Addictions and School Desertion. It has strategic academic alliances with universities such as Tilburg and Harvard. It has been certified by Filantrofilia in the highest classification of NGO’s in Mexico. Since 2019 is a member of the Girls Not Brides International Network