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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Country Feature - Bolivia!!

I speak a lot about Brazil and it's true that my heart has a little soft spot for the country, but there are many other places that need help. Today I want to continue through South America to Bolivia.

Here are some facts I learned from Compassion about Bolivia.
- It has the largest natural gas reserve in South America but is the least developed country in South America
- Compassion mainly works among the indigenous highlanders that are stuck in poverty
- The indigenous highlanders of Brazil make beautiful hand-woven textiles from the wool of alpacas and llamas
- A new constitution was adopted in 1967 after a long period of economic and social reforms
- Civil unrest continues to dominate Bolivia's politics and it remains a divided country because the indigenous people want to gain more economic independence from political leaders

Here are some facts gathered from Wikipedia about Bolivia.
- It is considered a developing country with a medium Human Development Index score and a poverty level at 53%
- The main economic activities include agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, and manufacturing (textiles, clothing, refined metals, refined petroleum)
- It has 50-70% of the world reserves in lithium, however they do not mine for it because it would destroy the salt flats that attract tourists
- Over 10 million people live in Bolivia (62.43% live in urban areas, the rest in rural areas) and almost 60% are under 25
- Over 230 babies die per day through lack of proper care
- The majority of the population has no health insurance or access to health care
- It has a rich culture of music, art, and dance that has been influenced by the Quechua, the Aymara, and Latin America as a whole
- One success of Bolivia was that it was the fourth country in South America to declare that everyone in their country can read (as of 2008)

In the slums of Bolivia, most homes are made of dirt floors, mud, adobe, tin, or wood walls, and corrugated iron or cement roofs. Those that are able to work earn between $43-$200 per month. Communities are in need of schools, educational materials, tuition assistance, qualified teachers, employment opportunities, proper sanitation, water, food, clothes, improved housing, libraries, rehabilitation programs, paved streets, parks, and a hospital .

These are some kids in Bolivia that have been waiting for a sponsor for over 225 days. Will you be that person that changes their life?

This is Marioly. She is 9-years-old and lives in the community of Villa Clotilde, Bolivia. She lives with her father (who is sometimes employed) and her mother (who maintains the home) and three siblings. Adults in this area earn about $60 per month.



This is Michelle. She is 4-years-old and lives in the community of Alto Cochabamba, Bolivia. She lives with her mother (who is sometimes employed) and two siblings. Adults in this area earn about $114 per month.


This is Ingrid. She is 7-years-old and lives in the community of Achachicala, Bolivia. She lives with her father (who is sometimes employed) and her mother (who maintains the home) and two siblings. Adults in this area earn about $80 per month.


This is Bequer. He is 8-years-old and lives on the plains of Ciudadela Villa 1o de Mayo, Bolivia. He lives with his father (who is sometimes employed) and his mother (who maintains the home) and two siblings. Adults in this area earn about $66 per month.


This is Pablo. He is 10-years-old and lives in the community of Pampahasi Bajo, Bolivia. He lives with his father (who is sometimes employed) and his mother (who is sometimes employed) and four siblings. Adults in this area earn about $120 per month.

This is Limber. He is 10-years-old and lives on the plateaus of San Luis, Bolivia. He lives with his father (who is sometimes employed) and his mother (who is sometimes employed as a seller in the market) and two siblings. Adults in this area earn about $58 per month.

If none of these children speak to your heart I invite you to see other children waiting for sponsors in Bolivia. As always, if you are not financially able to sponsor one of these children, please pray for their health and safety and that they may find sponsors.

Love & Peace


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