The Work of the Bolivia Family

As of December 2010, our organization is responsible for approximately 950 children in 18 day care and educational centers and 5 orphanages. These are found in numerous locations: Cochabamba, La Paz, Altiplano, Sucre, Potosi, Tarija and Santa Cruz

We put tremendous emphasis on education, making sure every child in our care attends school as soon as they are old enough to do so. This is the most important step in breaking the cycle of poverty. Yet one cannot expect a hungry, homeless child to attend school, so we have to make sure that such basic needs are also covered.

In most cases, it is in a child's interest to stay with his or her family. Thus, we always try to help the family take care of their own children. One important service is simply to provide a safe place for the child to be while the parent(s) are working, while also making sure they get proper nutrition and clothing, help with their homework etc.

Of course, there are also many cases of physical and sexual abuse, maltreatment and neglect, in which case one of our orphanages may be the only solution.

Our youngest children are about 2 years old. Orphanages and centers generally help the children until they are 18 years old, but we are also helping a number of students through their university studies. Salvaging the most disadvantaged children from maltreatment and destitution and, many years on, seeing them graduate; could there be anything more meaningful than that?

Current projects

We are currently building a new orphanage for 48 children in Potosi. Plans for 2011 also include extending our day center La Roca in Cochabamba. We will be posting information on the progress of these projects in our blog.

Photos and blog

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