Tag Archives: bolivia

Shelley Callahan | January 9, 2024

After a few days in Sucre, Bolivia, I was really starting to understand just how and why this city was so special. Since having the chance to visit a few of our affiliated sites, I could see why we would partner with so many schools in a small concentrated area — the focus on education for this community was high, but the need for support was also great, which is a perfect fit for Children Incorporated to really make a difference for children in need.

Behind each of those smiles I knew there was a parent who was just as happy with our work as Luis and I, as well as Claudia, were.

Meeting with Claudia

Luis and I were scheduled to meet with our volunteer coordinator, Claudia, on our fourth day in Sucre. She had invited us to a presentation before taking a tour of the Sagrada Corazon School, where she managed our sponsorship program. When we arrived at the school, Claudia escorted us to a small office with a projector set up, and after only a few minutes of waiting, other school administrators started to arrive, introducing themselves and taking a seat in preparation for Claudia to begin speaking.

As Claudia began talking about the history of this 110 year old school, I flipped through a packet she had created for us, in which she had a list of all of our sponsored children, the items she had purchased for them over the years, and then, to my surprise, a survey given to the parents of the children in our program. Claudia had taken the time to ask each parent what they thought of our program and the support our sponsors were giving to the children.

Satisfied all around

After years of working with Children Incorporated, reading their answers didn’t surprise me at all — the parents talked about how the emotional support is just as helpful as the financial support for their children, and that knowing they have a sponsor had changed many of the children’s attitudes about school and made them want to be better students.

Knowing they have a sponsor had changed many of the children’s attitudes about school and made them want to be better students.

These answers are ones I have heard from coordinators all over the world, and I loved seeing Claudia bring the same sentiments out of these parents as well, who also acknowledged just how powerful sponsorship is for children’s physical and psychological well-being. At the end of the survey, Claudia asked each parent to rate their satisfaction with our program, and the approval rating was an unsurprising 100%.

After Claudia finished her presentation, she took Luis and I on a tour of the school, and then we had the chance to meet all of our sponsored children in the auditorium, where Luis briefly spoke with them about the importance of doing well in school and working hard towards graduation. It was great to see all the children’s enthusiastic faces, beaming because visitors came specifically to meet with them. Behind each of those smiles I knew there was a parent who was just as happy with our work as Luis and I, as well as Claudia, were.

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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.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | January 4, 2024En Español

Although all the schools we work with in Bolivia were large, serving hundreds of children from neighboring communities, the La Inmaculada School was by far the largest I had seen during my time in Sucre.

Our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, and I were scheduled to visit the school on a Thursday morning, but come to find out, that was a day that was scheduled for a city wide teachers strike, in which schools were closed and teachers and parents blocked off sections of the city streets with banners painted with brightly colored letters spelling out the names of their respective schools.

The strike was intended to draw attention to the need for more government support for the schools in Sucre, and as we saw on that Thursday, was very calm and peaceful. It only barely interrupted the regular hustle and bustle of the town, as students stayed at home, and usual car traffic used alternate routes around the city center.

Meeting with Lucia

Luis moved our meeting with our volunteer coordinator, Lucia, to Friday afternoon, with a plan for us to return again on Saturday for a celebration with our sponsored children and their parents – all 125 children who planned on attending to welcome us to the school. We met with Lucia in the auditorium before we took a brief tour of the expansive school.

Like many of the families living in the area, parents struggle to make ends meet and any support with basic needs was really appreciated.

Lucia explained to us that our sponsorship program was really helpful to the children here because, like many of the families living in the area, parents struggle to make ends meet and any support with basic needs was really appreciated. We ended our meeting knowing we would see Lucia the next morning, and it was apparent she was very excited about what she had planned for the celebration that we would be attending.

A great celebration

When we arrived early the next day, the empty school was now bustling with hundreds of people, patiently awaiting our arrival. Students lined the walkway into the courtyard, holding balloons and signs. Chairs had been lined up for parents to sit, and students stood ready to perform songs and dance for us, all wearing their school uniforms, even though it was the weekend.

After their performances, a few students read thank you letters to their sponsors, wanting to show their heartfelt gratitude for everything they were receiving throughout the year. I too felt that same gratitude for our sponsors, knowing how much they are doing for these special children, who were receiving a well-rounded education thanks to the La Inmaculada School.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | December 14, 2023

At Children Incorporated, we believe that education is a way out of poverty for children, both in the United States and globally. Many barriers stand in the way of children receiving an education, from unaffordable school fees and a lack of basic facilities, to discrimination and low-quality instruction. These are often compounded by some cultural practices such as early marriage, as well as by the general preference of boys over girls, both of which make education out of reach for many girls. Around the world, threats of natural disasters and civil conflicts also disrupt many children’s education.

Global child poverty and education facts

– Children from the poorest households are 3 times less likely to attend school than children from the richest households

– 57 million children around the world are not attending school — and the majority of these young people are girls

– For each additional year of primary school attendance, a female worker’s wages increase 10 to 20%, on average

– Educated mothers tend to send their children to school, helping to break the cycle of poverty

– Nearly a billion people entered the 21^st century unable to read a book or sign their names

– 40% of children living in poverty aren’t prepared to receive schooling at the primary level

Students who come from low-income families are 7 times more likely to drop out of school than those from families with higher incomes

National child poverty and education facts

– Nearly 11 million children are currently living in poverty in the United States

– 1 in 7 children living in poverty make up almost one-third of all people living in poverty in the U.S.

– Poverty’s effects on the psychological and emotional states of children contribute to both student interest in school and overall happiness

– Children living in poverty have a higher rate of absenteeism or leave school altogether because they are more likely to have to work or care for family members

– Students who come from low-income families are 7 times more likely to drop out of school than those from families with higher incomes

What Children Incorporated does to support children’s education

Children Incorporated provides resources to children in need in the United States and abroad because we passionately believe that children everywhere deserve education, hope, and opportunity. Through our sponsorship program, we provide basic necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare, and educational support to children living in poverty. These essentials, so often taken for granted, are vital to a child’s growth and success in school.

How you can help

You can help a child living in poverty to receive an education in a few different ways. One way is through our child sponsorship program. Sponsorship provides an underprivileged child with basic and education-related necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare, school supplies, and school tuition payments. This vital support allows impoverished, vulnerable children to develop to their full potential – physically, emotionally, and socially. Sponsors positively impact the lives of the children they sponsor through the simple knowledge that someone cares about their well-being. This gives children in need hope, which is powerful.

Our policy has always been to consider the needs of each sponsored child on an individual basis. We work closely with our volunteer coordinators at our project sites, who are familiar with each individual circumstance and the needs of every child in their care. Sponsorship donations are sent to our projects – orphanages, homes, community centers, and schools – at the beginning of each month in the form of subsidy stipends. Our on-site volunteer coordinators use these funds to purchase basic and education-related items for children in our program, to ensure that they have what they need to do their very best and succeed in school.

You can also help children in need by donating to one of our special funds. Our special funds offer a variety of giving options for sponsors who wish to further their support, as well as for donors who wish to make a difference without making a commitment.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD with Children Incorporated?

You can sponsor a child with Children Incorporated 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 donation portal, create an account, and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

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References:

https://www.unicef.org/media/media_39441.html

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/basic-facts-children-poverty/

http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-education-and-poverty-america

https://www.children.org/global-poverty/global-poverty-facts/facts-about-world-poverty-and-education

http://www.care.org/work/poverty/child-poverty/facts

https://borgenproject.org/10-facts-children-living-poverty/

http://education.seattlepi.com/statistics-poverty-affects-children-schools-3636.html

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cce.asp

Shelley Callahan | December 10, 2023En Español

Bolivia is a country known for its tumultuous history, dating back decades, in which a series of coups and countercoups have made the country unsafe for residents and tourists alike. And although in more recent times, with a democratic ruling party, Bolivia has seen less civil unrest than previously, the country is still facing problems with violence due to modern-day political interference.

For now, our sponsors help them with school fees, such as funds for books and meals, as even public-school education in Bolivia isn’t always free.

Being smaller in size than the larger Bolivian cities of La Paz and Santa Cruz, Sucre has a feeling of being sheltered from many dangers of the outside world. With its small cobblestone streets, colonial buildings and quaint atmosphere, Sucre is the polar opposite of a major metropolitan city.

Giving families peace of mind

Having been to La Paz and Santa Cruz before on a previous trip with Children Incorporated to Bolivia, Sucre felt manageable and easy to navigate comparably. The city was bustling with families, tourists and students walking around at all times of day and night with an obvious feeling of security that might not be present in a more major city.

And — for families living in poverty, where employment might not offer parents the opportunity to be available to escort their children to school, or be at home when the school day is over — this sense of security is so valuable in giving them peace of mind when they already have to worry about providing for their children on limited incomes.

On our third day in Sucre, Luis and I were scheduled to visit our affiliated site, Colegio Don Bosco, a short walk from our hotel in the city center, where boys and girls from impoverished backgrounds attended school in a large, two-story building with forty classrooms, a dining hall, kitchen, and laboratories for physics, chemistry and computer classes. After taking a tour of the school, we met with our sponsored children as our volunteer coordinator explained to us that the school was very prestigious, and many of the students go to study in universities after graduation.

A well-rounded way to help children in need

For now, our sponsors help them with school fees, such as funds for books and meals, as even public-school education in Bolivia isn’t always free. This support helps to reinforce the feeling of security that these students need to grow up healthy and happy — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | December 2, 2023En Español

After spending the day visiting the Santa Rosa School outside of Sucre, Bolivia, it was time for our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, and me to visit the Gattorno School — also known as the Santa Ana School — in the center of the city. As one of eight schools we are affiliated within with in the small area that makes up downtown Sucre, I would quickly find out just how important education is to the government and the community here.

The Gattorno School itself is a private school, but not in the same sense as it would be in the United States. The government chooses which students attend the school through a lottery process, but they do not fund the school, which makes private and public school in Bolivia one in the same in most regards. Even with 18 other schools in the surrounding area, the Gattorno School still has a massive enrollment — 900 students are in attendance which serve boys and girls from first grade through twelfth grade.

Challenges for families in Sucre

When we arrived, we were greeted by the school secretary, Isabel, who assists our volunteer coordinator, Marizabel, with the Children Incorporated sponsorship program. While taking a tour of the school, in which classrooms are structured around a large courtyard, Isabel explained to us that even though there are technically a lot of educated professionals in Sucre, there are not enough jobs to satisfy the demand, and that has gotten exponentially worse since the pandemic.

Isabel explained that even though there are technically a lot of educated professionals in Sucre, there are not enough jobs to satisfy the demand.

Many parents of children at the school would like to look for work in other bigger cities like Santa Cruz or Cochabamba, but relocating is often difficult and expensive, so many families remain close to home and family, where employment options remain limited.

After we had a chance to see the school, Luis and I were escorted to a classroom where all of our sponsored children were waiting to greet us. Marizabel was also there, having coordinated the event, and the students took turns reading letters to their sponsors, reciting poetry, and playing music for us. It was very apparent that this talented group of students was enjoying the educational experience at Gattorno, as well as being very appreciative of the support they receive from their sponsors as they go through the educational journey.

For Luis and I, we were pleased with how well our sponsorship program was being run at the school, knowing that these children were greatly benefiting from having a special connection with their sponsors, and such as safe and comfortable place to receive an education.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | November 6, 2023En Español

After spending a few days in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, visiting with a few of our affiliated sites in the area, it was time for our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, and myself to take the short trip by plane to Sucre, where Children Incorporated supports seven schools, helping hundreds of children living in poverty every year.

The students beamed with pride as we made our rounds, and Gabriella explained to Luis and me that our donors had purchased the equipment, refrigerators, kitchen tools and utensils necessary for the culinary program to exist.

I had not visited Sucre the last time I traveled to Bolivia in 2016, so I was especially excited to see the town and get a chance to meet with our volunteer coordinators and sponsored children at each of the sites. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre sits at a high elevation, which gives it a nice and cool temperature all year long, which I looked forward to after a few very hot days in Santa Cruz. Beyond the cool climate, Sucre is also recognized as the constitutional capital of the country, and is home to dozens of government run local schools and privately-run language schools for foreign visitors.

But, upon our arrival, before I even had the chance to really get to see Sucre itself, Luis and I ventured about twenty minutes outside of the city on our first day, to the small agricultural community of Yolata. I noticed immediately how incredibly narrow the cobblestone streets were, as we bounced down the road in the taxi. I gazed out the window, realizing just how very quaint the town was, only taking up a dozen or so city blocks in total, which made walking very convenient. Yolata is home to many farmers who struggle to grow enough food to feed their families and sell in markets, as the area is prone to drought throughout the year. This makes it difficult for them to get out of poverty — and makes it even more important that Children Incorporated is able to provide support for children growing up here.

Visiting the school

When we arrived at the front gate of the Santa Rosa School, a small group of children held a hand-made sign which read “Welcome” in Spanish. They were all dressed in traditional Bolivian clothing, ones that looked similar to the outfits we saw at the Montero School, where children had performed dances to celebrate our arrival. Luis and I stepped out of the taxi, and were greeted by our volunteer coordinator, Gabriella, who escorted us inside the school’s compound and into the courtyard, where dozens of children and their parents were seated under a small pavilion. After we were introduced to the group, the students performed songs and dances for us as a way to say “thank you” to their sponsors for all the support they receive throughout the year.

This is a large affiliation for us — 53 children are enrolled in our sponsorship program and, according to Gabriella, many more could use support from a caring sponsor. As we talked in her office after the children’s presentation, she explained that many of the impoverished families in the community didn’t have any plumbing or running water, and they did their best to sell small food items as street vendors in Sucre, but overall making ends meet was hard for them, even if both parents were able to work.

We continued talking as Gabriella led us on a tour of the school, showing us the classrooms for the middle and high school age students, and a new edition to the school that would accommodate younger students in the upcoming year, as more and more children were coming back to school after the pandemic and additional space was needed for them.

A wonderful treat during our visit

As with many of the other schools in Sucre, Gabriella explained, the Santa Rosa School is run by the government, but not funded fully by the government, so Children Incorporated has been a huge help in filling a gap when children’s parents can’t afford school supplies, clothes, food and hygiene items. And, she added, without our donors, they never would have been able to complete the culinary building that she was excited to show to us.

As we turned a corner to enter through a large doorway, to my surprise, we came upon the culinary classroom, which was filled with students in their chef’s uniforms, all lined up around counter tops filled with baked goods they had made for us! As Gabriella introduced us to the students, we had a chance to try Bolivian pastries and cakes that were not only beautiful, but absolutely delicious. The students beamed with pride as we made our rounds, and Gabriella explained to Luis and me that our donors had purchased the equipment, refrigerators, kitchen tools and utensils necessary for the culinary program to exist.

At least at the Santa Rosa School, she knew her children were being provided for.

Visiting homes in Yotala

After we said goodbye to the students, Gabriella wanted to take us to visit a few of the homes of our sponsored children before we returned to Sucre for the evening. We piled into her car and made our way out of the small town and up into the hills, where we first visited a family with two small children in our program, living in a two-room building with electricity and little else. The father told us he makes his own version of yogurt which he sells in the city, but it is a lot of work, and his pay is very low.

Their well-kept house was very bare, and I wondered how they stayed warm at nights when the temperature dropped. There was no means to heat the home, and the concrete walls offered no insulation. Shortly after, we visited another home on the side of a small mountain, where a family of three was living in one small room with no electricity or running water. The mother expressed her gratitude for her children’s sponsors, who took worry away from her while her children were at school receiving an education. At least at the Santa Rosa School, she knew her children were being provided for so they could focus on getting an education, which gave her the peace of mind she really needed.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD