International Service

Latin America - Bolivia

IS in Bolivia
IS Partners in Bolivia

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Country information

Bolivia is a mountainous country of 1,098,581² kms of which only 1.9% is cultivated arable land and of this only 8% is irrigated.
The country can be divided into three main areas : the Altiplano (high plateau) of the Andes between 3,700 and 4,500 metres above sea level; the steep sided valleys of the south (1,500 - 3,000 ms); and the subtropical lowlands (400-500ms).

Bolivia’s per capita income is as little as US$ 680 but in many rural areas, the average family income is only US$150 a year. Twenty-four percent of children under 3 suffer from chronic malnutrition. Only 29% of the population has access to sanitary services.

Traditionally, rural areas had the higher percentage of the population. However, in recent years this trend has been reversed by the high migration to urban areas. This rapid rise in urban population has meant that marginal towns are developing particularly in the main cities (La Paz, El Alto, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba).

Like the majority of rural areas, these marginal city areas lack basic services such as water, sewerage, health posts and adequate schools.

In cultural terms, most inhabitants in Bolivia today can trace their ancestry to the Tiahuanaco and Inca Empires. Traditionally, these cultures mostly inhabited the highland and valleys in what is now Bolivia. Today, the migration to the main cities and to the lowlands has meant a spread of the different ethnic groups. These are smaller in number and many have been subject to heavy influence from migrants from the highlands and valleys of Bolivia and from abroad.

Bolivia has the highest proportion of an indigenous population within all of Latin America. Within this indigenous population are various ethnic groups with their own language, beliefs system, customs and so forth, with Quechua and Aymara cultures being the principal two. More than 50% of the population is bilingual, Spanish being the official language. According to the latest census, 23% speak Quechua, 16% speak Aymara and 3% others which includes Guarani.

Human Development Report, UNDP 2002

The current economic model introduced in Bolivia in l985 has brought about financial stability. In 1998 Bolivia had a growth rate of 4.7% and an inflation rate of 4.4%. It has not, however been able to reduce the ever increasing levels of poverty among the majority of the population. Some analysts argue that in fact these levels of poverty have risen, and the gap between the small elite (politically and economically) and the majority of the population has widened. Attempts to reduce this ever-increasing gap have not had the desired effect. In 1994 was introduced the Law of “Participacion Popular” (Popular Participation), which attempts to redistribute previously centralised resources to provincial areas, and which has had wide ranging results.

In theory the law is positive, however, in some areas lack of sufficient training, provision of information on the law and in-fighting amongst different political groupings in rural areas have hindered and delayed positive impact. In other areas successes have been achieved in terms of developing processes of participative planning with different organizations at provincial levels. There are also examples of increasing the effective use of natural resources and positive attempts at developing what are known as “production municipalities”.

IS work in Bolivia

International Service (IS) has been working in Bolivia for over twenty years, supporting national non-government organizations, municipalities and community-based organisations by providing skilled and experienced people. Between 1986 and 2001 a total of 71 Development Workers have been placed, of which 36(51%) were in the Agriculture/environment sector, 22(31%) in the Health sector and 13(18%) in other sectors.

International Service has identified two main areas of priority: municipal development and disability. Municipal Development involves capacity – building and technical support and in the area of disability, providing skilled professionals to improve existing services but also exploring possibilities to work directly with disabled organisations.

IS is and will continue to contribute to all of the strategic components of the Bolivian Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper which are:

a) increasing employment and income opportunities
b) capacity-building, and
c) favouring social integration and participative citizenship.

Many of our current DWs are working in projects in rural areas aimed at improving production levels and marketing possibilities which will increase levels of income. All DWs work within a capacity-building approach, both directly and indirectly. Those working in the area of health and disability are particularly responding to the strategic component of favouring social integration through their direct work with groups of adults and children with special needs and the staff members of the centre.
A number of DWs are involved in the sector of human rights, through advocacy and institutional strengthening in defence of human rights with marginalized groups such as indigenous groups, and the aged.

14/06/2007 - Making Connections from Anna Janota in Bolivia

Read the latest news from Anna Janota, International Service Development worker in Sucre, Bolivia click here

IS Field Office in Bolivia

Postal Address: Servicio Internacional Britanico, Calle Abdon Saavedra #2322, Sopacachi, La Paz
Tel/Fax: + 00591 2 242 0430

IS Bolivia Website: www.isbolivia.org

Field Director: Zoe Hopkins
Email: zoe@isbolivia.org

Disability Coordinator: Feliza Ali Ramos Email: Feliza@isbolivia.org

Children’s Coordinator: April Pojman  Email: april@isbolivia.org

Administration: Ana Maria Urquidi 
Email: is@isbolivia.org

Other Bolivia Links:

CONGI – Coordinadora de ONGs Internacionales, www.congibolivia.org

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Partners in Bolivia

IS works with the following Bolivian partner organisations:
 

Municipality of San Lucas
Comprises of a town council, mayor and vigilance committee. In addition there are administrative and technical staff. Their main objectives include: Improving the inhabitants´ quality of life through increased income by the rational exploitation of natural resources, without neglecting the environmental sustainability and balance, and strengthening the municipal administration and the links between the municipality and other organisations in the area.

Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)
Is an international non-profit making NGO. The activities of ADRA are directed towards the reduction of poverty and assistance to populations who suffer disasters or are in extreme poverty.

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Helpage International (HAI)
Is a world network of NGOs with the mission to work with and in favour of marginalized elderly people throughout the world to improve their quality of life. HAI has three main objectives: 1. The Development of Small Projects, 2. Assist Organizations that work with the elderly, 3. Open a space for the elderly to voice their concerns especially the marginalized.
www.helpage.org

Accion Andina
Is a platform of researchers and institutions of the Andean region who study and promote actions on the theme of anti-drug policies and their impact on Latin America, particularly in the Andean Amazon region. It also searches for alternatives and facilitates a space for joint reflection.
www.cedib.org/accionandina

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Asistencia Social y Ecologica (ASEC)
Is a local NGO, created in 1992. It consists of 10 volunteers, all resident in Comarapa. ASEC has the fundamental objective of implementing rural development projects, supporting rural initiatives and the preservation of the environment. It lends technical assistance and advice at field level.
www.assistenciasocialyecologia.0catch.com

The Municipal Government of Comarapa
was formed in 1960 and consists of a municipal council and a mayor. According to the Law of Municipalities and Law of Popular Participation the obligation of the Municipal government includes urban and rural development. The main priorities of the municipality include organisation of the population; municipal strengthening; infrastructure and services; productive sectors and protected areas.

Ayni Suyu, (Reciprocal land)
Is a non-profit making private institution for social development founded in 1994. It supports health and the organisation of women and children in the 16 municipalities of the Valle Alto area of Cochabamba.

Independencia Fundacion para la Autogestion y el Medio Ambiente (Fupagema)
Was founded in 1989 and since then has been developing projects directed towards improving the living conditions of inhabitants of the rural communities in Ayopaya Province in the Department of Cochabamba.

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Municipality of Independencia
Was created in 1899 and considers their main objective to be: “Decrease the extreme poverty for the inhabitants of the municipality by making possible secure access to sufficient food, drinking water, health and education services and decision-making.”

Pastoral Social – CARITAS
Comes under the umbrella of the Catholic Church. The prinicipal areas of action include the promotion and defence of life, human dignity and the rights of the people; promotion of the social dimension of faith and animation and support to the parishes.

Productividad Biosfera y Medio Ambiente (PROBIOMA)
Is a non-profit organization whose mission is to, "contribute by research and technological innovation in biodiversity and the promotion of local management, ownership and sustainability of natural resources to the improvement of the conditions of life".
www.probioma.es.vg