By the Numbers

Why Tia? The Proof Is in the Data

There are countless nonprofits doing important work around the world, many of them focused on health or poverty reduction. So why choose Tia Foundation?

Because our model is proven, measurable, self-sustaining, and built on real data gathered directly from the communities we serve.

Establishing Need

Data has guided Tia Foundation from the very beginning. Before Tia was officially established, we conducted an extensive needs assessment in rural Mexico to identify the single greatest factor keeping families trapped in poverty. The findings were clear.

Lack of access to basic healthcare was the leading barrier to progress.

This insight shaped our mission, our programs, and our long-term strategy. It is also why we work closely with partners such as the Thunderbird School of Global Management and development experts who help us remain research-driven and accountable.

Tia Comes to Visit: Understanding the Community

Every community we serve receives several visits from Tia. Our first step is always listening. We meet with municipal leaders and residents to identify urgent concerns such as:

  • High rates of diabetes and hypertension

  • Childhood malnutrition

  • Scorpion stings and environmental hazards

  • Unsafe childbirth

  • Contaminated water sources

We also investigate root causes. In one community with one of the world’s highest rates of kidney failure, our team discovered that industrial plants were contaminating the river that families relied on for drinking water. Without that baseline data, the problem would have remained invisible.

If the need aligns with our expertise, we collaborate with residents to plan a week-long program focused on treatment, training, education, and community organization.

Gathering Meaningful Data

During each visit, we gather information that helps us understand both immediate needs and long-term trends. While our brigade doctors provide care, volunteers conduct surveys on topics such as:

  • Health history

  • Daily hygiene practices

  • Water access

  • Housing conditions

  • Nutrition

  • Chronic illness

  • Basic utilities

We also document every medical consultation and treatment provided. This creates a community-wide health profile that guides our work and informs local leaders.

Measuring Progress: What We Learn

Our follow-up studies help us understand what has changed since Tia first arrived. Because we gather information before, during, and after each program, we can measure impact with accuracy and transparency.

Key Findings From Communities We Serve

  • High blood pressure and diabetes are the two most common causes of death in Mexico. More than half of adults over age 50 in Tia communities have one or both.

  • Malnutrition affects 52 percent of children.

  • Eighteen percent of children are severely malnourished.

How Tia Helps: Proven Results

After a Tia program, communities consistently show dramatic improvements:

  • Handwashing before preparing food increased from zero to 52 percent

  • Children brushing their teeth twice a day increased from zero to 50 percent

  • Blood pressure monitoring increased from once or twice a year to once a week for individuals with hypertension or diabetes

  • Prenatal vitamin use increased from about 10 percent to 90 percent

  • Emigration to the United States drops by an average of 400 percent in communities with stable healthcare and education

Our Reach So Far

  • Over 1,300 community health workers trained

  • Each Promotor(a) serves about 500 people

  • More than 1,000,000 people now have access to healthcare where none existed before

This is one of the most cost-effective public health models in the world.

Driving Change Beyond Healthcare

Data helps our donors and partners see the real, sustained differences their support creates. And the results stretch far beyond medical care.

During our work, we often uncover challenges unrelated to health, such as:

  • Domestic violence

  • Poor water infrastructure

  • Lack of adult education

  • Unsafe childcare practices

  • Food scarcity or poor nutrition habits

Our presence strengthens communities in unexpected ways. These are the side effects of empowerment.

Unexpected but Powerful Side Effects

Long after Tia leaves, we often see:

  • Community-built rainwater cisterns where water quality was unsafe

  • Adults lobbying for evening education programs

  • Informal health classes transforming into sewing groups and microenterprises run by women

  • Villages forming food co-ops to buy affordable produce and meat in bulk

  • Neighbors organizing to set goals and support one another

When people gain confidence and the tools to create change, the effects ripple through every part of community life.

It’s in the Numbers

If you want proof that your time, resources, and generosity truly change lives, the data is here and the results are clear.

Sign up for the Tia Foundation Newsletter to receive updates, stories, and impact reports straight from the communities we serve.

Reach out today to learn how you can support one of the most effective health programs in the world.