You are making a difference in Bolivia!
A glimpse of what your sponsored child’s life is like in Bolivia:
HOME LIFE
- Family is central to Bolivian society. Children share in household responsibilities.
- A child’s breakfast in Bolivia often includes “api” Api – a thick drink made from corn and seasoned with cinnamon sugar. Typical snacks include boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, or baked and salted beans called “habas,” which taste similar to peanuts.
- In urban areas of Bolivia, many families live in apartments. In rural areas, homes are built with local materials like adobe bricks, mud, rocks, or wood. Urban homes are more likely to have running water. While most rural homes have electricity, many do not have indoor plumbing.
SCHOOL AND EDUCATION
- Schooling is required for Bolivians from ages 5 to 18 and is almost entirely public.
- Students are responsible for buying their own uniforms and school supplies.
- Classrooms are generally furnished with only blackboards and desks, and technology is rarely used while teaching.
BOLIVIAN CULTURE
- The school day ends at midday, when children return home to eat lunch with their families.
- Many children, especially those who live in rural parts of Bolivia, join the workforce at an early age so that they can help support their families. Child sponsorship helps keep children in school.
- Music is an integral part of Bolivian culture and is characterized by distinctive instruments like panpipes, flutes, drums, and the “charango,” a guitar-like instrument made from an armadillo shell.
COUNTRY INFO
- The weather varies greatly by region. Bolivia’s climates range from warm, humid valleys to hot, sandy plains and cold and rainy plateaus.
- Capital: Sucre and La Paz
- Population: 11,758,869
- Language: Spanish in the 60% of Bolivia; Quechua or Aymara in other areas
FH IN BOLIVIA
In 1978, Food for the Hungry (FH) began working in Bolivia providing humanitarian aid in the high plains between the Andes Mountains ridge, assisting with the effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon. Since then, FH has broadened efforts to focus on community development, emphasizing livelihood training, health and hygiene, and education.
AS A CHILD SPONSOR:
- You are helping reduce malnutrition in Bolivia by improving physical and economic access to nutritious food and through the implementation of clean water projects.
- You are training local church leaders to work with municipal authorities to meet basic needs for the people in their community. Increasing the leadership capacity of the church encourages community unity.
- You are supporting children’s development through school construction projects and educational initiatives such as children’s clubs, which teach children biblical principles.
