Bolivia

We sponsor two programs in Bolivia: Fundacion Nuevo Dia and Proyecto Hoizonte – Ushpa Ushpa. Through both of these programs we reach thousands of children across Bolivia.

The Fundacion Nuevo Dia Program

La Paz, Bolivia

In the City of La Paz, there are 14 social organizations of children and youth who work in the streets as shoe-shiners – at the expense of their education. Forty percent of all the members of these organizations are affiliated with Fundacion Nuevo Dia (FND), an autonomous nonprofit institution managed by its current and former beneficiaries.

How The Orphaned Starfish Foundation Helps

The Orphaned Starfish Foundation has partnered with Save the Children to provide a telecenter for FND. Orphaned Starfish has funded the acquisition of the hardware and Save the Children provides the curriculum and monitors the project.

The telecenter allows youth workers to have the skills to continue their studies and improve the quality of their homework. The program gives them a broader vision of the world, helps them take advantage of new employment opportunities, and increases their self-esteem. Participants who gain employment in a computer related area as a result of the training experience an increase in both their income and social status. These advances contribute to the overall goal of improving the educational environment of street workers in La Paz so that they have the skills and self-confidence to continue their studies and thereby break the cycle of poverty for future generations.

The telecenter was inaugurated in June 2007.

Proyecto Horizonte – Ushpa Ushpa

Cochabamba, Bolivia

The community of “The Mineros San Juan,” Ushpa-Ushpa is located 10km southeast of the city of Cochabamba. There are approximately 1,500 families living under the poorest of economic conditions. Due to its illegal status, Ushpa-Ushpa lacked basically any infrastructure or coverage with utilities. Many inhabitants are without work and can only find short-term or seasonal jobs and the 1,500 families has an average of 4 to 6 children. The current status of health of the Ushpa-Ushpa population is sub-standard. Breathing problems and diarrhea are common and particularly widespread among the children.

Together with The “Saint Vincent de Paul” Society, Proyecto Horizonte – Ushpa Ushpa was founded in 2004 to build a day care center for children. The project grew to include a health care center and a school. Today there are 150 children between the ages of 1 to 6 years attending the 5 levels of the “Education Initial,” and a daycare program. A recently inaugurated school has 600 children between the ages of 6 to 14 years in attendance. During the evening hours, a school program for adults is also provided. The youngest student is 16 years old, the oldest 62, and the majority of the students are women.

How The Orphaned Starfish Foundation Helps

The Orphaned Starfish Foundation partnered with Save the Children to provide a computer center to serve the 600 children between the ages of 6 to 14 years who attend the school. OSF provided funds to furnish and equip the center with sixteen computers including software and all the necessary furniture. Save the Children provides the curriculum for the computer classes and facilitates the training of the teachers.