Fundacion Helping Hands-La Paz (Bolivia)

The mission of the Fundacion Helping Hands-La Paz (Bolivia) is to open up educational opportunities for marginalized and vulnerable Bolivian youth of scarce economic resources so that they may complete a programme of studies to become technicians or university graduates. Education is the focus of the Fundacion Helping Hands -La Paz (Bolivia), and we hope to broaden the horizons of our young people by providing new experiences and activities. Helping Hands works with several orphanages, social projects and international organizations to give these young people the opportunity to educate themselves and become more productive and responsible citizens. In particular we work with girls who, traditionally, have been marginalized as far as upper education is concerned. Our project began in an informal way in 2004 to give support to the 48 boys who had to leave the state boys' home at the age of 18 and they had not yet finished high school. We provided rent support, school materials, moral support and help with documentation so that the boys could finish high school. The project grew to include studies in technical schools and universities when the boys had finished high school and in 2006 we expanded to include girls from the many social projects in La Paz and El Alto. In 2014 our project was formalized with the creation of the Fundacion Helping Hands - La Paz (Bolivia) and we now support 100 students from the ages of 15 to 25 of which 65% were girls in 2017. The Fundacion Helping Hands-La Paz (Bolivia) also provides medical and dental care for the students to insure their permanency in their programmes of study. There is no universal health care in Bolivia, and the costs of health care can be devastating for those lacking economic resources. Students are required to attend monthly meetings where we provide talks on many themes of interest to young people in order to provide a more integral personal development. We invite speakers in the areas of education in reproductive health, the environment, values, general health, living without violence, and written expression. We organize outings to museums and other cultural activities. We feel that in order for an underdeveloped country to progress it must provide education for all of its citizens. Education is one of the keys to eradicating poverty.