Who We Are

The Bolivia Family is an independent, non-governmental organization with no political or religious affiliation.

Our history is rather untraditional. It begins in 1981, when oil rig worker Baste Fanebust traveled to Bolivia in search of his sponsor child through another organization. Her name was Naida. When he finally found her, it turned out that her orphanage had recently lost all financial support. Upon returning to Norway, Papa Baste, as he is known all over Bolivia, enlisted 45 friends and fellow workers as sponsors. From there on, we have grown steadily.

Mr Fanebust was given several awards for his work for Bolivian children and human rights, including the ConocoPhillips Shield award and the highest honor from the Salvation Army, the Booth Award.

Papa Baste died in 2005, leaving an inheritance of 19 orphanages and day care centers, 750 children and 650 sponsors to his sons, Øyvind and Frode Fanebust. They have continued his work, and with the support of new and existing sponsors added another day care center and an orphanage for girls, the Corazon Grande Casa Baste Fanebust.

The Bolivia Family is responsible for financing, while all day care centers and most orphanages are run in co-operation with the Salvation Army.

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