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Progress in Bolivia’s Water Access

Bolivia’s Water AccessIn the 2010 renowned film, “También la lluvia” (Even the Rain) by Icíar Bollaín, two directors travel to Bolivia to shoot a film about Christopher Columbus and the Spanish exploitation of the New World. However, as they begin filming, they find themselves within another narrative of exploitation: the Water War protests of the year 2000, where the local population is fighting against the privatization of water resources in response to Bolivia’s water access crisis.

The release of Bollaín’s film coincided with the 10-year anniversary of the Bolivian crisis, reminding the public of this devastating chapter in history that was perhaps forgotten outside of Bolivia. Beyond educating many about a dark time in Bolivia’s past, the movie encourages a necessary discussion about Bolivia’s current water access situation.

The Current Situation 

Despite the victories achieved during the Water Wars, Bolivia continues to struggle with water challenges. Rapid urbanization, natural disasters and mismanagement of water resources contribute to water scarcity in various regions of the country. Rural communities are particularly vulnerable, facing difficulties accessing clean and reliable water sources.

Steady Progress

However, while it is still an issue, it must be noted that there has been significant progress in achieving water access in Bolivia. In 2020, 84.7% of the population had access to improved sources of water, and 62.5% had access to basic sanitation. The country continues to implement different drinking water and sanitation programs in both urban and rural areas which work to increase access to these resources and their quality.

Furthermore, the government has set a goal by 2025 that works for access to essential basic services with an emphasis on vulnerable groups, with the management of water prices and free access for groups affected by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

Bolivia’s Help

The international community has committed to assisting in Bolivia’s efforts. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a line of credit of up to $500 million to enhance Bolivia’s water access and security and help secure a sustainable supply of irrigation and drinking water. The objectives of the investment are to increase food security by 25% and raise the net agricultural income of family farms by 36%. The investment will be directed toward mechanized irrigation systems for around 12,500 families from the most vulnerable communities that depend on agriculture to survive. After the new systems, these farms will be able to irrigate an additional 13,871 hectares.

Progress outside of government policy is also being made. The NGO Water for People, which has been working in Bolivia since 1997, has made tremendous efforts. Water for People implements piped water supply and educates communities on how to maintain them for the long term. In addition, the organization helps construct hygienic hand washing stations and toilets in schools.

Looking Ahead

Agriculture is the primary economic activity of 77% of the country’s rural population which makes up Bolivia’s most vulnerable communities. Thus, water scarcity is devastating for Bolivia’s most vulnerable. Bolivia has made significant improvements since its water crisis at the beginning of the century, but progress is still needed. Bolivia’s future has hope as the international community and multiple NGOs work to assist them in their struggle. 

– Cameron Alcocer-Venables
Photo: Flickr

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Renewable Energy in Bolivia: On the Road to Sustainability

Renewable Energy in BoliviaThe history of renewable energy in Bolivia is not very long, as many of its significant developments unfolded a few years ago. However, that has not stopped the country from achieving important milestones in its transition to renewable energy during the said short period.

Renewable Energy Initiatives

One major breakout for renewable energy in Bolivia was the construction of its first wind power plant in 2014, located in Qollpana, Cochabamba. This was followed by the release of the “Electric Plan of the Plurinational State of Bolivia 2025,” a document explaining the government’s long-term vision of an energy-independent country inclusive of renewable energy sources.

Fast forward to 2022, and the Minister of Hydrocarbons and Energy is reporting a gas use reduction of 50% due to efficient management and increasing use of hydroelectric, wind, solar and biomass energy.

Renewable Energy and Poverty Reduction

The transition to renewable energy in Bolivia carries the potential to advance poverty reduction efforts in the country. It could reduce the energy access breach in Bolivia, with 2.4% of the population lacking access to electricity. This translates to limitations in basic needs such as lighting, cooking and heating. While non-renewable energy could also reduce this energy gap, Bolivia’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy made it a point to include renewable energy sources in its “To Live with Dignity” electricity program, launched in 2008. This program aims for total accessibility of electricity services in Bolivia.

Renewable energy can also potentially reduce unemployment through the creation of more solar, hydroelectric and wind power plants that need staff to handle operations. It is estimated that 15 million jobs will be created in Latin America by 2030. Moreover, Bolivia has a total of 11 renewable energy projects, each focused on either solar, hydroelectric or wind power.

Efforts to Advance Renewable Energy

Despite the country’s efforts, natural gas still makes up 80.7% of total energy production. Nevertheless, Bolivia is not short on ways to keep pushing toward renewable energy production. For instance, Bolivia is part of RELAC, an alliance between Latin American and Caribbean countries for renewable energy development. One of its aims is for renewable energy to reach 70% of the regional electricity matrix. Aside from its previously mentioned electric plan, there is the “Alternative Energy Development Plan 2025,” a ten-year plan to consolidate renewable-based electric generation.

Bolivia continues to make efforts to upgrade the infrastructure needed for renewable energy production. The National Interconnected System (SIN), which the government has put in place, aims to improve the nation’s capacity for producing electricity by building additional power plants, transmission lines and substations. Additionally, it is anticipated that the SIN will make it easier to integrate renewable energy sources into the national electrical network.

Looking Ahead

Although Bolivia’s journey toward renewable energy is still in its early stages, the nation has made considerable strides in a short amount of time. By transitioning to renewable energy, Bolivia can reduce poverty-related issues such as unemployment and unequal access to energy. Bolivia’s commitment to renewable energy is a welcome step toward a more sustainable and just future for all.

– Luciana Mena
Photo: Flickr

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5 Facts About Child Marriage in Bolivia

Child Marriage in BoliviaBolivia is a “lower-middle income country” where at least 40% of the citizens live under the national poverty line, with women and children being at the highest risk. Child marriage and unions closely associate with poverty due to the lack of education, job availability and food scarcity. It is an issue that affects all genders, but young women and girls often face more exposure due to the perceived socio-economic “benefits” that come with marrying off a daughter. The following are some facts about child marriage in Bolivia.

5 Facts About Child Marriage in Bolivia

  1. The Law: In Bolivia, 18 is the minimum legal age of marriage, but children as young as 16 can get married with their parent’s permission and consent. Around 20% of children below the age of 18 are either married or in a union and around 3% of children under the age of 16 are in a marriage. These numbers, however, don’t take into account the number of informal unions in the country. Poverty is a great indicator of the likelihood of child marriage in Bolivia. Children have little relative autonomy and their parents often make decisions regarding their marriage for them. For many parents, pushing child marriage is a means to escape poverty. They may receive a form of dowry for marrying off a child and/or feel some relief from having one less child to care for. According to the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), some consider child marriage a “necessary means for survival, for both the family and child.”
  2. Girls are More Likely to Go into Marriage: Girls are at a higher risk for child marriage in Bolivia, and this is partly due to gender inequality and discrimination. Girls Not Brides reports that there is the belief that women are inferior to men and that women and girls should be submissive to men in the country. Nevertheless, Bolivia has the highest rate of child marriage among boys in the world, Save the Children reports. This is because most people view marriage as a stepping stone to power. There are certain positions that men can get only if they are married, and this motivates boys to go into child marriage in Bolivia.
  3. Population Growth and Poverty: High rates of child marriage and unofficial unions result in a higher population. Many families that come from child marriage live in poverty and rely on welfare from the government. Studies suggest that the cost of welfare in countries with high child marriage rates could reach up to $500 billion annually.
  4. Education Matters: Keeping children in school has positive impacts on reducing the rates of child marriage. The World Bank reports that each year of schooling a child gets, especially for girls, has a 5% points reduction in the likelihood of entering marriage before the age of 18. Ensuring adequate and available education to poor and rural communities could lower rates of child marriage in Bolivia and result in increased earnings potential. About 90% of girls in Bolivia complete lower secondary school, but the quality and accessibility aren’t standard across the country. Girls in rural communities are less likely to finish their secondary education. These communities also have the highest rate of child marriage.
  5. Government Intervention: The government aims to end child marriage and forced unofficial unions in Bolivia by 2030. It has been co-sponsoring the Human Rights Council resolution on child marriages and the U.N. General Assembly resolutions on child marriages since 2013. The government has also worked on providing comprehensive education and awareness about “principles of equality between men and women in marriage” in both Spanish and indigenous languages. There are ongoing efforts to provide better access and quality education to girls who are at the highest risk of child marriage in Bolivia. The Country Programme which ran from 2018 to 2022 focused on providing foundations in four output areas to enhance education and accessibility for rural and indigenous communities.

The Future

Bolivia made the greatest reduction in poverty in Latin America which, in turn, could help resolve the child marriage situation. The government’s plan to create a stronger education system with Spanish and local languages in rural and indigenous communities could also have a major impact on ending child marriage in the country. While child marriage is still a problem in Bolivia, organizations like the World Bank, UNICEF and Girls Not Brides continue to work toward bringing change in the country.

– Kathryn Kendrick
Photo: Flickr

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Everything You Need To Know About Poverty In Bolivia

Everything You Need To Know About Poverty In BoliviaIn 2021, the World Bank reported that national poverty in Bolivia was around 36.3%, with extreme poverty standing at 11%. The key responsible factors include the lack of human development and an ever-increasing unemployment rate. Also, ongoing socio-economic issues alongside a lack of education threaten the country’s economy and future.

The State of Education in Bolivia

Despite completing primary education, the majority of Bolivian students do not continue to secondary education. Increasing poverty rates have also affected children’s access to education. In 2014, the country passed legislation permitting child labor for children up to 10 years old and above. This led some families to prioritize their children’s work over their education.

In March 2023, 140,000 public school teachers participated in Bolivia’s largest strike since 2019. Outrage over a new curriculum that requires teachers to work additional unpaid hours prompted the strikes. Teachers are demanding an increase in the education budget, wages, and staff. With strikes becoming more common, students often have no one to teach them. This, in turn, impacts the education of Bolivian children negatively.

Malnutrition in Bolivia

Approximately 16% of children in Bolivia experience chronic malnutrition. Also, more than one in four children under 5 years old suffer from growth stunting due to chronic malnutrition, representing the highest rate in any Latin American nation. The country’s agricultural production has been stagnant, causing food insecurity among families, with 30% of households experiencing food shortages for more than three months a year. As a result, children are affected physically and academically, with many having to walk long distances to school on empty stomachs. Going through such levels of physical stress often impacts concentration levels among affected children.

Unemployment in Bolivia

In 2019, the unemployment rate in Bolivia was 3.7%, but it increased to 7.9% in 2020. The World Bank reported a drop to 5.1% in 2021. The low productivity of small-scale farming, droughts and decreasing product quality have caused a shrinkage in revenue generation in this sector. Poor infrastructure has also negatively affected the transportation of goods. Bolivia’s human development index ranking was 118 in 2021, indicating a lack of equal human development and underscoring the country’s poor economic state. According to the World Bank, Bolivia’s GDP per capita was $3,345 in 2021.

Poverty Alleviation Efforts

Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDGF), an independent organization, partnered with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), World Health Education (WHO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to implement the “Bolivian Government’s Zero Malnutrition Multi-sectoral Programme (PMD-C)” in the Andean region of Cochabamba. The program had three components: integrating nutritional activities into communities, educating and strengthening agricultural capabilities and improving the nutritional status of families. Following this intervention, reports indicate that 21,489 children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women gained better access to food of increased quality and quantity, there was a 50% reduction in anemia among children, and chronic malnutrition in children aged 6-23 months decreased by 30%.

In 2013, the World Bank supported the La Paz municipality in improving access to secondary education (as well as retention) for more than 10,000 at-risk students. It constructed and renovated approximately 240 classrooms, supplied learning equipment, supported staff and strengthened education management for primary and secondary schools in the area.

The Secondary Education Transformation Project financed an incentive program for students at risk of dropping out to help improve retention rates in secondary education levels. Collaboration with the Bolivian Salesian University led to the development and implementation of a postgraduate degree program. The partnership led to the construction of 19 buildings, benefiting more than 10,000 students and 11,000 staff members who were fully equipped and supported. These educational buildings are still in use as of April 2023. The aim is to reduce poverty in Bolivia for future generations.

Brighter Future for Bolivia

Bolivia has struggled with poverty due to inadequate and unequal education, chronic malnutrition, and persistently high unemployment rates even after the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, ongoing efforts are underway to improve Bolivia’s current situation. Organizations like UNICEF, WHO and UNIDO have implemented programs that aim to reduce malnutrition in the country. Also, the World Bank has been providing financial support to Bolivia’s education system. Local and humanitarian organizations are working to strengthen communities, promote a more sustainable economy and create a brighter future for Bolivia.

– Joshua Rogers
Photo: Flickr

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Top 10 Facts About Hunger in Bolivia

Top 10 Facts About Hunger in Bolivia
Bolivia is one of Latin America’s poorest countries. Still, Bolivia’s government has ambitious development plans and its constitution declares the right to adequate food for its citizens. However, even with the government’s work toward self-sufficiency, hunger in Bolivia remains a major problem. Here are 10 facts about hunger in Bolivia to help understand the situation better.

Top 10 Facts About Hunger in Bolivia

  1. Approximately 39 percent of Bolivians live in poverty, one of the highest rates in South America. The Bolivian government’s work toward a stronger economy has helped reduce poverty from 59 percent, but poverty rates remain significantly higher in rural areas.
  2. Most of Bolivia’s people live in rural villages. Of Bolivia’s almost 11 million people, more than half live in rural communities where poverty rates are the highest.
  3. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), “Access is the main cause of food insecurity in Bolivia.” Especially in rural communities, citizens lack access to a lot of resources, including food, water and infrastructure. Action Against Hunger (AAH), an NGO working in many poverty-stricken countries, reports that 75 percent of Bolivian households lack regular access to food.
  4. Rural households heavily depend on agriculture and eat only what they can grow themselves. Many rural people are peasant farmers with small plots that have little to no access to infrastructure or other food sources. Therefore, people often go hungry during lean seasons. Frequent natural disasters can also make farming an unreliable source of income.
  5. Nearly two-thirds, 63 percent, of households in Bolivia do not earn enough money to afford sufficient amounts of food, leaving the households unable to provide the minimum caloric intake for healthy living.
  6. Bolivia has the highest level of undernourishment in South America at 15.9 percent, meaning that a substantial portion of the population does not have enough food or eat enough nutrients.
  7. Approximately 27.1 percent of children in Bolivia are stunted, meaning they are too short for their ages. Stunting is a product of undernourishment and malnutrition. Stunting persists in adult populations, with nearly 10 percent of women aged 15-49 measuring less than 4 feet 9 inches (145 centimeters).
  8. Approximately 60 percent of children are anemic as a result of malnutrition. The high percentage of anemic children indicates chronic malnutrition in Bolivia.
  9. Many poor families eat insufficient diets based on cheap carbohydrates such as rice. Carbohydrates contain a lot of starches and fats, which often lead to obesity if not eaten in moderation. Approximately one-third of women aged 15-49 are overweight in Bolivia due to poor diets.
  10. Hunger in Bolivia not only affects children physically but it also affects their education. Many children have long walks to and from school, which are especially hard on empty stomachs. Sergio Torres, the head of WFP’s Bolivia operations, said, “When children arrive at school hungry after walking up to three kilometers, they cannot concentrate or assimilate what is being taught.”

Organizations Working to Address the Top 10 Facts about Hunger in Bolivia

Like poverty, hunger in Bolivia is steadily decreasing thanks to government work and foreign aid. AAH has helped 12,651 Bolivians in 2017 alone. Among those helped, 7,672 people’s lives were changed by nutrition and health programs, 1,470 were helped by water, sanitation and hygiene programs and 3,509 people were shown food security and livelihood programs.

WFP also does a lot of work in Bolivia, targeting three goals: enhancing emergency preparedness, improving enrolment and attendance of primary schoolchildren and reducing child malnutrition. Furthermore, The United Nations is working with the government of Bolivia to ensure food in schools for children. This is based on a law passed in 2015 that guarantees students complimentary school meals.

These organizations, along with the government’s commitment to a citizens right to adequate food, are working to help alleviate poverty and hunger in Bolivia. Although they have a lot of work to attain food security in the country, the efforts are being made and must continue.

– Kathryn Quelle
Photo: Pixabay

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Finally Free: Poverty and Inequality in Bolivia

Poverty and Inequality in BoliviaIn 2009, poverty and inequality in Bolivia were some of the highest in South America. Extreme poverty rates were roughly 40 percent and the poorest 10 percent received only 0.5 percent of the total national income.

There was a sharp turnaround between 2004 and 2014, according to the World Bank. Economic growth averaged 4.9 percent annually, moderate poverty rates dropped from 59 to 39 percent, and inequality plummeted. Poverty and inequality in Bolivia began to wane.

 

Fighting Poverty and Inequality in Bolivia

 

It was not until 2006, a year after the election of Evo Morales, the country’s first indigenous president, that government commitment to economic growth and poverty reduction began to drastically improve. Morales increased spending on health, education, and poverty reduction programs by 45 percent between 2005 and 2006.

On July 22nd, 2017, President Evo Morales declared Bolivia completely independent from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Spurring this independence are the improvements achieved by Morales’s government. Since his election, inflation has run below four percent each year, basic consumption goods have been at a surplus, extreme poverty has fallen to 17 percent and the richest 10 percent of the country, which used to earn 128 times more than the poorest, now only earns about 38 times as much.

What’s more, as Francisco Toro writes, “Bolivia was running budget surpluses every year between 2006 and 2014. This allowed it to draw down the public sector’s debt, which fell from 83 percent of GDP in 2003 to just 26 percent in 2014, even as Bolivia built up its international reserves dramatically, from $1.7 billion in 2005 to $15.1 billion at the end of the boom in 2014.”

Much of this had to do with the burgeoning natural resources in the country. Export revenue, in the decade following the appointment of Morales, grew by six percent contributing to the impressive reduction of poverty an inequality in Bolivia.

Independence from the World Bank and IMF marks a new era for Bolivia. Its unprecedented economic improvements and reduction of poverty and inequality are a victory for the fight against poverty. The question is, will the world follow suit?

– Joseph Dover

Photo: Pixabay

Poverty in Bolivia

poverty in bolivia
According to UNICEF, poverty in Bolivia is among the worst in South America. Economic growth and opportunities to make a living are most commonly found in urban areas because the more citizens in a setting, the more consumers there are. This makes it difficult however for indigenous farmers, inhabitants of more remote areas with fewer people, to market their products and provide for their families.

For the vast majority of citizens in Bolivia, this proves to be a major issue: 60% of Bolivians live below the poverty line. In rural areas, the numbers are even more dramatic. Three out of every four people living in these areas suffer from poverty. Because of this, Bolivia the poorest country in South America.

One reason for the extreme poverty lies in the geography of Bolivia. Undeveloped roads and infrastructure make up a vast portion of the country, with a majority of the land inhabited by indigenous citizens. This makes it difficult for farmers living in these areas to market their products and travel to sell them, which in turn impacts their families and the communities they live in.

For the farmers of Bolivia, the recent visit by the World Bank’s President to the country represented a unique opportunity. The fact that Jim Yong Kim recognized the need for economic growth and food security was important to the rural citizens of the poorest South American country. A World Bank agreement with the Government of Bolivia plans to promote the Andean marketable products that the indigenous people have to offer. This will get the people of Bolivia involved in national markets, boosting job growth and the economy.

Bolivians are finally being given opportunities to make a living through improved  economic stability and job growth.

– William Norris

Sources: Rural Poverty Portal, The World Bank
Photo: Bioversity International

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Etta Projects Addresses Poverty in Bolivia

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Etta Turner was 16 years old when she traveled to Bolivia as an International Rotary exchange student in 2002. Known for her compassion and commitment to social justice, the teen was prepared to provide for the less fortunate and help them change their lives. What was supposed to be a year away from her home and family in the States, however, turned into a lifetime when Turner was tragically killed in a bus accident.

The following year, in 2003, Turner’s friends and family founded Etta Projects, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the life and service of Turner. The organization works with the people of Montero, Bolivia, helping members of the community lead sustainable lives and achieve improved health conditions. Etta Projects supports projects that provide clean water, healthy food, quality education and stable income.

In the western hemisphere, Bolivia is the second poorest country after Haiti, with nearly 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About 23 percent of the population lives on less than $1 a day and 42 percent on less than $2 a day. Furthermore, about 90 percent of Bolivia’s children attend primary school, but only for a year or less: the average literacy rate of a 16-year-old Bolivian is at the third-grade level.

Etta Projects is dedicated to changing these statistics and helping the people of Bolivia. The organization is unique, however, in that it does not simply send money or resources to Bolivia. Rather, it connects with the Bolivian people to understand what they need and teaches them how to personally meet those needs.

To address and eliminate poverty in Bolivia, Etta Projects provides forums in which members of the community can identify their own problems and create plans to solve them. The organization forms strong, fundamental relationships with the communities it helps and the local governments that run them. They use their own resources and the available resources of the community to empower the communities to tackle their problems and issues.

The organization has five main projects: safe water and sanitation, health, nutrition, leadership and U.S. community outreach. Etta Projects is making a lasting difference in many Bolivian lives by listening to community needs, providing resources to meet those needs and leaving the community with valuable skills to lead sustainable lives. Miss Turner’s legacy of compassion and social justice absolutely lives on in the mission of Etta Projects.

– Sarah Sheppard

Sources: Etta 1, Etta 2, Etta 3
Photo: Doctors Without Borders

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Investment Project to Benefit 350,000 in Rural Bolivia

rural_bolivia
Six out of every 10 people in rural Bolivia live below the poverty line. In 2011, the World Bank Group launched its Community Investment in Rural Areas (PICAR) initiative in Bolivia, seeking to broaden impoverished rural access “to basic and productive infrastructure.”

Thus far, the project has maintained an effective track record, financing 612 sub-projects as of April 2015, including water and sanitation, irrigation, infrastructure and livestock protection initiatives. These sub-projects have a 75 percent completion rate, impacting 132,219 rural Bolivian inhabitants. The World Bank estimates that the project will surpass all target numbers, impacting more than 35,000 rural households in the country’s poorest communities.

After a successful start, the World Bank Group has extended an additional $60 million credit on top of the original $40 million loan for PICAR’s implementation. The funding increase is anticipated to facilitate the implementation of poverty reduction and rural development initiatives in 750 new communities, also providing 120 communities with a second round of grants.

By increasing funding, the World Bank Group expects PICAR to positively impact an additional 200,000 rural, primarily indigenous Bolivians, bringing PICAR’s number of beneficiaries to an estimated 350,000.

Along with indigenous groups, rural women are most strongly affected by poverty. Impoverished people face greater levels of food insecurity, limited access to basic services and depressed economic opportunities.

PICAR has been designed to take into account the importance of providing economic opportunities and necessary services to rural women, with 40 percent of sub-projects prioritized and implemented under female directive. The World Bank also reports that at the community level, PICAR has helped to develop 660 female leaders.

“We expect that at least 45 percent of PICAR beneficiaries will be women,” World Bank Resident Representative in Bolivia Nicola Pontara said, “with at least 20 percent being female heads of household, the most vulnerable group among the poor.”

Handing over the reins of agency to those most impacted by poverty is a common theme. PICAR functions by providing communities with financial resources to meet the issues the community members identify with solutions they define based on small projects, completed with local labor and materials.

Through direct transfers of resources to the communities in which the funds will be invested, PICAR seeks to give Bolivia’s most impoverished regions the capital and support to not only participate in, but actually manage their own advancement.

Alberto Rodriguez, World Bank Country Director for Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, spoke on this aspect of empowerment: “[Bolivia’s most vulnerable communities] are able to search for collective solutions to their basic and productive needs, lead projects and manage their own resources, enabling them to control their own development.”

Although Bolivia still faces significant challenges — 30 percent of the population lives in poverty — the country has taken strides toward economic growth. With assistance and initiatives like PICAR, substantial poverty reduction promises to continue.

– Emma-Claire LaSaine

Sources: World Bank, UNICEF
Photo: World Bank

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Top 4 Reasons Education in Bolivia Lags

education in boliviaEducation in Bolivia appears to be lacking: one in every seven children in Bolivia does not complete primary school, and the majority of Bolivians never go on to secondary school. In fact, over one million Bolivians over the age of 15 are illiterate. This lack of education contributes to the overall poverty Bolivians face. What factors are contributing to this lack of education? Here are the top four:

    1. Classes are mainly taught in Spanish, but some children learned to speak Quechua and Aymara at home. Many children, especially those from rural areas, cannot understand what is being taught. Being taught a second language in school is also not typical. It is easy to see why kids would become discouraged and decide to drop-out.
    2. Due to widespread poverty and not prioritizing education, schools can be very run-down with little to no proper classroom materials. While there is a lack of resources in Bolivia in general, schools are ranked at the bottom when it comes to addressing the country’s needs.
    3. The poverty in Bolivia also affects the teachers—they often go on strike to protest for higher wages and other related issues. This leaves children without teachers for sometimes days or even weeks at a time.
    4. The primary reason for a child not being in school and the shrinking literacy rate in Bolivia is poverty. Children in urban areas are able to go to school on average for 9.4 years, while those in rural locations only make it on average for 4.2 years. Many children have to work and help support their impoverished family rather than go to school.

Some changes to education in Bolivia have been made, however, with the help of nonprofits. Many organizations have helped provide classrooms and classroom materials in decent condition. One organization, the Foundation for Sustainable Development, helps provide training, tutoring, childcare and workshops to assist Bolivians with their educational needs. When given support and better learning conditions, children typically stay in school and even begin to learn at higher levels than their peers who are not given that support.

If their educational needs are met, they are more likely to succeed. Bolivian children should receive the education they need to thrive.

– Melissa Binns

Sources: Bolivia Bella, Foundation for Sustainable Development
Photo: Netpublikationer