In 1995, one fifth of Mexico’s population could not afford the minimum daily nutritional requirements. Some 10 million people lacked even the most basic health care, and more than million children were out of school. In 1997, the education, health and nutrition programme, Progresa, initiated conditional cash transfers for poor families. They received monthly stipends if their children attended school and family members visited health clinics regularly for nutrition and hygiene education and check-ups. Rigorous evaluations deemed the programme an overwhelming success. President Vincente Fox embraced the initiative, renaming it Oportunidades. In 2003, the programme reached million families. Almost 60 per.
