Our Affiliated Project: Sagrado Corazon School in Sucre, Bolivia

 

facts about the Sagrado Corazon School:

  • Ages served: 5–18 years of age (kindergarten – twelfth grade)
  • Facility description: The main building is a two-story white stucco structure in the Spanish style around a huge court or patio. The patio is large enough for both basketball and soccer games, and is in use throughout the day.
  • Academic year: Typically begins in early February and ends in early December. Students enjoy summer break from mid-December through the end of January and a two-week winter break in July.
  • Academics: The core subjects such as math, social sciences and languages are taught. The curriculum has been expanded to include classes in art, sports, folk music and even ballet
  • Medical attention: Medical care is provided for free at the school by local nurses and physicians. A psychologist and social worker are also on staff.
  • Education: Core academic subjects are taught in the lower grade levels. Not all children advance to the higher grades, but this number is increasing each year. Additionally, girls are taught art, handicrafts, dressmaking, embroidery, weaving, hairdressing and first aid. Boys are taught electro-mechanics. The school is well-known is well known for its widely-offered sports and music programs.
  • Conditions of children: Many children who attend the Lourdes School come from broken families, or are homeless because of yearly floods, neglect or being orphaned. Almost all are severely malnourished.
  • Health: Children’s health is top priority. They receive medical care, nutritious food and vitamins.

The small, landlocked nation of Bolivia comprises rugged Andes Mountains and vast, high-altitude plateaus to the west (including a portion of Lake Titicaca, the largest high-altitude lake in the world) and lush, lowland plains of Amazon jungle to the east. Despite its wealth of natural beauty and resources, Bolivia bears the scars of centuries of conflict, beginning with the Spanish conquistadors and followed by almost 200 years of wars and internal military coups.

Political and economic instability have brought about considerable poverty, resulting in widespread malnutrition, crime and disease. Sucre, Bolivia’s constitutional capital, retains much of the flavor of Spanish colonialism, including the second-oldest university in Latin America and many buildings erected by the conquistadors. However, it is no exception to the poverty that plagues the rest of the nation. Founded in 1912, the Sagrado Corazon School serves as a beacon of hope for this community.

In the early 1970’s, the school sought Children Incorporated’s help for a number of children who could only attend class at night because they had to work during the day to help their families. Gradually, such students have been added to the day school program thanks to the generous assistance of Children Incorporated sponsors. Children Incorporated and Sagrado Corazon School continue our mission to place education within the reach of youngsters in this part of Sucre, who otherwise would have no opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances from which they come.