My trip to Bolivia had come to an end, but our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, still had a few more affiliated sites to visit in Bolivia before he returned to our office in the U.S. Today, Luis recounts his visit to Guarderia El Angel, located in Santa Cruz, where our sponsors are supporting impoverished children from 1st to 12th grade.
“Without the support of their sponsors, the children would have to go to government schools, which are not very good and teach very little.”
Luis’ Visit
“El Angel is a day care facility that is located on the outskirts of the city. It is a well-cared for and well-maintained group of buildings, where about 250 students attend. They provide pre-kinder, kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade education here, and there are children one through seven years of age. It is managed by a local congregation of sisters,” said Luis.
“Thanks to our volunteer coordinator, arrangements have been made so that children attending school in higher grades can continue the Children Incorporated program until graduation, and a school located next door, within the ‘Fe y Alegria’ alternative program, is now taking our sponsored students and supporting them until they graduate from high school. This school is now managed by the same congregation of sisters, but in cooperation with the local Bolivian government.”
“Our program support is used to cover school fees and to provide uniforms and school supplies. The children and parents are very grateful for the support, as they are all day vendors, homeowners, or people that have a hard time finding a permanent job. Without the support of their sponsors, the children would have to go to government schools, which are not very good schools,” explained Luis.
Home Visits in Santa Cruz
“While visiting some homes, I noticed that the situation of the families is not encouraging. One was that of a single mother living in a rented room, in a very difficult situation and circumstance. She works as day worker. The other family was a family living in a half-finished house, with only two rooms and a small kitchen. The father raises chickens but has only three of them to sell when it is the right time. He has day jobs, as well as the mother, and they have to sustain three children. Thankfully, one of the children is in the Children Incorporated sponsorship program, which helps the family a great deal.”
***
How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?
You can sponsor a child in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.